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Research Summary
Knee Pain and Related Health in the Community Study
Chief Investigator: Professor Michael Doherty
Background: The incidence, progression and related risk factors for recent-onset knee pain (KP) remain uncertain. This study aims to examine the natural history of KP including incidence and progression and to identify possible phenotypes and their associated risk factors.
Objectives:
The study has three principal objectives:
[1] to determine the prevalence and variance of self-reported knee pain characteristics (including those suggestive of central sensitisation) together with risk factors for different knee pain phenotypes in a cross-sectional postal questionnaire to community-derived adults aged 40 years and over.
[2] to determine additional characterisation of structural changes of osteoarthritis (OA), physiological parameters (quantitative sensory testing, muscle strength, postural sway) and blood and urine biomarkers in a sample of questionnaire responders
[3] to establish a cohort of participants for future prospective reassessment to determine the natural history of knee pain and predictors of its outcome.
Past Research
Home Support for People with Dementia : Developing a Fidelity Index
PI Professor Rob Jones
Research question: What works? What does the evidence and expert consensus show are the components and service characteristics necessary in order to provide effective, efficient and successful integrated support at home by a service team for people with dementia and their carers?
Study objectives:
The primary study objectives were to:
- What does the literature have to say about good home care for people with dementia?
A review of the literature and professional guidance in order to establish a consensus agreed evidence base on the critical components of effective, efficient and successful integrated support at home by a service team for people with dementia and their carers.
- What does template for good services look like?
Develop an agreed service template for support at home based upon the best practice identified in the literature.
- Measuring the best practice identified in the service template
Devise a Fidelity Index (FI) for services to self-assess how faithfully the critical components are delivered.
- Field testing the FI.
- Disseminate this work and make the FI available for service self-assessment, and audit and benchmarking.
Further details regarding the Fidelity Index project can be found here: http://www.nottingham.ac.uk/research/groups/dementia/projects/fidelityindex/index.aspx
Broadening our understanding of good home care (BOUGH) project
PI Professor Justine Schneider
Research question: What does 'good' home care look like?
Study objectives:
- What do home carers do in practice for people with dementia?
In addition to support with domestic tasks, home care can include rehabilitation, psychosocial therapeutic interventions and support for people who are dying.
- What does it feel like to give - and to receive, home care? How are home care relationships experienced by care workers and recipients?
The quality of the relationship that workers have with people with dementia and their families impacts directly on the quality of life of these individuals. A further objective of the study was to describe and understand the relational aspect of home care, from the perspective of carers, relatives, home care recipients and researchers.
- What are the stresses and rewards of working with people with dementia in home care?
The importance of the home care workforce to maintaining people with dementia is evident. It can be developed and sustained better by understanding what the workers find stressful and what they find rewarding.
- 'What key factors appear to influence home care quality?
We examined what quality means in home care for dementia with rich, qualitative data gathered from 'insiders', exploring the subjective experience of clients, family carers and home care workers in the light of current commissioning specifications.
Further details regarding the BOUGH project can be found here: http://www.nottingham.ac.uk/research/groups/dementia/projects/bough/index.aspx