AIS Bracing DCE
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Understanding Brace Choice in Scoliosis: A Discrete Choice Experiment (DCE) in Bracing Adolescent Idiopathic Scoliosis (AIS).
IRAS ID
327997
Contact name
Raveen Jayasuriya
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
Sheffield Children's NHS Foundation Trust
Duration of Study in the UK
2 years, 0 months, 0 days
Research summary
Scoliosis is a curvature to the side and rotation of the spine. It can cause considerable distress primarily because of the appearance, but significant curves can cause problems with the heart, lungs and pain. The majority of scoliosis begins in early adolescents and has no underlying cause. Patient’s with curves of 20-40˚ are offered a back brace to prevent the curve getting worse; when at 50˚ high risk surgery may be recommended.
The landmark BrAIST trial demonstrated that the success of full-time brace treatment (in preventing the need for surgery) is adherence dependent, suggesting a required wear time of more than 18hours. Our group is currently running the BASIS trial comparing full-time bracing and night-time bracing, the results of which will not be available for over 8 years. The BASIS trial may show that full-time bracing is equivalent or inferior to night-time bracing, but in either brace type, treatment success is likely to be adherence dependent.
A recent interview study, by our group, has identified the key psychological factors which influence adolescent patients to wear their brace as prescribed. These factors would also influence a patient’s choice of brace if they were given the option of two types of brace.
This study will explore to what extent, various attributes of a brace would affect a patient selection of differing brace treatment. This will be conducted using a questionnaire method called a discrete choice experiment, where participants are given a series of pairs of hypothetical treatments to choose between, each with differing features.
Analysis of this questionnaire data will provide clinicians, orthotists, and scoliosis brace developers an indication of what features of a brace are most important to patients, and in what features patients are willing to compromise for other benefits in treatment experience.
REC name
London - Surrey Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
23/PR/1220
Date of REC Opinion
13 Nov 2023
REC opinion
Favourable Opinion