Taking the strain?
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Taking the strain? Impact of glaucoma on patient's informal caregiver
IRAS ID
216487
Contact name
David Crabb
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
City University London
Duration of Study in the UK
1 years, 2 months, 28 days
Research summary
Glaucoma is a chronic condition characterized by gradual damage to the optic nerve with associated loss of visual field, potentially resulting in irreversible visual impairment. Studies have demonstrated that a patient's quality of life can be affected even before a significant amount of sight loss has occurred; these studies have focused specifically on the changes in patients however, there has been little attention given to the effect it has on the patient’s partner or informal caregiver. Physical, psychological and emotional change to caring for someone with an illness can be termed as caregivers-strain. Research has been undertaken evaluating the effects of caregivers-strain in other chronic diseases such as multiple sclerosis, Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s. The results of these studies have led to an established methodology for assessing the well-being of informal care-givers in these conditions. This study plans to use this established methodology to estimate, for the first time, the position of glaucoma on the spectrum of conditions that impact the well-being of partners and informal-caregivers. This will be accomplished using a cross sectional postal survey of 100 patients with glaucoma, using a standardized 13 item questionnaire. It is anticipated that glaucoma may have an effect not captured in the established methodology; therefore this study also plans to conduct interviews (focus groups) to tease out these themes. Informal caregivers often do not report their caregiver status to healthcare professionals and as such may not receive appropriate support. Research into informal caregiver’s burden in eye disease may provide a platform for improving voluntary care and patient outcomes.
REC name
East of Scotland Research Ethics Service REC 2
REC reference
17/ES/0044
Date of REC Opinion
23 May 2017
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion