Comprehension and patient perspectives of consent in trauma surgery

  • Research type

    Research Study

  • Full title

    Assessment of comprehension and patient perspectives and understanding of consent in trauma surgery

  • IRAS ID

    256333

  • Contact name

    Anthony Howard

  • Contact email

    medahowc@leeds.ac.uk

  • Sponsor organisation

    Leeds Teaching Hospital

  • Duration of Study in the UK

    0 years, 10 months, 1 days

  • Research summary

    The study looks to assess the quality of the consent process for trauma surgery from the patient perspective.

    We are interested in assessing two aspects of the process:

    1. What patients can remember about the risks, benefits, and indications for the surgical procedure. Previous research has shown that despite efforts of the clinical team to improve retention of information delivered in consent, such as video information and time with a nurse specialist that retention is consistently poor (see question A12). The study aims to see if the findings of poor retention from the previous research persist in a trauma setting as well as gain data into patient beliefs, understanding, and priorities during consent.

    2. In light of changes following the decision of Montgomery (see A12), the focus is now on factors significant to the patient, we wish to identify/analysis common factors associated with trauma surgery.

    The research has two parts:

    1. How much is remembered by patients about what is said in the consent process before their operation.

    2. What patients feel is important to them in terms of risk factors/complications and what they understand by the language used in the consent process.

    The research will be aimed at patients in trauma surgery (patients having their operation within 14 days of their injury). This demographic has been identified as an under-researched area and the researchers believe from their clinical practice that the difficulties within the consent process may be particularly pertinent in this field (see question A12).

    The research will take place at the Major Trauma Centre at Leeds General Infirmary.

    The study will involve an interview after consent is given, but before the operation. The interview will last 15 to 20 minutes. It will be made up of two sections as per the research objectives above.

  • REC name

    London - South East Research Ethics Committee

  • REC reference

    19/LO/0197

  • Date of REC Opinion

    22 Jan 2019

  • REC opinion

    Favourable Opinion