Healthcare, Through The Eyes Of Our Children
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Healthcare, Through The Eyes Of Our Children: An observational study to explore children and young people’s healthcare experiences
IRAS ID
249438
Contact name
Gail Lindsey Davison
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
Queen's University Belfast
Duration of Study in the UK
1 years, 0 months, 1 days
Research summary
Children and young people's (CYP's) experience of healthcare is an important outcome and healthcare quality indicator for those caring for and leading children's healthcare, and children and young people themselves. Efforts are being made to assess and improve CYP's experience of healthcare. To improve CYP's healthcare experiences first it needs to be understood from their perspective. This study is part of a larger study which primarily aims to explore children and young people's healthcare experiences (CYPHCEs) through their eyes.
Studies describing CYPHCEs have increased over the last decade. CYP now form an active voice within qualitative healthcare research. CYP describe a range of experiences which refer to communication, autonomy, caring, trust, displeasure, fear and hope. Many CYP will experience healthcare in similar ways (same procedure, information given and management plan), however, experiences are individual and unique to that person who experiences it. Therefore, a standardised approach to CYP will not be effective in improving CYPHCEs (Davison, 2018).
Qualitative healthcare research requires the researcher to embed themselves within the literature and study material. The researcher's knowledge and preconceptions have a bearing on how the research activities and data analysis are completed. An outsider (non-healthcare professional) view has benefits over an insider (healthcare professional) view when exploring patient experiences. However, the reverse can be true as the researcher can appreciate others motivations and rationale (Green and Thorogood, 2018).
This study is the first of a number of studies within this programme of research. This study aims to explore CYPHCEs, to add a further dimension to a complex topic and to allow the researcher to develop an outsider perspective. This study will recruit up to 75 patients, aged between 8-14 years, over a 12 month period from the Royal Belfast Hospital for Sick Children (RBHSC) general Outpatients Department (OPD) for an observation study.
REC name
HSC REC B
REC reference
18/NI/0136
Date of REC Opinion
29 Aug 2018
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion