e-TIPS: Focus Groups
Research type
Research Study
Full title
e-TIPS: Early Therapy In Perinatal Stroke. Focus groups around design of the intervention.
IRAS ID
157858
Contact name
Anna Basu
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
The Newcastle upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
Research summary
Focus groups with stakeholders to optimise design of early therapy intervention after perinatal stroke
Stroke in adults is well-recognised. However, stroke also affects up to 1 in 2300 new-born infants (“perinatal stroke”). It is the leading cause of hemiplegic cerebral palsy (HCP) - weakness and stiffness on one side of the body. HCP has lifelong personal, social and financial consequences. At present there is no evidence-based standardised therapy intervention for use in young infants after perinatal stroke.
This study involves design of an early therapy intervention for perinatal stroke. This will later be tested in a feasibility pilot study. The therapy is intended to be delivered by parents and carers in the home, with therapist support. As part of the design process we will obtain feedback and advice from parents of children who had a perinatal stroke, and also from therapists/professionals who are involved in caring for infants with perinatal stroke. This feedback will be obtained through focus groups (two with parents/carers, and one with health professionals, as we have already obtained initial advice from relevant health professionals in the early stages of the design process). We will hold the focus groups at Newcastle University, and aim for 6-10 participants per group, with sessions lasting around 1.5 hours. During focus groups participants will be shown and asked to comment on the materials and methods we intend to use in the therapy intervention. Advice and comments from each focus group will help us to improve the therapy intervention in an iterative process.
REC name
North of Scotland Research Ethics Committee 2
REC reference
14/NS/1027
Date of REC Opinion
15 Jul 2014
REC opinion
Favourable Opinion