Measuring Personal Agency in Hospice Patients (V1)
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Measuring Personal Agency in Hospice Patients (V1)
IRAS ID
254036
Contact name
Ann Campbell
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
University of Strathclyde
Clinicaltrials.gov Identifier
19/SS/0120,
Duration of Study in the UK
0 years, 4 months, 10 days
Research summary
This study aims to create consistent, high quality ways of measuring a person’s sense of having control over their life with a life-limiting illness within a hospice situation. The research is based on the assumption that it is important for people to have a sense of control,
over their thoughts, feelings and actions, called a sense of personal agency. A previous study, carried out at St. Andrew’s Hospice, was used to develop an evidence-based theory of levels of personal agency, providing the basis for developing two measures, a self-report questionnaire based on actual patient statements, and an observational form for staff to use when patients are unable to complete self-report questionnaires. This study aims to evaluate
how well these two forms measure personal agency in hospice patients in a stable, consistent manner.
This study will be carried out in St. Andrew’s Hospice. Self-report and observational forms will be used in an initial pilot study with ten Day Hospice patients. Following this, the forms will be revised to make them shorter and easy to use. The revised measures will be tested
with a new sample of forty patients, twenty each from Day / In-patient Hospice Units.
Thus, 50 patients will be asked to fill out the self-report form either by themselves or with assistance of the researcher. Observational reports will be filled out by researcher or direct care team from Day/In-patient Units. For Day Hospice, measures will be filled out once a week over six weeks; for in-ward patients, about 6 times, over a 1 to 2-week period, as appropriate.
The data will be analysed to evaluate whether the patients respond on the forms in a way that is stable over time and across similar statements, and how close patient self-reports are to
staff observations.REC name
South East Scotland REC 01
REC reference
19/SS/0120
Date of REC Opinion
9 Dec 2019
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion