Conversation analysis of back pain consultations
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Does the patients experience of the initial consultation affect their decision to undergo lumbar microdiscetomy and influence outcome: A Qualitative study
IRAS ID
157399
Contact name
Alison McGregor
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
Imperial College London
Duration of Study in the UK
5 years, 11 months, 31 days
Research summary
On going lower back and leg pain is one of the most common reasons people seek the opinion of a neurosurgeon. In many cases people are offered surgery to help improve their problem. Depending on the patient’s experience of the encounter with the surgeon they may decide to accept or decline surgery. This research will examine via conversation analysis if the communication style of the surgeon influences the patient’s decision to undergo or decline the surgery and for those patients undergoing surgery whether it influences their outcome. This research will involve participants completing 3 short questionnaires prior to seeing the consultant and repeating these questionnaires post operatively at weeks 6, 12 and 52. The researcher will also take an audio recording of the initial consultation with the doctor followed by an semi structured interview that will allow participants to describe their experience of the consultation. If the participant undergoes surgery, we will then audio record the participants subsequent post op follow up appointment and interview the participant for a second time following this follow up appointment. Data collected will then be analysed to determine any themes that emerge that appear to influence the decision to undergo or decline a microdiscetomy or the outcome of the surgery.
REC name
East of England - Cambridge South Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
14/EE/1198
Date of REC Opinion
16 Oct 2014
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion