Biological therapy for psoriatic arthritis: A qualitative study

• Research type

  Research Study

• Full title

  The experiences of psoriatic arthritis patients receiving biological treatment: A qualitative study.

• IRAS ID

  139657

• Contact name

  Eva Schepelern

• Contact email

  psadocres@gmail.com

• Sponsor organisation

  London Metropolitan University

• Research summary

  Psoriatic Arthritis (PsA) is a chronic, inflammatory arthritis that is estimated to affect 10-­30% of people with psoriasis. PsA patients are doubly afflicted by a visibly disfiguring skin condition and a joint condition associated with pain, stiffness and swelling of the joints that often lead to deformity(Gladman & Chadran, 2009).

  Though still incurable, the recent development of biological therapies has greatly improved the prospects of management and relief from symptoms associated with PsA (Wolfgang, 2010). However, the impact of biological therapy on PsA patients’ psychological well­being and quality of life is unclear (Mease & Menter, 2006).There are currently no widely validated disease-sepcific tools for PsA to measure how QoL is affected (Mease, 2009). Additionally, findings from the literature on psoriasis (Fortune, Richards, Griffiths, & Main, 2004; Gupta, Long & Tillman , 1999) suggest that psychological well-being does not necessarily improve despite successful disease and symptom control. However, no studies have, to the best of our knowledge, investigated this.

  The aim of the proposed research is therefore to investigate how treatment with biological therapies impacts on the lives of PsA patients by exploring patients’ experience of how symptom improvement relates to psychological functioning and QoL.

  The study will employ Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA)(Smith, Flowers & Larkin, 2009), a qualitative research methodology, deemed suitable for investigating novel and underresearched areas. 6 participants will be recruited through the rheumatology and dermatology clinics at the Royal Free Hampstead NHS trust. Data will be be collected through semi­structured interviews, which will take place at a suitable location near the clinics and will last between 60­- 90 minutes. The data will be analysed in accordance with principles of IPA (Smith et al. 2009)and results and analysis of findings will be written up

• REC name

  North West - Liverpool Central Research Ethics Committee

• REC reference

  14/NW/0254

• Date of REC Opinion

  17 Apr 2014

• REC opinion

  Further Information Favourable Opinion