Vision and hearing impairment in care homes in the UK- the UK National Eye Health and Hearing Study
| ISRCTN | ISRCTN14473160 |
|---|---|
| DOI | https://doi.org/10.1186/ISRCTN14473160 |
| Integrated Research Application System (IRAS) | 331631 |
| Central Portfolio Management System (CPMS) | 58880 |
| Sponsor | Anglia Ruskin University |
| Funders | Fight for Sight UK, Guide Dogs for the Blind Association, International Glaucoma Association, Royal National Institute for Deaf People, Royal Institute of Blind People, Macular Society, Thomas Pocklington Trust, Deafblind UK |
- Submission date
- 24/07/2024
- Registration date
- 23/02/2026
- Last edited
- 23/02/2026
- Recruitment status
- No longer recruiting
- Overall study status
- Completed
- Condition category
- Other
Plain English summary of protocol
Background and study aims
Given that we do not currently know how much vision and hearing impairment there is in care homes in the UK, this research study aims to measure vision and hearing among care home residents and understand how many residents are living with sensory impairment and to what degree this can be prevented or treated. Additionally the study will explore why sensory impairments can remain undetected in care homes and the awareness of care home staff and the care home record of met and unmet needs.
Who can participate?
Care home residents (and their consultee if they lack capacity), in 7 care homes across Cambridgeshire and Peterborough and, within these, have selected 25 residents. It is not possible to volunteer for the study.
What does the study involve?
Participants will be systematically sampled from each of the care homes randomly selected for participation in the study. Twenty-five potential participants will be given a letter of invitation and written participant information, and an appointment will be made approximately one week later at the care home with a member of the research team, with a relative/carer/representative present. A senior member of the UKNEHS research staff will visit to seek informed consent from participants or consultees if potential participants cannot provide informed consent. The Care Home Manager will be able to provide information on which participants require a consultee based on the Care Home Record, and, with the participant's/consultee's consent, the attendance (face-to-face or virtual) of a spouse/partner/close friend will be encouraged at this visit. A member of the care home staff will be in attendance during the consenting process. After written consent has been gained, participants (or consultees) will be contacted by the research team to make an appointment for the interview and examinations. Continued willingness to participate in the study will be checked at this stage. One or two days before the appointment, the care home staff will be asked to check that the resident/consultee still wishes to participate and that the appointment arrangements are still convenient.
On the day of the appointment, the attending research team will check again that the participant still wishes to proceed and conduct an interview with the participants, with support from family and carers, collecting sociodemographic information, and complete questionnaires that explore self-reported medical and family history, cognitive function, depression, activities of daily living, frailty and quality of life. Access to sensory care and unmet need will be assessed, and permission sought to access the participant’s primary (general practitioner and optometric) and secondary care health records, to assess the diagnostic coverage of sensory impairment and potential associated medical history. The standard eye examination is a similar type of examination they would have in a high street optometric practice (recommended 2-yearly or yearly NHS-funded eye examination), but not involving subjective refraction (this is a test of the power of the eyes by an optometrist that involves refinement with trial lenses and considerable concentration by the participant).
At the end of the examination, the research team will explain the results of the examination and recommend actions to the participant and carer. If glasses are needed or glasses need updating, the research team will give the participant's carer/consultee information about what is required. They will be informed that these can be ordered from an optometric practice of their choice, and the information will be left with them. If the participant is found to have a hearing impairment that is likely due to the accumulation of earwax (confirmed by the otoscopy examination), the participant and/or carer/consultee will be offered removal of this by the research team, who are trained in this simple, painless procedure. If an ocular/hearing problem is detected or suspected which requires referral to the GP or hospital services, the patient and carer will be informed and a referral made according to local protocol and the urgency of the condition requiring further assessment/treatment: in some cases, referrals to the hospital have to be made through the GP, in others a direct referral may be made.
What are the possible benefits and risks of participating?
Those who are selected to take part in the study will receive a free measurement of vision and hearing and a report of the findings of the study team. The residents will be thanked for their time with a gift voucher for £20. Where sensory impairment is detected, the care home manager will be informed and recommendations made for onward care where necessary. Where impacted earwax is detected by the team, the team will offer to remove it free of charge. There are no significant risks of participation.
Where is the study run from?
Vision & Eye Research Institute, School of Medicine, Anglia Ruskin University, UK.
When is the study starting and how long is it expected to run for?
December 2023 to July 2025.
Who is funding the study?
1. Fight for Sight (British Eye Research Foundation)
2. Guide Dogs for the Blind Association
3. International Glaucoma Association Limited
4. Royal National Institute for Deaf People (Action on Hearing Loss)
5. The Royal National Institute of Blind People
6. The Macular Society
7. Thomas Pocklington Trust Limited
8. Deafblind UK
Who is the main contact?
