Understanding the hope of hospital patients with life-limiting illness
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Becoming more hopeful: a critical analysis of hope amongst hospital inpatients with the life-limiting condition Pulmonary Hypertension, examining the theological and pastoral implications of hope in the hospital setting.
IRAS ID
289966
Contact name
Fran Kissack
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
Clinicaltrials.gov Identifier
STH21575, STH reference
Duration of Study in the UK
3 years, 0 months, 1 days
Research summary
Hope is a very individual experience which has been shown to affect the lives of those who are ill. This Q methodology study aims to increase understanding of the hope of hospital inpatients with Pulmonary Hypertension, in order to improve their pastoral and spiritual care.
Interviews with patients and staff, and a survey of a wide variety of general and healthcare literature will form the first part of the study. From these a set of up to 40 statements about hope will be drawn which together represent the views expressed. In part two of the study participants will be asked to compare these statements and order them, sorting them from most agree through neutral to most disagree. They will also provide demographic information and be asked to reflect upon why they placed items where they did – focussing particularly upon those placed at the extremes of agree and disagree.
The data provided by the statement sorting in this second part will then be statistically analysed to look for participants whose views have significant features in common. It is hoped that these groups of participant views, in conjunction with the participants own reflections on them and the information collected about the participants will offer insights into what hope is like for these patients. This is a PhD study and the Chief Investigator will examine the pastoral and the theological implications of the findings, looking for practical ways in which hope can be supported and patient care improved.
REC name
South Central - Berkshire B Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
21/SC/0103
Date of REC Opinion
20 Apr 2021
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion