Intervention to Improve Elastic Wearing in 10-19 year olds
Research type
Research Study
Full title
A Randomised Control Trial of an Intervention to Improve Elastic Wearing in 10-19 years olds
IRAS ID
145679
Contact name
L.J. Winchester
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
QVH NHS
Research summary
This is a single site randomised control trial based in the Orthodontic Department at the Queen Victoria Hospital, East Grinstead.
The research problem being investigated is the poor compliance with elastics wear in orthodontics. Elastics wear in adolescents and young adults is a commonplace in orthodontic treatment. Maximum benefit requires high levels of patient compliance. There are many perceived barriers to elastics wear, the main issue being to remember to put the elastics on the fixed brace.
A previous pilot of this RCT design demonstrated that the intervention, if-then planning, does improve compliance with elastic wear. However due to the small sample size a larger study was recommended.
“If -then” planning is defined as implementation intentions that are specific plans of action, usually identifying when, where and how the individual will engage in a specific behaviour. These are formed as ‘if-then plans’ which state “If Y occurs then I will perform X”. Thus they link a behaviour to situational cues which trigger the behaviour.
The following patients will be invited to participate in the study;
Patients who are undergoing fixed brace therapy who are due to commence the elastic wearing as part of treatment.
The age range of the patients extends from 10 to 19 years of age.25 will be recruited for the control group and 25 will be recruited for the intervention group.
Participants in the control group will receive the usual standard advice on wearing their elastics supported by a DVD and a leaflet giving the information. In the intervention group, the participants will additionally be asked to plan how to remember to change their elastics. The outcome measures that will be recorded are self report of elastic earing, and the total number of elastics used between treatment visits.
REC name
East of England - Cambridge South Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
14/EE/1012
Date of REC Opinion
25 Jul 2014
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion