Relations with objects
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Relations with Objects – Developing holistic-participatory interventions to enhance wellbeing and recovery in patients undergoing treatment for cancer.
IRAS ID
248329
Contact name
Anne Lanceley
Contact email
Clinicaltrials.gov Identifier
0, 0
Duration of Study in the UK
1 years, 11 months, 26 days
Research summary
Individuals undergoing treatment for cancer often feel vulnerable and experience fear and anxiety. Interventions that are feasible, acceptable and cost effective are needed to help people with cancer manage the feelings and distress they may experience while receiving their treatment. Heritage-object based communication sessions with hospitalised patients where the objects are museum objects with age value, have been shown to provide distraction from hospital routines and to prompt helpful emotion-focused conversations about illness, loss and death.
There are few studies exploring how heritage-objects may support and enhance wellbeing in hospital patients or any research investigating the interplay of patients’ object worlds with the hospital ‘object world’ of medical equipment and hospital spaces.
‘Relations with objects’, is composed of four incremental qualitative studies which explore how patients receiving chemotherapy treatment for colorectal cancer may relate to objects and use them for their benefit.
Study 1 explores the perspectives of Health Care Professionals (HCPs) and researchers in the field of Heritage and Arts in Health on heritage in healthcare settings and effective study design
Study 2 investigates patient’s experiences of undergoing chemotherapy for colorectal cancer in the clinical space of the chemotherapy unit. It explores their relations with objects and object worlds in this environment, including clinical, heritage and personal objects.
Study 3 explores the meaning of heritage to colorectal patients and investigates the potential of creative engagement with objects in focus groups.
Study 4 is a longitudinal study with patients commencing curative intent chemotherapy. Along their treatment trajectory we will introduce heritage and other objects and observe patients and converse with them about these.Using observation and face-to-face in-depth semi-structured interviews the research will generate data to inform the development of an object-based intervention to support patients’ wellbeing and emotional resilience during chemotherapy treatment for cancer.
REC name
London - Camden & Kings Cross Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
18/LO/1491
Date of REC Opinion
3 Jan 2019
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion