Delirium prevention for older people in hospital: a feasibility study
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Prevention of delirium for older people in hospital: a cluster, randomised feasibility study of the Prevention of Delirium (POD) Programme versus usual care
IRAS ID
89599
Contact name
John Young
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
Bradford Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
Research summary
This 2-year cluster randomised feasibility study seeks to explore the clinical and cost-effectiveness of the Prevention of Delirium (POD) system of care, and to gather data to inform a possible future larger study. It is the third and final study of a Programme Grant for Applied Research funded by the National Institute for Health Research investigating the prevention of delirium in older people in hospital.
Delirium, or acute confusion, is the most common complication for older people admitted to hospital. Patients with cognitive impairment are especially vulnerable. Evidence suggests that multi-component interventions may reduce delirium in vulnerable patients by a third.
POD, a multi-component delirium prevention intervention designed and tested in the previous projects of the Programme Grant, is designed to be delivered by ward staff and trained, supervised volunteers. It targets modifiable clinical risk factors for delirium (such as immobility, sleep deprivation, dehydration and pain) in vulnerable patients.
We aim to recruit 16 elderly care and orthopaedic wards in eight hospitals. Half the wards will be randomised to deliver POD and half to continue with standard care practice (cluster randomisation). All patients admitted to participating wards will therefore receive POD or standard care depending on randomisation.
We aim to recruit 720 patients who are 65 years or older and who do not have delirium on admission from participating wards over six months.
Recruited participants will be asked to provide baseline data and will be assessed daily for up 10 days and again at 30 days to determine whether they have delirium. Quality of life, experience of care, and patient mood questionnaires will be undertaken at 30 days. At three months post admission to the ward participants will be sent quality of life, extended activities of daily living and health and social care use questionnaires.REC name
Yorkshire & The Humber - Leeds West Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
13/YH/0400
Date of REC Opinion
22 Jan 2014
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion