Exploring medicines management in advanced cancer
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Exploring the medicines management experiences of people living with advanced cancer
IRAS ID
197305
Contact name
Kathryn Chater
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
University of Leeds
Duration of Study in the UK
1 years, 0 months, 0 days
Research summary
Background
People living with advanced cancer often take many medications. Medicines are prescribed to treat their cancer and alleviate its symptoms, or to ease the side-effects of cancer treatment and to prevent further complications. In addition, people with advanced cancer may also manage other long-term medical conditions, for which they also receive medicinal treatment. The consequence, is that many people living with advanced cancer have a high medicines burden and manage a complex regimes of medicine at home.Limited research has been carried out into the experience of medicines management in the context of living with advanced cancer as a long-term condition.
Aims
This study will explore peoples’ experience of living with advanced cancer and managing medication at home, to generate knowledge about individual approaches and attitudes towards medicines management.Research will explore:
What strategies people have for managing their medicines
[including systems of organisation, order, remembering, identification, storage, restocking and transportation]
What attitudes and emotions people feel about managing their medicines.
What does it mean to manage medicines when you are living with advanced cancer.Methodology
The research will be an exploratory qualitative study, using interviews and photography.
People who have a diagnosis of advanced cancer will be interviewed at home about their personal experience of managing their own medication. Medicines will be present for reference and reflection during interviews. Photographs will be taken, to capture participants’ medication management strategies and solutions.Analysis of interview and photographic data will highlight how people practically manage their medicines and what the experience means to them. This will inform future work to identify and develop medicines management support tools that could benefit others living with advanced cancer.
This study is part of a PhD being completed by the Chief Investigator, Kathryn Chater.
REC name
Yorkshire & The Humber - Leeds East Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
16/YH/0221
Date of REC Opinion
1 Jul 2016
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion