Remote Peer-Mentorship In Osteoarthritis
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Remote osteoarthritis peer-mentorship for socioeconomically underserved people
IRAS ID
326583
Contact name
Gretl McHugh
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
University of Leeds
Duration of Study in the UK
1 years, 11 months, 30 days
Research summary
Osteoarthritis is one of the most common causes of musculoskeletal disease. Support for self-management is one way to improve the management of osteoarthritis. Peer-support models are seen as an effective way to improve support for people to self-manage a long-term condition, such as osteoarthritis. The aim of this study is to develop a remote peer-mentorship intervention for people with hip and knee osteoarthritis who are experiencing socioeconomic disadvantage and explore if this programme is acceptable and useful. The study is designed in three phases: intervention development, intervention set-up and process evaluation. Phase 1 will consist of group discussions with people with hip and/or knee osteoarthritis who are experiencing socioeconomic disadvantage to explore their views around remote delivery of the peer-mentorship programme; and participatory workshops with public and community groups to help finalise the programme design. In Phase 2 we will recruit and train approximately 10-15 volunteer peer mentors to deliver the six-week peermentorship programme. In Phase 3 our trained volunteer peer mentors will deliver the programme to 25-30 participants with hip and/or knee osteoarthritis. We will collect information about the participants’ health and wellbeing via questionnaires at the start of the programme. We will interview the participants immediately after they have completed the programme and again at six months to explore their experience of being part of the study. We will also interview the peer mentors to explore their experiences of receiving training, delivering the programme and being supported as a peer mentor. At the end of Phase 3 we will carry out two Stakeholder Discussion Forums to explore how we could put the mentorship programme into practice. Study findings will be co-presented by the study team, peer mentors and PPI members and will include a discussion of the challenges and solutions to wider implementation of the intervention, and ways to maximise potential impact of the intervention for public and health professionals
REC name
West Midlands - South Birmingham Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
23/WM/0108
Date of REC Opinion
22 May 2023
REC opinion
Favourable Opinion