Peer support for people newly diagnosed with macular degeneration: a pilot study

Clare Bradley, P Bradley and J Mitchell

(2005)

Clare Bradley, P Bradley and J Mitchell (2005) Peer support for people newly diagnosed with macular degeneration: a pilot study. International Congress Series, 1282 (10).

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Abstract

To conduct a pilot study of peer group support and information provision to help newly diagnosed patients to adjust to macular degeneration (MD). Twelve patients were randomised to two groups. For each group, members of the Macular Disease Society ran a programme of six discussion groups. Participants received guideline leaflets relevant to the weekly topics. Participants completed overview quality of life (QoL) items (taken from the MacDQoL measure of the impact of MD on QoL) and the 12-item Well-being Questionnaire on four occasions during the study. At final follow-up, participants completed a course evaluation questionnaire. Those reporting more negative well-being at recruitment showed greater improvement in negative well-being after the programme than those who began with better well-being (p < 0.005). Course evaluation indicated that participants found the leaflets informative and that the aims of the programme had been met. Ten participants said they would be willing to help with future discussion groups. Members of the local MD Society self-help group, using guideline leaflets and discussions, were able to give positive support and information from their own experiences of living with MD. These findings suggest that other newly diagnosed patients would benefit from similar courses.

Information about this Version

This is a Published version
This version's date is: 09/2005
This item is not peer reviewed

Link to this Version

https://repository.royalholloway.ac.uk/items/9ecdfadf-358e-761c-02e6-f583c41927d8/1/

Item TypeJournal Article
TitlePeer support for people newly diagnosed with macular degeneration: a pilot study
AuthorsBradley, Clare
Bradley, P
Mitchell, J
Uncontrolled Keywordsmacular degeneration, self-management, adjustment, quality of life
DepartmentsFaculty of Science\Psychology

Identifiers

doidoi:10.1016/j.ics.2005.04.001

Deposited by () on 23-Dec-2009 in Royal Holloway Research Online.Last modified on 12-May-2010

References

I.H. Chisholm, Macular degeneration: management and prospects for the future, Optometry Today (1998 (August)), pp. 39–42.

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[7] J. Mitchell and C. Bradley, Psychometric evaluation of the 12-item Well-being Questionnaire for use with people with macular disease, Qual. Life Res. 10 (2001), pp. 465–473.

[8] J. Mitchell and C. Bradley, Design of an individualised measure of the impact of macular disease on quality of life (the MacDQoL), Qual. Life Res. 13 (2004) (6), pp. 1163–1175.


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