Researchers in NUI Galway are starting a research project aimed at discovering the needs of patients who suffer from high blood pressure. They are looking for members of the public to become involved as co-researchers, in an involvement is known as ‘Public and Patient Involvement’, or ‘PPI’ for short.
While the research team will bring their own expertise, they do not have personal, lived experience of high blood pressure. Patients and researchers can therefore collaborate to conduct high-quality research with patient needs forming a clear part in that research.
Signing up as a PPI contributor for this project would involve attending approximately 10 meetings, many online, over three years. You would work with the research team on tasks such as developing study materials and sharing the study results.
The research project is led by health psychologist Dr. Gerry Molloy and GP Prof. Andrew Murphy who said they know a lot about what and when to give tablets for high blood pressure, but not so much about why patients then take these tablets and even more importantly, how to support patients to keep taking them.
High blood pressure can lead to strokes and heart disease. Despite treatment, many patients continue to have uncontrolled blood pressure. Ireland is the worst of sixteen high income countries worldwide. For example, the proportion of Irish male patients with controlled blood pressure is 17% whereas in Canada, it is 69%.
“Our study will address this. We will, with patients and health staff, design a new treatment plan. We will then run a pilot randomised controlled trial to see if it is worthwhile to go to a full trial. In one half of GP practices, people will be treated as they currently are. In the other half, people will agree a personalised action plan with their GP. Practices will follow-up patients after one and six months,” said Prof Murphy.
If you have high blood pressure and would like to join in the research as a PPI member, you can contact the Project Manager, Dr Eimear Morrissey, on [email protected]
