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VIVALDI ASCOT & Ethnography

VIVALDI ASCOT & Ethnography Study aims to understand how outbreaks of COVID-19 or any other outbreaks impact the experience and quality of life of people living in care homes. The study is run by a team of multidisciplinary researchers at Brighton and Sussex Medical School. VIVALDI ASCOT & Ethnography Study is linked to the VIVALDI Clinical Trial (CT) run by a team of researchers at University College London.

The VIVALDI ASCOT & Ethnography Study is supported by National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) NIHR Health and Social Care Delivery Research (HSDR) Programme number & UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA). The study obtained ethical approval from the Health Research Authority (HRA) Social Care Research Ethics Committee (REC) (24/IEC08/0001).

Technological image of a brain

About

We want to get a better understanding of current outbreaks of COVID-19 and other infectious diseases, how they are managed, and the impact on the daily life of residents in care homes. This can improve the advice public health authorities could give on managing outbreaks.

What we do know

There have been a higher number of COVID-19 outbreaks in care homes and infections amongst those who work and live there.
Regular testing and isolation can provide high levels of protection against COVID-19 infection.
Some care homes staff and residents take up regular testing programmes to ensure a high level of protection against COVID-19 infection.

What we don’t know

Does regular COVID testing protect staff and residents?
How does regular testing impact the care home residents’ quality of life and functional outcomes (e.g., activities of daily living and socialisation)?
How COVID outbreaks affect the care home residents’ quality of life and functional outcomes.

What will we do in this study

We will interview residents before, during and after an outbreak. The main part of the interview with residents will be the ASCOT survey, which measures Quality of Life Outcomes (e.g., cleanliness and comfort of the person and their accommodation, personal safety, social participation, food and drink, dignity and mood, pain and anxiety).

We will also conduct a short-term ethnography of the use of space and its interaction with social engagement and isolation as a result of any potential COVID-19 or other outbreak.

BACKGROUND IMAGE FOR PANEL

Why quality of life?

Care-home residents are especially vulnerable to coronavirus infection and, because of this, have been some of the first to be vaccinated, alongside care-home staff. However, there are still lots of things that we need to know about how regular testing and other infection control measures (e.g., isolation, social distance) affect residents and their quality of life.