Although virtual supports may promote engagement with brain-healthy lifestyle behaviours among aging adults, few are designed with the needs of end-users in mind.

This qualitative study explored the needs and preferences of integrating virtual peer support into brain health programs among Canadian adults aged 55 years and older.

Five semi-structured focus groups (22 participants, n = 18 women) were conducted and analyzed using thematic analysis.

Participants discussed different brain-healthy behaviours and outlined barriers and facilitators to maintaining a brain-healthy lifestyle. Most women reported perceived differences in experiences between genders, whereas most men did not perceive any gender differences in terms of brain-healthy lifestyles. Participants indicated interest in virtual supports that provide education on brain health, include peer support, promote social engagement, and empower aging adults to maintain autonomy.

Findings underscore the importance of designing person-centered and gender-responsive virtual brain health programs that reflect aging adults’ lived experiences to foster resilience.

Peer-supported self-management at discharge from early intervention in psychosis services (EIPS) has received limited attention. The MyPREPED (My Personal Recovery Plan for Early Discharge) trial will evaluate a co-designed, digital and paper-based, peer-delivered recovery and self-management focused intervention, tailored for young people exiting EIPS.

This protocol describes a hybrid type 2 effectiveness–implementation trial designed to assess MyPREPED’s impact, feasibility, real-world implementation and cost–utility.

This multi-site, mixed-method, two-arm (1:1), parallel-group, randomised controlled trial (MyPREPED versus treatment as usual) trial will be delivered across eight Australian EIPS that deliver ultra-high risk and/or first-episode psychosis streams, using a hybrid type 2 implementation–effectiveness design. Eligible participants are young people aged 16 years and over within 6 months of planned discharge from EIPS. Peer coaches will deliver up to ten sessions of using a self-management plan (modules: discharge, recovery, well-being, relapse prevention, goal-setting, service navigation). Co-primary outcomes include (a) mental health recovery (Recovery Assessment Scale – Domains and Stages; effectiveness outcome) and (b) feasibility (Feasibility of Implementation Measure; implementation outcome). Secondary outcomes assess broader effectiveness domains (mental health quality of life, clinical and functional outcomes) and other implementation outcomes. A cost–utility analysis will estimate incremental costs and quality-adjusted life-years associated with MyPREPED, alongside a secondary cost-effectiveness analysis. Analyses will follow intention-to-treat principles, using mixed-effects models.

This study will provide the first rigorous test of a co-designed, peer-delivered recovery and self-management focused intervention specifically targeting EIPS discharge.

Caregivers of children with CHD frequently experience psychological distress related to the chronic and unpredictable demands of their child’s diagnosis. Peer support can mitigate distress and promote resilience, but few studies have explored factors affecting its implementation or the experiences of those who provide or facilitate peer support. This study aimed to identify barriers, facilitators, and recommendations for optimising peer support from the unique perspectives of leaders of patient/family organisations within the CHD community.

Using online crowdsourcing methods, qualitative data on the implementation of peer support was collected from 16 leaders representing five patient/family organisations. Crowdsourced data were coded and analysed using thematic analysis, with themes categorised as barriers, facilitators, and recommendations.

Four overarching themes were constructed: 1) Training and Expertise, highlighting the value of lived experience alongside the need for structured training in mental health and bereavement; 2) Peer Mentor Wellbeing, including burnout, secondary traumatic stress, and the importance of clear role boundaries and expectations; 3) Partnerships and Collaboration, emphasising relationships with clinical care centres; and (4) Support for all Families and Family Members, including fathers, siblings, and bereaved families.

The results provide insight into the implementation of peer support, with recommendations for next steps including hospital-community partnerships to improve access and intentional programme design to protect peer mentor wellbeing. Further understanding of caregiver and peer mentor needs is critical for elucidating ways to develop and implement optimal models of peer support.

To examine the impact of one-to-one peer support on mothers’ personal breastfeeding goals.

Scoping review guided by Arksey and O’Malley’s five-stage framework and reported in accordance with PRISMA Extension for Scoping Reviews guidelines. Qualitative data were analysed using descriptive content analysis. Quantitative data were analysed by identifying numerical trends and recurring patterns, and a concise overview of key descriptive findings was provided using frequency counts and proportions.

Studies conducted across ten countries globally, identified through systematic searches of seven electronic databases and screening of reference lists.

Thirty-eight studies were included: twenty quantitative, seven qualitative, six mixed methods and three secondary analyses (drawing on two relevant primary sources). Participants were mothers who received one-to-one breastfeeding peer support, predominantly in community or home-based settings.

One primary outcome was assessed: The impact of one-to-one peer support on mothers’ personal breastfeeding goals. Two secondary outcomes were identified. The first examined the effect of one-to-one peer support on breastfeeding outcomes based on traditional measures of breastfeeding success. Of the included studies, 50 % reported positive effects of one-to-one peer support on traditional measures of breastfeeding success, while 21 % found no statistically significant differences. An additional secondary outcome reported in 34 % of the included studies examined the impact of mother-centred breastfeeding peer support on maternal emotional well-being.

