An Exploration Into the Young Patients' (< 50 Years) Expectations Following Primary Total Hip Arthroplasty
Condition: Total Hip Replacements
Study type: Observational

Summary: 
      This study seeks to explore between 6-7 patient participants' (18-50 years old inclusive) own
      expectations and hopes leading up to a THA, then to examine their own views on their recovery
      and rehabilitation post-operatively. A qualitative, longitudinal approach will be utilised
      for this research with a generic qualitative method analysing the verbal data taken during
      interviews with participants. A combination of semi-structured and narrative interview
      techniques will investigate the patients' individual expected outcomes and priorities for
      their recovery.

      The study approach seeks to explore the patients' own views of a successful outcome of THA,
      it hopes to discover any potential themes of needs and priorities in the younger patient, and
      compare these to the standard way of measuring these outcomes by using PROMS. The outcome
      will contribute to determining what more can be done to improve the care currently in place
      for this increasing group of patients.
    

Detailed description: 
      To be confident that healthcare providers are providing the very best patient care in the
      instance of the younger patient it is essential to ask them their own interpretation of needs
      and priorities, and how they feel they can be met. There currently is an urgent need for
      further studies into the area of total hip arthroplasty in young patients, especially
      qualitative research defining the outcomes important to them after surgery. The considerably
      larger, older patient population undergoing this surgery often influence the way
      post-operative outcomes are measured (Larsson et al 2019, Mannion et al 2009, Wright and
      Young 1997, Wright et al 2000).

      The study aims to discover and explore the following questions:

      Are the priorities of the younger patient (< 50) being addressed and fulfilled when
      undergoing a THR? Are the current Outcome Measures identifying the priorities and required
      outcomes of the younger patient (< 50) undergoing a THR? The study will use a qualitative
      approach and method. Interviews will be conducted either face to face, via telephone or video
      calls dependent on participant preference. Semi-structured and narrative methods will be
      combined to encourage the participant to talk freely in regard to their own views and
      opinions on their surgery. Participants will also be asked to complete the Hip Disability and
      Osteoarthritis Hip Score (HOOS) at baseline (pre surgery), 6 weeks post-surgery and 6 months
      post-surgery time points to examine if this outcome measure illustrates a similar state to
      that which they described during their interviews.

      With the participants' consent, these interviews will be recorded and transcribed by the
      Chief Investigator.

      Participants will be assigned a study number on recruitment. All data will be anonymised and
      labelled with the appropriate participant's study number.

      Audio recordings of qualitative interviews will be transcribed by the Chief Investigator and
      anonymised transcriptions will be stored on secure servers at Milton Keynes University
      Hospital (MKUH). The audio recordings will be deleted at the end of the study.

      Consent forms, any paper case report forms (CRF) and completed HOOS will be filed in the site
      file which will be held in a secure, locked filing cabinet within the Research and
      Development Department at Milton Keynes University Hospital. Identifiable data will be kept
      separately from the outcome data (both paper and electronic).

      No identifiable information will be shared with other persons at any point. The study plans
      to interview the participants at three different time points in their surgical journey. The
      first will be pre surgery (baseline) at around the time that the operative treatment is
      decided upon and the Surgeon has listed them for surgery. The second interview will be
      conducted around six weeks post operatively (+ 14 days), this will explore the patients'
      thoughts on their immediate post-operative recovery and how they feel they are progressing.
      The final time will be six months post-surgery (+ 30 days); this interview will examine the
      patients' own opinions on their surgical outcomes and their own interpretation of the success
      of the procedure. The HOOS will also be completed at each time point.
    

Observational model: Cohort
Time perspective: Cross-Sectional
Sampling method: Probability Sample
Study population: 
        Patients attending Milton Keynes University Hospital and scheduled to undergo a Primary
        Total hip replacement