How people identify and manage side effects from medicines 1.0
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Investigation of how coping mechanisms influence the use of information sources and experiences of people who have recently undergone an Adverse Drug Reaction (ADR) to medication
IRAS ID
157130
Contact name
Bernadine O' Donovan
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
University of Kent
Clinicaltrials.gov Identifier
14/NE/1053, Newcastle and North Tyneside 1
Research summary
A study exploring how people identify and manage side effects from medicines.
This study is investigating the personal experiences and opinions of the general public in identifying and managing side effects from medication. It will gather information on the different types of information sources people use to find out about side effects(e.g. pharmacists, the internet, family/friends). Research has indicated that side effects from medication can have considerable negative impact on peoples’ daily lives. Previous research has focused on adverse reactions to medicines from the perspective of healthcare professionals. This project proposes to shift this focus to peoples' experiences of adverse reactions to medicines instead. It is hoped that this change in emphasis will offer important and useful insight into the area of side effects. Questionnaires will be used to find out how people identify side effects and what they do when they experience side effects. These questionnaires will be distributed by the researcher to pharmacy customers in selected pharmacies within Kent and the West Midlands. People will be invited to complete them at their leisure. Questionnaires will include an invitation to participate further in the study through interviews with the researcher. People selected to be interviewed will have experienced a side effect from medicines in the last 6 months. The interviews will last for an hour and people will be asked to discuss their experience of side effects. Overall this study will collect information through questionnaires and interviews over a period of approx 12 months. This information will then be used to develop an assessment tool for the public to use to help them identify side effects to medicines.REC name
North East - Newcastle & North Tyneside 1 Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
14/NE/1053
Date of REC Opinion
27 Jun 2014
REC opinion
Favourable Opinion