One-to-one peer support enhances the mothers’ ability to achieve their personal breastfeeding goals and positively influences emotional well-being. These findings underscore the need to integrate structured one-to-one peer support into maternal health services in Ireland and globally.

This study evaluated the effectiveness of a one-year smoking cessation intervention for people with severe mental illness compared with treatment as usual (TAU) in outpatient mental healthcare.

The KISMET study is a pragmatic cluster-randomized controlled trial conducted in 21 outpatient mental healthcare teams in the Netherlands. Eleven teams delivered the KISMET intervention comprising cognitive-behavioral and peer support, combined with optional pharmacological reatment. Ten teams participated in the TAU condition. We collected data between October 2022 and July 2024. The primary outcome was self-reported smoking cessation at 12 months, verified through exhaled carbon monoxide levels below 10 parts per million. Secondary outcomes included depression and anxiety (HADS), severity of psychotic symptoms (PANSS-6), quality of life (SF-12), disease self-management (PAM-13), lipid profile, blood pressure, body mass index, glucose level, and physical fitness. Crude and adjusted linear and multivariable logistic regression and mixed model analyses were performed.

Eighty-nine participants were included in the KISMET intervention and 44 in TAU. Smoking cessation rates were significantly higher in the KISMET group at 3 months (OR 12.1, 95% CI 1.4 to 103.7) and at 12 months (OR 4.2, 95% CI 1.0 to 17.2) but not at 6 months (OR 1.9, 95% CI 0.5 to 6.9). No significant differences between groups were found for secondary outcomes. Dropout rates were 58% in the intervention and 32% in the TAU group.

The KISMET intervention shows potential without signs of physical or psychopathological complications. However, results must be interpreted with the high dropout rates in mind.

Youth in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) bear a disproportionate burden of mental health conditions, alongside low health-seeking behaviours and limited access to services. These gaps underscore the need for accessible strategies such as youth peer-based mental health programmes and supports (Y-PBMHPS).

To examine whether Y-PBMHPS can help address the mental health needs of LMIC youth.

We conducted a rapid review of peer-reviewed literature, searching Medline, PsycINFO, CINAHL, CAB Global Health, Science Citation Index and Social Sciences Citation Index for studies of Y-PBMHPS in LMICs published in English between 1 January 2002 and 19 September 2025. Two review authors performed title/abstract screening and full-text review. Study quality was assessed by one review author using Joanna Briggs Institute critical appraisal tools. The primary outcome was change in mental health status, expressed in standardised difference units.

Of 6105 unique records identified, 329 studies were reviewed in full and 34 were included. All studies were conducted in Asia or Africa; 17 were quantitative studies (including randomised controlled trials), 9 were qualitative studies and 8 used quantitative designs with qualitative findings. Y-PBMHPS included counselling, psychotherapy, psychoeducation and self-help groups, with peers acting as leaders, facilitators, educators or service providers. Quantitative studies most frequently assessed anxiety and depression, reporting negligible to moderate effects. Qualitative findings indicated good fidelity, adherence and acceptability, alongside some feasibility challenges.

Y-PBMHPS can broaden youth mental health support and services in LMICs. Clearer guidelines on peer selection, training and supervision and further research in other LMICs, including cost-effectiveness evaluations, would strengthen the evidence base.

Unpaid cancer caregivers (UCCs) are the primary caretakers of individuals with cancer, often shouldering caregiver responsibilities without prior preparation, which leads to a sense of isolation, particularly in remote and rural areas where healthcare access is challenging. Thus, this systematic review aimed to explore the perceived and/or received peer support needs of UCCs residing in rural and remote areas with a specific focus on informational, practical, and emotional needs.

Seven databases (CINAHL, ScienceDirect, PUBMED/MEDLINE, PROQUEST, Web of Science, Scopus, and Informit) were searched from 2004 to 2024. Peer-reviewed qualitative, quantitative, and mixed-method studies published in English were considered for this review. Data were extracted using the Joanna Briggs Institute System for Unified Management, Assessment, and Review of Information and presented using the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses flow diagram. Quality and bias were assessed with the Mixed Methods Appraisal Tool.

In total, 8 primary studies were included: 4 qualitative, 2 mixed methods, 1 cross-sectional, and 1 prospective survey. Four themes were identified: (1) Emotional, practical, and informational unmet needs; (2) Lack of peer support on the physical and emotional well-being of UCCs in remote and rural areas; (3) Lack of supportive services in remote and rural areas; and (4) Access to flexible peer support.

This review revealed the unique unmet needs of UCCs in remote and rural areas, where a lack of reliable and accessible resources adversely leads to impaired UCCs’ overall well-being. Addressing these unmet needs is essential to enhance the support system for UCCs living in such regions. By identifying the gaps, the review underscores the need for developing a peer support model tailored to the specific needs of UCCs in rural and remote communities.