Qualitative research
GHD, ’
RECRUITMENT, GHD
We will conduct qualitative research with UK carers, children and staff participating in the internal pilot study. The main aim of the qualitative research is to ensure the feasibility and acceptability of the trial for patients, carers and clinicians, with a particular focus on recruitment processes. These data will provide useful insights into carers’ and children’s preferences for treatment and help optimise the main trial processes. This research will explore carers’ and children’s perceptions in relation to re-testing normal (i.e. GHD reversal), reasons for agreeing to or declining trial participation, reactions to treatment allocation and associated recruitment and retention during the internal pilot. Data collection will include audio-recordings of recruitment consultations and interviews with carers, children and staff.We will consent staff at UK recruiting sites and potential trial participants (children and carers) to audio-record recruitment consultations. Recording recruitment consultations will provide valuable data concerning how the trial and treatment groups are presented by staff and how this is received by potential participants and their carers. Following consent, semi-structured interviews will be conducted with a sample of carers and children participating in both arms of the pilot study (Children recruited to the pilot and their carers will be interviewed at two time points: T1—approximately 2 weeks after randomisation—and T2—approximately 6 months following randomisation. Where possible, interviews will be conducted at a time and place preferred by participants. Separate interviews will be conducted with the carers and the children themselves, unless children wish to be interviewed whilst their carers are present.T1 and decliner interviews will focus on the recruitment process, children’s motivations for taking part or not in the trial and specific barriers and facilitators to patient participation. In addition, T1 and decliner interviews will also explore children’s and carers’ experiences of GHD and its impact on their daily lives, their understanding and expectations of GHD testing and treatment options and their expectations for the trial. T2 interviews will explore children’s and their carers’ experience of the trial and treatment options and of related trial processes and procedures.Data collection and analysis will proceed iteratively until the research team judge that the data and sample size have sufficient depth and breadth [