Project SOAR: Supporting Older Adults with low mood to access care in Rural areas.

This PhD focuses on mental health problems (e.g. depression, low mood) among older adults (60 years and over) in rural settings. Mental health problems are as common in older adults as they are in other age groups. However, only one-in-six older adults will speak to a healthcare professional about their mental health. Lots of barriers prevent older adults from seeking help, such as, stigma, lack of awareness about symptoms and services, and lack of access to services. Older adults in rural areas face these challenges and more based on where they live. This PhD seeks to answer the question: Can we co-design an intervention to support help-seeking for low mood that targets older adults living in rural areas? The PhD will involve a literature review and qualitative methods, including interviews and co-production methods. The PhD candidate will establish a public partnership group (a Rural Mental Health Research Partnership) embed public involvement throughout their study.