Cancer Loneliness Intervention and Outcomes (CLIO)
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Cancer Loneliness Interventions and Outcomes
IRAS ID
342913
Contact name
Tristi Brownett
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
Canterbury Christ Church University
Duration of Study in the UK
1 years, 5 months, 30 days
Research summary
Around half of the UK population will at some point in their life receive a cancer diagnosis. The physical and psychological impact of diagnosis, treatment, recovery and impacts of life after cancer is thought to affect a significant proportion of this population and make them vulnerable to the experience of loneliness. Although cancer loneliness has been written about for 30 years and is acknowledged by cancer teams, little is known about the cause of cancer loneliness. Likewise, there is little existing research about what interventions will successfully address cancer loneliness.
Prior to the proposed study, reviews of the academic literature were used to identify theories about what causes cancer loneliness. The proposed study will interview adults with cancer about their experiences of cancer loneliness. The interviews will seek to build on the themes and issues of cancer loneliness identified in the literature reviews. The interviews will also seek to understand what has helped manage the participants experience of cancer loneliness. Following the interviews the data will be analysed and the findings about the themes and issues, and loneliness management strategies will be used to inform a codesign process.
These findings will be used to inform a codesign process. The codesign process will work with patients, specialists, charities and other stakeholders to develop a type of intervention called a complex intervention to address cancer loneliness. A complex intervention considers the range of interacting components that, in this scenario, influence or reduce the experience of loneliness. The codesign process will be a series of three immersion events with a final event to establish the complex mechanisms for intervention, often referred to as what works, for whom, and in what circumstances. This understanding is important as it will inform future studies and the final intervention itself.REC name
North West - Greater Manchester Central Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
24/NW/0248
Date of REC Opinion
23 Aug 2024
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion