The care in the network - 2
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Toward an anthropology of care: Everyday experiences of colorectal cancer treatments for patients and their support networks in London
IRAS ID
178155
Contact name
Maria Ignacia Arteaga
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
JRO UCL
Clinicaltrials.gov Identifier
Z6364106/2015/05/63, UCL data protection registration
Duration of Study in the UK
3 years, 0 months, 0 days
Research summary
The research seeks to explore the cancer experience of patients and carers during treatments for bowel cancer in London. Specifically, the study aims to understand how patients and carers deal with the requirements, side-effects and possible consequences of cancer treatments in their everyday lives.
The study will provide invaluable information which may improve the way in which the hospital supports people affected by bowel cancer, either as a patient or a carer. In particular, this research may be used to improve the way in which information about bowel cancer treatments is given in the hospital. Furthermore, the results of this research may be used to understand the needs that people looking after people diagnosed with bowel cancer face in their everyday lives, and thus assist in providing support to satisfy those needs.
This qualitative study will encompass the recruitment of an initial sample of 12 patients undergoing treatments to cure, control or palliate CRC at UCL Hospital (UCLH). This sample will subsequently be reduced to 6 cases, through which the project will develop a deeper understanding over subsequent months.
The sampling strategy is instrumental to the analytical strategy. The project comprises 3 phases. In the first phase (three months), the project seeks to map out different interactions between clinical staff and patients and their carers in a clinical setting through nonparticipant observation. In the second phase the aim is to understand how people make sense of cancer, as well as the emotional and cognitive issues associated with CRC treatments, through semi-structured interviews (two months). In the third stage, care practices surrounding cancer and the consequences of those practices will be observed in the everyday settings of the subsample patients and carers (6 months).
The aim of the research is to unpack the macro and micro dynamics of cancer care to enable an improved understanding of the lived experiences, needs and challenges that CRC poses for individuals, families and healthcare practitioners.
REC name
Yorkshire & The Humber - Leeds West Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
15/YH/0313
Date of REC Opinion
28 Aug 2015
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion