Physical function in primary care - Phase 1 theory-building workshops
Research type
Research Study
Full title
The role of primary care in reducing the decline in physical function and physical activity in people with long-term conditions; what works, for whom and in what circumstances? A realist synthesis of evidence (Phase 1 theory building workshops)
IRAS ID
256729
Contact name
Rebecca-Jane Law
Contact email
Clinicaltrials.gov Identifier
CRD42018103027, PROSPERO registration number; 2018-16308, Health and Medical Sciences Research Ethics Committee number
Duration of Study in the UK
1 years, 5 months, 29 days
Research summary
Aims: Your ‘physical function’ describes how well you can perform activities that are essential for daily living and staying independent, such as walking to the shops or standing up from a chair. People with long-term conditions, such as arthritis or diabetes, often become less able to do these tasks and are less physically active. The number of people living with long-term conditions is increasing. The purpose of this research is to work with patients and health professionals to work out how best to help people with long-term conditions maintain and improve their physical function and become more physically active.
Background: People with long-term conditions visit their GP surgery for regular check-ups and it is the first place they visit with their symptoms. However, physical function is not given as much priority as other measurements, such as body weight or blood pressure. If a person’s physical function is poor, it means they are less able to look after themselves and do things they enjoy. Improving physical activity is an important way of improving physical function and is very helpful for many long-term conditions. Despite this, most people do not do enough physical activity. Therefore, it is important to pay attention to physical function and physical activity when a person visits their GP surgery. It is also important to consider psychological and social factors. However, we do not know the best way to address physical function and physical activity when people visit their GP surgery for regular check-ups.
Methods: We will examine previous studies that have looked at improving physical function and physical activity in primary care. Rather than only finding out whether or not something works, we will find out what works (or doesn’t work), for whom and in what circumstances. This is especially helpful when investigating complex areas, such as improving physical function and physical activity. We will start by developing working theories about why some interventions have worked in primary care or others have not. We will talk to patients and health professionals involved in improving physical function and promoting physical activity to help us with this. This will help us refine our working theories. We will also describe these theories clearly and check that they make sense, including with patient and public representatives. We will end up with a final set of recommendations about how best to help people fulfil their functional potential when they visit their GP surgery. These recommendations will be taken forward to the ‘co-design’ stage. This stage will involve three creative workshops during which two to three ideas of new ways to improve physical function and physical activity will be developed. There will also be a workshop to develop ways of sharing the new findings from the study. A wide range of patients and people involved in the care of people with long-term conditions will be invited to participate in these workshops.Dissemination: We will invite patient, public and professional representatives to be involved in our dissemination activities. Two research publications will be written. One will focus on how we completed the project and one will focus on the findings and recommendations. Reports will be written for the NIHR and we will write to everyone who took part. We will also present our findings at scientific meetings and share with professionals and with the public in a variety of ways, such as by making a video.
REC name
Wales REC 5
REC reference
18/WA/0398
Date of REC Opinion
26 Nov 2018
REC opinion
Favourable Opinion