Resource-use questionnaire development V1

  • Research type

    Research Study

  • Full title

    Developing a modular resource-use questionnaire for use in randomised controlled trials

  • IRAS ID

    241489

  • Contact name

    Kirsty Garfield

  • Contact email

    Kirsty.Garfield@bristol.ac.uk

  • Sponsor organisation

    University of Bristol

  • Duration of Study in the UK

    1 years, 4 months, days

  • Research summary

    In randomised controlled trials, participants often complete resource-use questionnaires (RUQs) to provide information on the resources they use. Within a RUQ details on healthcare services, medications, participant expenses and other items may be collected. However, for each trial, a new RUQ is often developed and consequently, research efforts are duplicated, RUQs lack comparability and the validity of RUQs is often untested.

    The aim of this research is to develop and test a new RUQ that can be used to collect healthcare data from patients in trials. A study (funded by the MRC Hubs for Trials Methodology (grant no.: MR/L004933/1-N57)), led by members of this research team (JT, SN, WH), has already been conducted. Health economic experts agreed on 10 items for the core module of a new RUQ, that should be collected in all trials. Several bolt-on modules that could add depth to the information collected in the core module or add breadth to collect items not captured in the core module were also identified.

    The research team has formulated questions for the items identified for the core and depth modules. Experts in health economics will review the modules and provide feedback, and the modules will be updated.

    The modules will then be tested with patients in two studies:
    Study 1: Qualitative interviews with patients
    ‘Think-aloud’ interviews will be conducted, whereby patients verbalise their thought processes while completing the RUQ. Once patients have completed the RUQ they will be asked questions to clarify any issues they had and provide feedback on the acceptability of the RUQ.
    Study 2: Quantitative testing of the RUQ with patients
    Patients will be asked to complete the RUQ on one or two occasions and their answers will be compared with GP medical records. The feasibility, acceptability, validity and reliability of the RUQ will be assessed.

  • REC name

    South Central - Berkshire B Research Ethics Committee

  • REC reference

    19/SC/0244

  • Date of REC Opinion

    8 May 2019

  • REC opinion

    Favourable Opinion