Briefly describe a specific question, or set of related questions, about a health care test or treatment that this program should consider.

Are Adults Diagnosed with Bipolar Disorder more or less likely to be influenced by groups of people?

Does your question include a comparison of different health care approaches? (If no, your topic will still be considered.)

no

If yes, explain the specific technologies, devices, drugs, or interventions you would like to see compared:

What patients or group(s) of patients does your question apply to? (Please include specific details such as age range, gender, coexisting diagnoses, and indications for therapy.)

Adults 21 years of age or older diagnosed with a confirmed diagnosis of Bipolar type I Disorder.

Are there subgroups of patients that your question might apply to? (For example, an ethnic group, stage or severity of a disease.)

Bipolar diagnosed individuals who do not currently meet manic, hypomanic or depressed episode diagnostic criteria may be included.

To minimize the risk of including those misdiagnosed with borderline personality disorder, only those diagnosed as Bipolar I with previous hospitalization history for treatment of a manic episode may be included.

Describe the health-related benefits you are interested in. (For example, improvements in patient symptoms or problems from treatment or diagnosis.)

How individuals with bipolar disorder are influenced, persuaded or are affected by the views, opinions and reactions of groups (i.e. 'groupthink') may impact how the disease is treated and may show insight to what physiological elements may play a role in the disorder.

Describe any health-related risks, side effects, or harms that you are concerned about.

A questionare to determine predisposition toward peer pressure and groupthink would be the only test required for the study. In general, I do not see any significant risk.

Appropriateness for EHC Program

Does your question include a health care drug, intervention, device, or technology available (or likely to be available) in the U.S.?

yes

Which priority area(s) and population(s) does this topic apply to? (check all that apply)

EHC Priority Conditions (updated in 2008)

• Depression and other mental health disorders

AHRQ Priority Populations

• Individuals with special health care needs, including individuals with disabilities or who need chronic care or end-of-life health care

Federal Health Care Program

None

Importance

Describe why this topic is important.

It is largely unknown how bipolar disorder affects individuals in social settings. How a bipolar disorder diagnosed individual approaches groups of people, and their likelihood to be influenced by them, may provide insight to clinicians about how they are likely prone to see the world around them and better understand how this tendency might impact functioning. Results may also provide insight into how bipolar disorder affects brain physiology.

What specifically motivated you to ask this question? (For example, you are developing a clinical guideline, working with a policy with large uncertainty about the appropriate approach, costly intervention, new research you have read, items in the media you may have seen, a clinical practice dilemma you know of, etc.)

Personal observations.

Does your question represent uncertainty for clinicians and/or policy-makers? (For example, variations in clinical care, controversy in what constitutes appropriate clinical care, or a policy decision.)

yes

If yes, please explain:

It is currently unknown how individuals with bipolar disorder respond to groups and little is known about socialization trends.

Potential Impact

How will an answer to your research question be used or help inform decisions for you or your group?

Understanding how individuals with bipolar disorder respond to groups may address several important aspects to therapy.

• How does group influence affect vocation
• Do differences in how bipolar diagnosed individuals experience mass social settings such as sporting events, parties or concerts contribute to feelings of isolation
• Might bipolar diagnosed individuals more prone to social anxiety due to an abnormal response to group influence
• Might group therapy be more or less useful to those diagnosed with bipolar disorder
• Does disease progression and severity impact reaction to group influence
• Is there any indication that bipolar disorder extends beyond a mood disorder in a similar way that schizophrenia extends beyond psychosis? Might bipolar disorder also affect social thinking?

Describe the timeframe in which an answer to your question is needed.

Completion on this study needn't be completed on any specific timeframe.

Describe any health disparities, inequities, or impact on vulnerable populations your question applies to.

Nominator Information

Other Information About You: (optional)

Please choose a description that best describes your role or perspective: (you may select more than one category if appropriate)

Understanding how individuals with bipolar disorder respond to groups may address several important aspects to therapy.

• How does group influence affect vocation
• Do differences in how bipolar diagnosed individuals experience mass social settings such as sporting events, parties or concerts contribute to feelings of isolation
• Might bipolar diagnosed individuals more prone to social anxiety due to an abnormal response to group influence
• Might group therapy be more or less useful to those diagnosed with bipolar disorder
• Does disease progression and severity impact reaction to group influence
• Is there any indication that bipolar disorder extends beyond a mood disorder in a similar way that schizophrenia extends beyond psychosis? Might bipolar disorder also affect social thinking?

Are you making a suggestion as an individual or on behalf of an organization?

Individual

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