AF-QoL
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Development of a patient-reported outcome tool to measure the quality of life in patients with anal fistula (AF): The Anal Fistula Quality of Life Scale (AF-QoL)
IRAS ID
275869
Contact name
Nusrat Iqbal
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
London North West University Healthcare NHS Trust
Duration of Study in the UK
1 years, 2 months, 6 days
Research summary
An anal fistula is an abnormal connection between the inner surface of the anus or rectum and the surrounding perianal skin or buttocks. Fistulas are rare, but particularly problematic for patients as they often result in ongoing discharge from the external opening, which can be faeculant and cause local skin irritation. Furthermore, surgery to treat this condition risks impairment of continence, due to the proximity of the fisutla tract to the sphincter muscles of the anal canal.
As a result, patients who suffer from an anal fisutla often report experiencing difficulties in their work and social lives, and symptoms can also have a devastating impact on their personal relationships. Although the personal impact can be extensive and is frequently used to guide treatment decisions, this is poorly measured and acknowledged in the literature. We aim to address this by developing a patient derived, patient centered assessment scale to measure quality of life in patients with an anal fisutla. We will do this by conducting a series of qualitative interviews with patients suffering from the disease, in order to identify areas of their lives on which their symptoms have the greatest impact.REC name
Wales REC 6
REC reference
20/WA/0055
Date of REC Opinion
18 Feb 2020
REC opinion
Favourable Opinion