Evidence mapPaperPMID 41314825Full record

Trial reportBMJ open2025

PEER CONNECT: an embedded qualitative study of the experiences of a peer well-being coaching intervention for people living with a long-term health condition.

Rachel Dennett, Julian Elston, Tom P Thompson, Wendy Clyne, Joanne Hosking, Krystina Bones, Helen Davies-Cox, Agne Straukiene

Abstract readRandomized Controlled Trial
In one paragraph

Trial report in BMJ open, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
0citing papers in PubMed
field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

8 authors.

Rachel DennettTorbay and South Devon NHS Foundation Trust, Torquay, UK rachel.dennett@plymouth.ac.uk.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0003-0400-0502
Julian ElstonTorbay and South Devon NHS Foundation Trust, Torquay, UK.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0003-1378-5030
Tom P ThompsonFaculty of Health, University of Plymouth, Plymouth, UK.
Wendy ClyneUniversity of Nottingham School of Medicine, Nottingham, UK.
Joanne HoskingFaculty of Health, University of Plymouth, Plymouth, UK.
Krystina BonesTorbay and South Devon NHS Foundation Trust, Torquay, UK.
Helen Davies-CoxTorbay and South Devon NHS Foundation Trust, Torquay, UK.
Agne StraukieneTorbay and South Devon NHS Foundation Trust, Torquay, UK.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

introductionMany people with long-term conditions such as pain and arthritis struggle with their health and well-being. To support better self-management, a new peer-delivered coaching intervention (Health Connect Coaching) was set up at a National Health Service integrated care organisation in Southwest England. Based on principles of personalised care and supported goal setting, the one-to-one coaching programme, targeting patients with low activation, delivered coaching sessions in a step-down approach over 6 months. A randomised controlled feasibility trial (fRCT) of Health Connect Coaching was conducted to inform the design of a definitive randomised controlled trial. This article reports the embedded qualitative component of the fRCT, describing the experiences of coaches, peers and staff of implementing and participating in the intervention and trial that ultimately struggled to recruit sufficient peers.

methodsSemi-structured online interviews were conducted with coaches (n=16) and peers (n=6), and informal discussions held with staff (n=7). Interviews were recorded and transcribed verbatim, and summaries of informal discussions were made. Data were analysed using thematic framework analysis.

resultsFour themes were identified from the interview and discussion data: (1) motivation for participation, (2) balance, (3) flexibility and (4) connection and building relationships.

conclusionOne-to-one peer coaching demonstrates potential as an intervention to enable people to better manage their chronic health condition. However, in people with low activation, programmes and effectiveness studies need to pay close attention in their design to the motivation of peers, flexible delivery models that enable connection but can accommodate fluctuating needs and facilitating links between coaching services and clinical teams. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER: ISRCTN12623577.

Indexed as

MentoringPeer GroupSelf-ManagementAdultAgedChronic DiseaseEnglandFeasibility StudiesFemaleHumansInterviews as TopicMaleMiddle AgedMotivationQualitative ResearchChronic PainFeasibility StudiesMultiple sclerosisPatient-Centered CareRHEUMATOLOGYSelf-Management

Identifiers

PMID41314825
PMCPMC12666179

What Socratic holds

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Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the Socratic graph.