Developing an intervention to improve Recovery after Delirium
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Development of an Intervention to improve Recovery after an Episode of Delirium: A Realist study
IRAS ID
266609
Contact name
Louise M Allan
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
University of Exeter
Duration of Study in the UK
1 years, 2 months, 31 days
Research summary
Delirium is a medical word used to describe a change in brain function which makes a person become suddenly confused. Their behaviour and concentration may also be affected. Delirium is usually caused by an illness such as an infection. Delirium usually gets better within a few days to weeks but it can sometimes take several months for people to recover fully. Previous research has looked at how to prevent delirium and treat it while people are in hospital but there has been no research into how to help people recover after an episode of delirium. This study aims to design a package of care (an intervention) to help people recover from an episode of delirium
In this study we will recruit 30 people who have had delirium while they were in hospital and their family members or friends who care for them. We will interview them and the professionals who care for them about what they think their needs are after an episode of delirium. We aim to find out what ideas they have about how they could be helped to recover from their delirium.
In the second part of the study we will use the findings from our interviews and also review the scientific literature on recovery after delirium. We will develop a theory as to how to help people using a method called realist synthesis. This method helps us to find out what might work, for whom and in what circumstances. The theory will help us design a new intervention to help people recover after an episode of delirium. In future work we will test the new intervention in randomised controlled trials.REC name
West Midlands - Coventry & Warwickshire Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
19/WM/0362
Date of REC Opinion
17 Jan 2020
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion