Managing long term symptoms with complex causes in primary care
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Managing long term symtpoms with complex causes in Primary Care: A Survey of Patient and General Practitioner Experiences
IRAS ID
226107
Contact name
Natalie Salimi
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
University of Leeds
Duration of Study in the UK
0 years, 4 months, 13 days
Research summary
Many people with medically unexplained symptoms present initially to their General Practitioner to make sense of their symptoms and get treatment. However, the difference in consultation expectations between patient and provider can make developing a shared understanding of the symptoms and agreement on treatment options a challenge. There is therefore a need to understand in what ways understanding overlaps and diverges and how these differences are negotiated between GPs and patients. The primary objectives of this study are to: 1.)To describe patients' representations of having persistent symptoms with complex causes,and how they see their role and the role of their GP in managing them.
2.)To describe how GPs perceive their patients persistent symptoms with complex causes, and how they see their role and the role of their patient in managing them.
3.)To identify if a shared understanding of the symptoms and their management exist between GP and patient and describe how differences are negotiated.
The study will aim to get between 4-5 patient interviews,recrutied from an identified general practice in South Yorkshire, UK. Patients will be identified by the GP practice as having frequent attendance at the practice for MUS and be of working age and able to provide informed consent. Between 4-5 GP interviews will also be completed to attain professional experience of managing adults with MUS at different practices in Yorkshire,UK. GPs must have experience of managing MUS in their clinical practice and will be recruited from the general practice in south Yorkshire, as well as from an Academic Department of Primary Care in a school of medicine. Participants will be required to take part in one telephone interview-a recorded semi-structured interview lasting 20-30 minutes for GPs and 30-60 minutes for patients.REC name
Yorkshire & The Humber - Leeds East Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
17/YH/0412
Date of REC Opinion
24 Jan 2018
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion