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AdaptQoL Participant Information Sheet – Audio/Video Script

You are invited to join a research project called AdaptQoL, which stands for Adaptation and Quality of Life.

We would like your help to understand how adaptations and assistive technologies can affect people’s health and quality of life. Quality of life can mean different things to different people, such as happiness, life satisfaction, independence, and overall well-being.

This national research project aims to develop a new tool to measure how adaptations and assistive technology devices, such as wheelchairs, communication aids, hoists, guide dogs, support workers, and hearing aids, affect health and quality of life.

Each year, millions of adaptations and assistive technology devices are provided by the NHS and care services to help people carry out everyday tasks. It is important that we are able to measure how helpful these adaptations and devices can be. The AdaptQoL tool will help the NHS, care services, patients, carers, and researchers understand how different adaptations and devices affect quality of life. This will help ensure that the best possible care and support is provided to people living with disabilities, impairments, or long-term health conditions.

You are invited to complete a survey about your health and quality of life if:

• You are aged 18 years or older.

• You use at least one adaptation or assistive technology device in your everyday life.

• Your support service believes that you may be eligible to take part.

As a thank you for your time and support, you will receive a £5 Amazon voucher when you return a completed questionnaire.

Taking part is completely your choice. If you decide to take part, you can stop at any time and for any reason. Choosing not to take part, or deciding to withdraw later, will not affect your care or any services you receive. If at any time you would like to withdraw, please contact the research team by emailing adaptqol@bangor.ac.uk. If you would like support completing the survey, a family member, friend, or carer can help you.

The survey can be completed online, or we can provide you with a paper copy and a pre-paid return envelope.

The survey includes the new AdaptQoL questionnaire, along with some additional questions about your health and quality of life. By completing the survey, you will help us find out whether the AdaptQoL tool is accurate, reliable, and useful for measuring the impact of adaptations and assistive technology devices.

We may also invite some participants to complete a shorter follow-up survey a few weeks later. This will help us understand whether people’s responses remain consistent over time.

In this research study we will use information from you. We will only use information that we need for the research study. We will let very few people know your name or contact details, and only if they really need it for this study. Everyone involved in this study will keep your data safe and secure. We will also follow all privacy rules. At the end of the study we will save some of the data in case we need to check it. We will make sure no-one can work out who you are from the reports we write. The project FAQ tells you more about this and can be found on our website.

We do not expect there to be any risks associated with taking part in this study. Some questions ask about your health and quality of life, and you may find some of these questions personal or sensitive. If there are any questions that you would prefer not to answer, you can simply leave them blank and continue with the survey.

Although there may not be a direct benefit to you personally, your participation will help researchers, healthcare professionals, and care services better understand how adaptations and assistive technologies affect people’s lives. This knowledge may help improve future services and support for people living with disabilities or long-term health conditions.

This research project is funded by Health and Care Research Wales and has been reviewed and approved by an NHS Research Ethics Committee.

If you have any concerns about this project or if you would like to make a complaint, please contact Dr Diane Seddon by emailing d.seddon@bangor.ac.uk. Dr Seddon is a senior researcher at Â鶹´«Ã½Ó³»­ and is independent from the research team.

Information about this study is also available in a range of accessible formats, including Easy Read, video, large print, electronic formats, and Welsh language versions.

If you would like to take part, please complete the questionnaire provided and return it using the pre-paid envelope, or complete it online using the link or QR code included with your study materials.

If you have any questions about the study or would like more information, please contact the AdaptQoL research team using the details shown on screen.

ON SCREEN: 

Email: adaptqol@bangor.ac.uk 

Tel: 07792 670053

Thank you for considering taking part in the AdaptQoL study. 

Your contribution could help improve how adaptations and assistive technologies are evaluated, funded, and provided in the future, helping to improve the lives of many people.