Prevalence of severe contractures in nursing homes.
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Understanding the development of severe contractures in people in full time residential care – an observational cohort study with nested-case control.
IRAS ID
247850
Contact name
Julie Whitney
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
King's College London
Duration of Study in the UK
1 years, 5 months, 1 days
Research summary
A contracture is a reduction in joint range of movement(ROM), and severe contractures can be defined as contractures that impact function or a carers ability to provide care duties, or attribute to a pressure sore. Contractures are a complication of advanced dementia and immobility, and range from mild to severe, with the latter often associated with poor outcomes, such as pain and pressure ulcers. They can pose a challenge to care providers. There is no effective treatment once contractures have developed, but preventative interventions could provide more effective long-term solutions.
We have designed a study to observe the presence of severe contractures in permanent nursing home residents, with the aim of determining risk factors of severe contractures.
Participants are to be included if they are a permanent resident of a participating nursing home, and are able to provide consent or a signed declaration from a personal consultee. They will be excluded if consent is not given or if the personal/nominated consultee have not advised, and if there is a prognosis of end of life care with ‘weeks’ to live.
We will recruit participants from nursing homes across South-East London over the course of 1 year; upon recruitment, participants will be assessed for contractures and baseline demographics will be recorded. If a participant doesn't display contractures, there will be a follow up at 3 and 6 months to see if the participant has developed a contracture in this time. For the majority of participants, the study will last for 6 months, and involve 3 assessments of joint ROM, as well as assessment of cognitive function using the FAST measure.
Throughout the cohort, the data collected from those participants who do display contractures will be utilised as part of a nested case control within the greater cohort study.
REC name
London - Bromley Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
19/LO/1829
Date of REC Opinion
5 Feb 2020
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion