Diverse Experiences of unpaid Carers Across Time (DECAT) (v1)
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Diverse Experiences of Unpaid Care Across the Caring Trajectory
IRAS ID
276489
Contact name
Diane Fox
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
University of Kent
Duration of Study in the UK
2 years, 5 months, 30 days
Research summary
The number of people caring for an elderly, sick or disabled relative is growing worldwide, so finding the optimum ways to support them in their caring role is increasingly important. Few research studies examine the changes carers experience over time or make comparisons between different groups of carers. The main aim of this study is to understand the factors linked to carers' quality of life and satisfaction with social services over time. A sample of carers recruited via local authorities will be sent a follow-up questionnaire containing measures previously collected in the 2018/19 Personal Social Services Survey of Adult Carers in England (PSS SACE). The degree to which carers’ satisfaction and quality of life scores differ from scores collected in 2018 will be examined. Factors associated with changes will be explored and subgroups of carers compared. To follow up in more detail, sixty semi-structured telephone interviews will be conducted, including a subset of survey participants and carers from ‘frequently excluded’ communities recruited via community groups and informal networks. Interview transcripts analysed using framework analysis will provide further in-depth information about the services, support and other factors that enable good quality of life for carers over time.
REC name
West Midlands - Coventry & Warwickshire Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
21/WM/0147
Date of REC Opinion
30 Jun 2021
REC opinion
Favourable Opinion