Clinician Reassurance for Chronic Patients Emotional Distress (V1)
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Exploration of Clinician Reassurance in Response to Chronic Illness Patients’ Expressions of Emotional Distress: Prostate Cancer and Huntington’s Disease.
IRAS ID
171333
Contact name
Yuefang Zhou
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
Research Business Development & Contracts, The University of St. Andrews
Duration of Study in the UK
0 years, 8 months, 9 days
Research summary
Accurate reassurance of patients’ displays of emotional concern is crucial in interactions between clinicians and patients, being especially important in sufferers of long-term chronic illnesses such as Prostate Cancer and Huntington’s Disease (for which there is currently no available medical treatment). In order to investigate clinician research, the M.Sc. Health Psychology project is to be carried out by a University of St. Andrews student, in collaboration with NHS Fife Huntington’s and Prostate Cancer Services.
To increase understanding of interactions, this exploratory study focuses on the non/verbal behaviours demonstrated by both clinicians and Prostate Cancer and Huntington’s Disease patients in one-on-one interactions. I am particularly interested in clinician’s recognition and management of patients’ emotional expressions during consultations. We hypothesise, based on patient-centred and reassurance research, that successful management will occur when emotional distress is correctly identified, and reassurance is provided in an effective, timely manner which does not overload the patient with too much information.
After obtaining informed consent from clinicians and patients, recordings of one 10-15 minute interview per patient shall occur, with a sample anticipated to comprise a maximum of 20 Huntington’s patients and 2 clinicians, and 20 Prostate Cancer patients and 1 clinician. Recordings shall be assessed using VR-CoDES and descriptive statistics. I hope that the findings of the study will improve understanding of patient-clinician interactions for chronic illnesses.REC name
East of Scotland Research Ethics Service REC 2
REC reference
15/ES/0003
Date of REC Opinion
11 Feb 2015
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion