Randomised Control Trials (RCTs) are used to compare treatments when the medical community does not know which treatment is most effective. However, some RCTs recruiting young people under the age of 18 are discontinued because they struggle to recruit the number of participants needed to compare treatments effectively.
Presentation is important
“Part of my doctoral research involved interviewing families whose children were eligible for RCTs, to understand how they make decisions to participate in them,” Dr Beasant explained. “My research discovered that families decline to participate in RCTs for a variety of reasons, but one of the most important factors which influences families’ decision-making is how recruiters present fair and balanced information about the RCT treatment programmes. “I then worked with medical teams to develop an effective recruitment communication training programme for health professionals recruiting to paediatric RCTs to enable them to deliver information with equipoise.”
Lockdown but not out
The pandemic and associated lockdowns – along with other related complications – meant that Dr Beasant’s work was delayed, so she used a grant from the Elizabeth Blackwell Institute COVID-19 support scheme for early career researchers to assist in its completion.
“As well as completing my research, the extra funding from the Elizabeth Blackwell Institute allowed me to further improve my writing thanks to the University of Bristol Academic Writing Programme,” said Dr Beasant. The guided structure and support provided there helped me greatly in the preparation of several papers.”
Passed papers
The papers, some now published and some submitted for publication, focus on a number of areas: the importance of tailoring communication training for recruiters, understanding health professionals’ experiences of recruiting to RCTs, and the views of families who have been approached about RCT participation.
“The Elizabeth Blackwell Institute funding also helped me consolidate my thinking on the most effective way to take recruiter training forward,” she added, “specifically the importance and potential of ‘health professional led’ communication training, delivered in workshops before recruitment to an RCT begins.”
Back on track
Dr Beasant credits the funding she received from the Institute as assisting her at a difficult time.
“The level of disruption caused to me by the pandemic was substantial, at a key time in my post-doctoral research career. The funding allowed me to devote extended periods of time and energy to re-establishing and improving practices such as academic writing, dissemination and collaboration.
“It really helped me get back on track after a period of isolation. I feel it has made a real difference to my confidence and progress: it has enabled me to reflect on my achievements and has highlighted potential actions for career development such as investigating promotion opportunities to Research Fellowship, in parallel with developing fellowship applications.”
Moving forward
“Since the pandemic I have gained an interest in the relationship between well-being and health, and am a member of the Beliefs, Behaviours, and Health Research Programme. The primary data source for this research is the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children (ALSPAC), also known as Children of the 90s. I am conducting qualitative interviews with ALSPAC participants to explore coping beliefs, behaviours, and lifestyle factors affecting those with long-term health condition such as long COVID, asthma, and diabetes.”
“I am also working on a study that has received further funded from the National Institute for Health and Care Research. We initially received funding to develop and refine a CoolCuddle intervention in 2 neonatal units during 2019-21, and we are now exploring how 5 more neonatal units in England embed the CoolCuddle intervention into their usual care practice.” CoolCuddle Studies | Centre for Academic Child Health | University of Bristol