Sleeping study volunteers wanted

A Masters student working through the South West Doctoral Training Centre is currently researching the experiences of community-dwelling over 65s, who have taken or are currently taking some form of sleeping medication.

What is the purpose of the study?

The long-term use of sleep medication by older adults can be extremely harmful to health. However, prescription rates remain very high; hypnotic drugs remain the most popular treatment offered by those aged over 65 by GPs. For this to change, and for any intervention to be successful, it is important that the voices of those whose consumption of sleeping medication is a lived reality are heard.

Who is eligible to participate?

I am looking for both male and female participants who reside within the community, are aged 65 and over and speak English. Participants must also have taken/be taking some form of medication for sleep problems.

What will I have to do?

If you decide to take part, you will be asked to attend a one hour, one-off interview at a time and place that is convenient to you. The interview consists of about twenty very straightforward questions concerning the use of sleep medication.

Remuneration

You will receive a £15 Boots voucher for completing the study.

Confidentiality and Withdrawal

This study has received ethical approval from the Ethics Committee of the University of Bristol. The data I collect will be strictly confidential. Results from the study will be written up as part of an MRes dissertation. Results will be presented in such a way that individual data will not be identifiable. You are free to decide not to take part in the study and can withdraw from the study at prior to the interview.

If you would like any further information about the project and/or would like to take part, please contact:

Georgia Smith (gks202@exeter.ac.uk or 07753448779)

Postgraduate student

University of Exeter, Bristol and Bath