How do Clinicians & Older Individuals Establish Cancer care decisions?
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Understanding how older adults, their significant others and clinicians make decisions about treatment and support following a new diagnosis of cancer (CHOICES)
IRAS ID
292129
Contact name
Jackie Bridges
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
University of Southampton
Duration of Study in the UK
3 years, 8 months, 27 days
Research summary
There is not much information about how older people make decisions about their care when they are told they have cancer. The aim of this study is to find out how people make these decisions. The researcher will talk to older people, their family and friends and health care professionals to understand this better. The researcher will ask questions about how people make decisions and what things might make it easier or more difficult.
Collecting this information will take place over about two years with people recruited from the cancer clinics in English National Health Service Hospitals. The interviews will take place in the home of older adults or other place of the person's choosing (if permitted by Covid19 restrictions), or by telephone or video call. The people who will be invited to take part in this study are:
• People aged 70 years old or more who have received a diagnosis of cancer
• Significant others supporting older people who have received a new diagnosis of cancer
• Staff involved in cancer care planning for older people
All those who take part in the study will be asked to give consent.
Up to 60 interviews will be carried out with older adults, closest relatives and staff. These will focus on how people in the study decide on cancer care options to understand how these people think and feel about this by exploring people’s views and feelings about their role, efforts and contributions in relation to decision-making. Interviews will be digitally recorded and a written transcript will be made.This method of data collection will help the researcher put together a detailed understanding of the treatment and supportive care decision making processes. This will reveal ways in which healthcare organisations might best provide support for older people faced with making cancer treatment decisions.
REC name
West of Scotland REC 1
REC reference
21/WS/0110
Date of REC Opinion
16 Sep 2021
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion