Testicular Health in Adolescents A Qualitative Study (THAQS)
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Testicular Health in Adolescents A Qualitative Study (THAQS) Qualitative analysis of adolescent male’s knowledge and experience of testicular pain, and their views to presentation to emergency healthcare services
IRAS ID
167713
Contact name
Caroline MacDonald
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
Sheffield Childrens NHS Foundation Trust
Duration of Study in the UK
1 years, 11 months, 30 days
Research summary
One in four thousand adolescent males experience torsion of testes each year, a rate more frequent than development of testicular cancer. There are no routine educational services for children and young men highlighting the urgency of a painful or swollen scrotum. Surgical detorsion can save a testes if done in a timely fashion; with irreversible damage being noted in the testes from 6 hours of onset of twist. The loss of a testes is directly associated with the number of hours between the pain coming on and the child/adolescent coming to hospital. It has been shown conclusively that operation before 6 hours is likely to salvage a testes (91%) but after 6 hours 56% are likely to be lost.
There is no previous literature exploring themes of views and experiences of adolescents with testicular pain and barriers to accessing emergency healthcare in this population group.
We propose a qualitative research study to highlight themes allowing us to elucidate why adolescent males present late with testicular pain. The research methodology is of semi-structured in depth interviews with torsion naïve adolescents. Analysis will be by the framework analysis method. The quality with be assured with expert supervision. Dissemination will be by publication and publicly available report.
This information can be used to steer the development of appropriate, empowering educational resources to promote prompt presentation to hospitals to prevent needless testicular loss in adolescent males.
REC name
Yorkshire & The Humber - Sheffield Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
15/YH/0299
Date of REC Opinion
21 Aug 2015
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion