Individuals with mental health issues are often included in lists of vulnerable populations for various reasons: some policies consider such persons to be more at risk of experiencing stress of discomfort, while others suggest that individuals with mental health issues might experience difficulties understanding the stakes of research. However, some of these measures have contributed to stigmatizing and systematically excluding this population from research

In light of these concerns, our aim in this project is to better understand the notion of “vulnerability” in research ethics, and to develop research practices that better reflect the experiences and points of view of people concerned with this topic. We are currently recruiting participants for a series of individual qualitative interviews, in order to include and collect the experiences and points of view of (a) individuals who identify as living (or having lived) with a mental health condition(s) and (b) patient advocates.

We are currently recruiting potential participants.

Participants must:

  • Live in Canada and be over 18.
  • Self-identify as living (or having lived) with a mental health condition(s) AND have previously participated in research / OR have worked in a patient advocate role.

Participant interviews will take place at our offices at the IRCM, in downtown Montreal. However, we are also open to other possibilities, and are available to meet with participants in another place or in another format (e.g. phone interview, Skype interview, etc.) if needed.

 

Should you have any questions about this study or if you are interested in participating, please email us at [email protected]