PATH-GP

• Research type

  Research Study

• Full title

  Patient and professional Attitudes and perceptions of THyroid hormone replacement control in General Practice (PATH-GP)

• IRAS ID

  177428

• Contact name

  Scott Wilkes

• Contact email

  scott.wilkes@sunderland.ac.uk

• Sponsor organisation

  University of Sunderland

• Duration of Study in the UK

  1 years, months, days

• Research summary

  Background
  About 3% of the United Kingdom population receive treatment for hypothyroidism with thyroid hormone replacement. However, therapy is unsatisfactory for a significant proportion of individuals who either remain sub-optimally treated as judged by biochemical parameters or who continue to experience psychological and physical symptoms even with apparently normal thyroid status. The factors governing these poor outcomes are unclear and have not been comprehensively evaluated.

  Aim
  The aim of this study is to understand clinical and behavioural factors associated with inadequate thyroid hormone replacement and dissatisfaction with therapy in patients with hypothyroidism.

  Design
  This will consist of in-depth interviews with patients with hypothyroidism that have been receiving hormone replacement therapy for more than 6 months, and professionals involved in the management of hypothyroidism in order to characterise management and behavioural barriers and enablers to good thyroid control.

  Setting
  Individuals aged 18-100 years old, established on Levothyroxine therapy, in General practices in North East England

  Participants
  Patients, physicians, pharmacists, and nurse practitioners involved in treating patients with hypothyroidism will be invited to undergo an in-depth qualitative interview to understand the barriers to adequate thyroid hormone replacement in practice.

• REC name

  West Midlands - South Birmingham Research Ethics Committee

• REC reference

  15/WM/0345

• Date of REC Opinion

  15 Sep 2015

• REC opinion

  Favourable Opinion