Grant: Project Grant

Traumatic injuries drastically change an individual's life, with physical and mental health challenges becoming part of their new reality. During the complex recovery process, trauma patients receive care from many healthcare providers (HCPs) in different places [e.g. hospital, rehab centre] before returning home. Patients describe feeling unready, distressed, and anxious when they have to transition from one place of care to another. They also express a need for greater psychological and emotional support during care transitions. By making psychosocial support available to patients throughout their entire recovery, we can improve their quality of life and reduce feelings of distress. Peers can provide trauma patients with emotional support, information, and other important resources based on their own experience of traumatic injury. This is known as 'peer support' and it can improve patients' health, lessen isolation, and improve community participation once they are home. Currently, there are no programs that connect trauma patients with peers soon after injury and throughout their recovery. Our project will fill this gap by bringing together important stakeholders [i.e. trauma patients, caregivers, and HCPs] to co-design a program that will connect patients with peers throughout their recovery. We have completed Phase 1, where we interviewed 36 stakeholders about their experiences with peer support and what they would want from the program. What we learned will inform Phase 2, where 6 workshops will each gather 15 stakeholders to develop a peer support program through completion of different design activities. In Phase 3, we will review the program and make changes that will prepare it for a trial study. The peer support program will be made with and used by key stakeholders. This will make sure that the program fits well with usual care and is useful at meeting patients' needs. The program can help patients experience better emotional and psychological recovery.