Quality of life and adherence in patients with severe asthma
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Development of scales to measure quality of life and adherence in patients with severe asthma
IRAS ID
207601
Contact name
Mathew Masoli
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
Plymouth Hospitals NHS Trust
Duration of Study in the UK
0 years, 6 months, 3 days
Research summary
“What is the best way of measuring, by questionnaire, quality of life and adherence to medication of patients with severe asthma?”
Oral corticosteroids (OCS) are prescribed to treat an increase in severity of severe asthma, or as a maintenance dose. We know OCS have side effects and patients report these are a problem to them. We know little about how these side effects influence patients' use of OCS. It is important to understand the relationship between taking OCS medication and these symptoms, if we are to improve the management of severe asthma. We are currently not identifying these symptoms routinely using existing quality of life questionnaires. We have begun to develop two questionnaires for use specifically with patients with severe asthma who are taking OCS.
The aim of this 6 month study which is being funded Astrazeneca, is to refine these two questionnaires.
We will be inviting a sample of patients at Derriford Hospital Difficult Asthma Clinic (DAC) to take part in three focus group discussions to ensure that our two Draft questionnaires are clearly worded and capture the primary concerns of participants with severe asthma. After consideration of comments made, we will revise our Draft questionnaires to produce the second Draft.
We will then invite all patients from the DAC to complete six questionnaires. Three will be sent by post to be completed at home prior to attending the asthma and three to be completed at the asthma clinic (including the two in development). We will then revise our Draft questionnaires to produce the third Draft.
The improved questionnaires will then be tested with patients suffering with severe asthma in other areas of the UK. The questionnaires will enable us to identify not only the burden of disease but also the burden of treatment in patients with severe asthma.REC name
North East - Newcastle & North Tyneside 1 Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
16/NE/0188
Date of REC Opinion
26 May 2016
REC opinion
Favourable Opinion