VIVALDI ASCOT and Ethnography Study : protocol for a mixed-methods longitudinal study to evaluate the impact of COVID-19 and other respiratory infection outbreaks on care home residents’ quality of life and psychosocial well-being

Bertini, Lavinia and Schmidt-Renfree, Nicola and Blackstone, James and Stirrup, Oliver and Adams, Natalie and Cullen-Stephenson, Iona and Krutikov, Maria and Leiser, Ruth and Goscé, Lara and Henderson, Catherine and Flowers, Paul and Shallcross, Laura and Cassell, Jackie A. and Cadar, Dorina (2024) VIVALDI ASCOT and Ethnography Study : protocol for a mixed-methods longitudinal study to evaluate the impact of COVID-19 and other respiratory infection outbreaks on care home residents’ quality of life and psychosocial well-being. BMJ Open, 14 (8). e088685. ISSN 2044-6055 (https://doi.org/10.1136/bmjopen-2024-088685)

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Abstract

Introduction Older adults in care homes experienced some of the highest rates of mortality from SARS-CoV-2 globally and were subjected to strict and lengthy non-pharmaceutical interventions, which severely impacted their daily lives. The VIVALDI ASCOT and Ethnography Study aims to assess the impact of respiratory outbreaks on care home residents’ quality of life, psychological well-being, loneliness, functional ability and use of space. This study is linked to the VIVALDI-CT, a randomised controlled trial of staff’s asymptomatic testing and sickness payment support in care homes (ISRCTN13296529). Methods and analysis This is a mixed-methods, longitudinal study of care home residents (65+) in Southeast England. Group 1—exposed includes residents from care homes with a recent COVID-19 or other respiratory infection outbreak. Group 2—non-exposed includes residents from care homes without a recent outbreak. The study has two components: (a) a mixed-methods longitudinal face-to-face interviews with 100 residents (n=50 from group 1 and n=50 from group 2) to assess the impact of outbreaks on residents’ quality of life, psychological well-being, loneliness, functional ability and use of space at time 1 (study baseline) and time 2 (at 3–4 weeks after the first visit); (b) ethnographic observations in communal spaces of up to 10 care homes to understand how outbreaks and related restrictions to the use of space and social activities impact residents’ well-being. The study will interview only care home residents who have the mental capacity to consent. Data will be compared and integrated to gain a more comprehensive understanding of the impact of outbreaks on residents’ quality of life and well-being. Ethics and dissemination The VIVALDI ASCOT and Ethnography Study obtained ethical approval from the Health Research Authority (HRA) Social Care REC (24/IEC08/0001). Only residents with the capacity to consent will be included in the study. Findings will be published in scientific journals.

ORCID iDs

Bertini, Lavinia, Schmidt-Renfree, Nicola, Blackstone, James, Stirrup, Oliver, Adams, Natalie, Cullen-Stephenson, Iona, Krutikov, Maria, Leiser, Ruth, Goscé, Lara, Henderson, Catherine, Flowers, Paul ORCID logoORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6239-5616, Shallcross, Laura, Cassell, Jackie A. and Cadar, Dorina;
CORE (COnnecting REpositories)