Health Checks and After Health Checks Study
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Health checks and After Health Checks Study: Annual health checks for people with learning disabilities: An exploration of experiences, follow up and self management of health conditions.
IRAS ID
237939
Contact name
Dawn Cavanagh
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
Research and Business Engagement, University of South Wales
Duration of Study in the UK
3 years, 0 months, 0 days
Research summary
While people with learning disabilities are living longer they die much earlier than their non-disabled peers. They are also more likely to be living with multiple and complex long-term health conditions. Furthermore, a range of factors are contributing to these health disparities such as difficulty or delay in diagnosis, which can lead to misdiagnosis, late or missed investigations and treatments; lack of provision of follow-up and aftercare, and a lack of coordination of care across and between disease pathways and service providers.
The annual health check, introduced in Wales in 2006 as a directed enhanced service, is an intervention aimed at improving health outcomes for this population. While there is evidence to show that health checks are effective in identifying unmet health needs a gap in knowledge remains as to how the health issues identified within checks are followed up and how people with learning disabilities and their carers self-manage health issues. This study seeks to address this gap in knowledge by addressing the following:
1. How are issues identified within annual health checks for people with learning disabilities in Wales followed up and addressed?
2. How do individuals and their carers self-manage conditions identified within annual health checks?
3. What support do they receive to support self-management of health conditions?
This 3 year qualitative Kess II funded study will aim to recruit about 15-20 adults with learning disabilities who have recently had an annual check. They (and where relevant their carers) will be interviewed as soon as possible after the check to explore their experience, any issues identified and actions proposed. They would then be interviewed again at six months and again at eleven months as they should be preparing for their next check. Participants will be recruited via existing networks within the third sector; however, it may be necessary to go beyond these organisations to obtain an appropriate sample. Interviews will be recorded and transcribed with a thematic analysis being undertaken.
REC name
Wales REC 7
REC reference
18/WA/0194
Date of REC Opinion
29 May 2018
REC opinion
Favourable Opinion