Prof Rupert Bourne, rb@rupertbourne.co.uk
Contact information
Scientific, Public, Principal investigator
Vision & Eye Research Institute, School of Medicine, Anglia Ruskin University
Cambridge
-
United Kingdom
 ORCID ID |
0000-0002-8169-1645 |
|---|---|
| Phone | +44 7931541295 |
| rb@rupertbourne.co.uk |
Study information
| Primary study design | Interventional |
|---|---|
| Allocation | N/A: single arm study |
| Masking | Open (masking not used) |
| Control | Uncontrolled |
| Assignment | Single |
| Purpose | Supportive care |
| Scientific title | The United Kingdom National Eye Health and Hearing Study (UKNEHS) phase I: care home study |
| Study acronym | UKNEHS |
| Study objectives | Study hypothesis: The prevalence of vision and hearing problems in people aged 50 years and older in residential care homes is higher than that in the general population, with significant levels of undiagnosed disability and/or inappropriately managed sensory care. |
| Ethics approval(s) |
Approved 04/10/2023, Social Care REC (Health Research Authority, 2nd Floor, 2 Redman Place, Stratford, London, E20 1JQ, United Kingdom; +44 02071048129; socialcare.rec@hra.nhs.uk), ref: 23/IEC08/0035 |
| Health condition(s) or problem(s) studied | Specialty: Ophthalmology, Primary sub-specialty: Other; Health Category: Ear, Eye; Disease/Condition: Visual disturbances and blindness, Other disorders of ear |
| Intervention | This is a prevalence study where people residing in care homes will have an eye and hearing examination and we will calculate what proportion have symptoms and signs of sensory impairment. We anticipate finding several previously undetected cases and inappropriately managed cases requiring onward referral. Participants will be systematically sampled from each of the care homes randomly selected for participation in the study. Twenty-five potential participants will be given a letter of invitation and written participant information, and an appointment will be made approximately one week later at the care home with a member of the research team, with a relative/carer/representative present. A senior member of the UKNEHS research staff will visit to seek informed consent from participants or from consultees if potential participants lack the capacity to provide informed consent. The Care Home Manager will be able to provide information on which participants require a consultee based on the Care Home Record, and, with the participant's/consultee's consent, the attendance (face to face or virtual) of a spouse/partner/close friend will be encouraged at this visit. A member of the care home staff will be in attendance during the consenting process. After written consent has been gained, participants (or consultees) will be contacted by the research team to make an appointment for the interview and examinations. Continued willingness to participate in the study will be checked at this stage. One or two days before the appointment, the care home staff will be asked to check that the resident/consultee still wishes to participate and that the appointment arrangements are still convenient. On the day of the appointment, the attending research team will check again that the participant still wishes to proceed and conduct an interview with the participants, with support from family and carers, collecting sociodemographic information, and complete questionnaires that explore self-reported medical and family history, cognitive function, depression, activities of daily living, frailty and quality of life. Access to sensory care and unmet need will be assessed, and permission sought to access the participant's primary (general practitioner and optometric) and secondary care health records, in order to assess the diagnostic coverage of sensory impairment and potential associated medical history. The standard eye examination is a similar type of examination they would have in a high street optometric practice (recommended 2-yearly or yearly NHS-funded eye examination), but not involving a subjective refraction (this is a test of the power of the eyes by an optometrist that involves refinement with trial lenses and considerable concentration by the participant). At the end of the examination, the research team will explain the results of the examination and recommended actions to the participant and carer. If glasses are needed or glasses need updating, the research team will give the participants carer/consultee information about what is required. They will be informed that these can be ordered from an optometric practice of their choice, and the information will be left with them. If the participant is found to have a hearing impairment that is likely due to the accumulation of earwax (confirmed by the otoscopy examination), the participant and/or carer/consultee will be offered removal of this by the research team, who are trained in this simple, painless procedure. If an ocular/hearing problem is detected or suspected which requires referral to the GP or hospital services, the patient and carer will be informed and a referral made according to local protocol and the urgency of the condition requiring further assessment/treatment: in some cases, referrals to the hospital have to be made through the GP, in others a direct referral may be made. |
| Intervention type | Other |
| Primary outcome measure(s) |
|
| Key secondary outcome measure(s) |
|
| Completion date | 28/07/2025 |
Eligibility
| Participant type(s) | Carer, Patient |
|---|---|
| Age group | Mixed |
| Lower age limit | 50 Years |
| Upper age limit | 110 Years |
| Sex | All |
| Target sample size at registration | 175 |
| Key inclusion criteria | 1. Age 50 years old and over 2. Family carer/personal consultee willing to give an opinion about participation in the study in case the participant is unable to give informed consent or loses the capacity to give informed consent. |
| Key exclusion criteria | Residents in a dying phase |
| Date of first enrolment | 13/12/2023 |
| Date of final enrolment | 19/07/2024 |
Locations
Countries of recruitment
- United Kingdom
- England
Study participating centres
Peterborough
PE6 9BA
England
Ely
CB6 1TA
England
Wisbech
PE13 2JF
England
Eye
Peterborough
PE6 7TD
England
Cambridge
CB4 2XF
England
Gamlingay, Sandy
SG19 3LW
England
Chatteris
PE16 6EX
England
Results and Publications
| Individual participant data (IPD) Intention to share | No |
|---|---|
| IPD sharing plan summary | Data sharing statement to be made available at a later date |
| IPD sharing plan |
Study outputs
| Output type | Details | Date created | Date added | Peer reviewed? | Patient-facing? |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Study website | Study website | 11/11/2025 | 11/11/2025 | No | Yes |
Editorial Notes
24/07/2024: Study's existence confirmed by the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) (UK).
