Impact of taking a statin on the adoption of healthy lifestyle choices
Research type
Research Study
Full title
A cross-cultural comparison of the impact of taking a statin on the adoption of healthy lifestyle choices (Phase 2: UK study).
IRAS ID
136828
Contact name
Joyce Coker
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
University of Leeds
Research summary
Cardiovascular diseases (CVD) caused 17 million(30%) of the 57 million global deaths in 2008. Lifestyle modifications and the use of prophylactic drugs such as statins form the foundation of primary prevention of CVD. Opponents of statins claim that statin use may provide a false sense of security which allows people at risk of CVD to neglect much needed lifestyle modifications and continue to make poor lifestyle choices. This poses a problem as research confirms that the effect of statins is enhanced when combined with lifestyle modifications.
This research aims to investigate whether taking a statin influences the adoption of healthy lifestyle choices by changing the way people think of high cholesterol as a risk factor for CVD. This research aims to consider individual health behaviours and beliefs about high cholesterol and future CVD risk in the context of the social world in which they exist.
Participants will be identified and recruited from the South Yorkshire Cohort: a research project of approximately 19,000 residents of South Yorkshire. The South Yorkshire Cohort will be provided with an inclusion criteria which they will use to identify prospective participants, to whom they will post questionnaire packs containing: an information sheet; consent form; questionnaire; invitation to take part in interviews; and a stamped and addressed return envelope. The questionnaire will be used collect quantitative descriptions of the following health behaviours and beliefs in people at risk of CVD who are statin users and non-statin users:
• Diet and exercise behaviours
• Perceptions of high cholesterol
• Perceptions of future CVD risk
• Perceived availability of social support
After which, in-depth interviews will be carried out with selected participants to further explore their health behaviours and beliefs as well as the impact of social support and wider cultural factors on taking a statin, diet and exercise behaviour and health beliefs.REC name
East of England - Cambridge South Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
14/EE/0209
Date of REC Opinion
21 Jul 2014
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion