REDUCE Programme- WS3
Research type
Research Study
Full title
REviewing long term anti-DEpressant Use by Careful monitoring in Everyday practice (REDUCE) programme. WS3:Think Aloud Interview Study
IRAS ID
231064
Contact name
Anthony Kendrick
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
University of Southampton
Duration of Study in the UK
1 years, 1 months, 23 days
Research summary
There is considerable concern about increasing antidepressant use in England. GPs are giving out more than 50 million prescriptions a year, to more than 1-in-10 adults. Some people need long-term antidepressants to stop them getting depressed, but a third-to-a-half could probably stop them without relapsing. However, stopping is not easy, due to withdrawal symptoms including anxiety and low mood which are usually temporary but feel similar to the reason why patients were first put on antidepressants. So understandably some people restart their antidepressant quickly. Others are reluctant to try stopping because they feel well on medication and are afraid their symptoms may come back. People taking antidepressants have told us their GPs often do not review them and just give repeat prescriptions. Studies show that when GPs review patients on long-term antidepressants and advise them where appropriate to withdraw, only 1-in-14 is able to stop. Patients can be fearful and withdrawal can be tricky so GPs and Nurse Practitioners (NPs) who prescribe antidepressants need to guide patients who want to withdraw and patients need around the clock support.
This Work Stream 3 (WS3) aims to develop an online (Internet) intervention to support general practitioners and patients with guidance on withdrawing from antidepressants. This work stream will draw on systematic reviews of the existing literature on antidepressant withdrawal carried out in work stream 1, and analyses of qualitative interviews and focus groups carried out with patients and practitioners in work stream 2, as well as the expertise of our patient and public involvement (PPI) and our team's research and development expertise.
Once a first version (prototype) of the intervention has been developed, further development will be informed by 15-20 qualitative ‘think-aloud’ interviews with patients, and 15-20 with practitioners. Think-aloud interviews explore the users’ immediate reactions to the prototype intervention’s structure, lay-out, and functioning, as the researchers observe its use in practice.
Through these think-aloud interviews, WS3 will identify whether the intervention is acceptable, interesting, persuasive and feasible. The interviews will be recorded and typed out (transcribed) for ‘thematic analysis’ which is line by line examination of the interview transcripts which aims to identify themes among the reactions of the patient and practitioner users of the prototype intervention. The analysis of the interviews will include checking agreement between different analysts of the same interviews, and discussing themes emerging from the analysis with PPI colleagues, and the whole research team.
REC name
South Central - Oxford B Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
17/SC/0457
Date of REC Opinion
5 Oct 2017
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion