PrimaryBreathe Co-design Study
Research type
Research Study
Full title
PrimaryBreathe Intervention Co-design Study
IRAS ID
323271
Contact name
Anna Spathis
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
University of Cambridge
ISRCTN Number
ISRCTN75849177
Duration of Study in the UK
2 years, 6 months, 1 days
Research summary
Breathlessness affects the daily lives of one in ten people with long-term health conditions, like lung or heart disease. Doctors and nurses often feel they cannot help when breathlessness persists despite treating the underlying condition. However, a few specialist teams have developed effective ways to support breathless people, for example with breathing or relaxation techniques. The treatment is safe and does not involve taking new medicines. This approach needs to be adapted so it can be accessed by more people through their general practices.
The PrimaryBreathe co-design study is the first of several studies in the five-year PrimaryBreathe programme. About forty-nine patients, family or friend carers, general practice staff and researchers from Cambridge and Hull will work together in partnership to develop an acceptable primary care version of the treatment . We will be particularly careful to try to meet the needs of people from ethnic minority communities and people who do not use the internet.
The study has four phases running over about a year. First, participants will talk with researchers, both individually and in groups, to give advice about the treatment and a related website that provides additional information (Phase A). Next, patients, carers and staff will agree the details of the treatment prototype in two workshops (Phase B). The treatment will then be delivered by up to six general practice staff to about twelve patients across three general practices (Phase C). Finally, we will talk with everyone who delivered or received the treatment to get feedback that can help us improve the treatment further (Phase D). Participants can choose whether they take part in one or more phases.
In later studies in the programme, this breathlessness treatment will be formally tested in forty general practices across England to check that it does help patients and their carers.
REC name
London - Stanmore Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
23/LO/0091
Date of REC Opinion
15 Mar 2023
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion