Activity Theory Analysis of Palliative Medications v1.0
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Getting prescription medications right at home, in hospital & hospice: An Activity Theory analysis to improve patient safety and confidence in palliative care
IRAS ID
266366
Contact name
Sarah Yardley
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
University College London
Clinicaltrials.gov Identifier
TBC - registration submitted, UCL Data Protection Office reference no.
Duration of Study in the UK
3 years, 0 months, 12 days
Research summary
Background: People with palliative care needs use prescription medications to achieve symptom control. 'Daily hassles' with medications are commonly reported. What happens in 'real life' and the effort required to achieve effective medication management in palliative care is poorly understood.
Aims: The study will collect information from patients, carers and professionals to:
1. Map 'real life' processes underlying medication management including:
• Decision-making
• Prescribing
• Monitoring and supply
• Use (Administration)
• Stopping/disposal of medications
• Moving across healthcare contexts.
2. Understand challenges patients and carers face and what they do/do not do to achieve effective medication management.
3. Understand impact of professional practices on medication management.Design and Methods: Three types of context will be identified in order to recruit from home, hospital and hospice. We will develop a visual process model of how using prescription medications should work. We will then observe and explore what really happens and collect information about peoples' experiences of medication management to develop a 'real life' model. Activity theory, which can be used to good effect in analysing healthcare processes, is being used to understand what happens, who does what, and what occurs when a patient moves across contexts.
Patient and Public Involvement (PPI): Consultation with patients, families, friends, carers and healthcare professionals helped develop this proposal. A PPI co-applicant is part of the team, they will:
• Provide an ‘expert-by-experience’ perspective
• Assist the research team to engage a wider PPI population
• Co-produce study dissemination products and activities.
• All participants will be invited to a dissemination event and receive the study report.REC name
London - Camden & Kings Cross Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
21/LO/0459
Date of REC Opinion
11 Aug 2021
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion