Living well with multiple Long-Term Conditions: Interrogating young people's experiences of integrated care

Background:

The voices of young people experiencing multiple long term conditions (LTCs) within integrated care models are rarely heard and when they are, satisfaction is reported as patchy. (NHS Digital 2018). There remains a significant gap in research concerning not only how young people with multiple LTCs experience integrated care systems, but how they are able (or not) to develop a strong Sense of Coherence.

Aim:
The research proposal aims to answer these research questions:
Young people living with multiple long term conditions: What helps them to develop a Sense of Coherence in the face of several diagnoses and how could these dimensions be developed through individual capacity building and service remodelling?

Method:
This research will involve young adults with multiple LTCs as an advisory panel in the design of the research methodology. The research methodology will be qualitative and will involve two studies working through 3-4 GP practices. The first study will be an in-depth study of 25 young people aged 18-24 years living with more than one LTC. Using semi structured face-to-face interview techniques to identify key themes in response to the research questions. The second study will recruit 10 young people from each practice identified by GPs as managing their LTCs and, in groups using participatory methods, cross check emerging themes with a particular focus on developing our understanding of what has helped to develop their Sense of Coherence.