How stories shaped every aspect of our mixed methods study

Kirsten Prest discusses the 'Encompass' study on care for disabilities in Uganda and its wider application in the NHS, where narrative-driven mixed methods research shaped phases from grants to implementation This talk will explore how a small qualitative study was able to inform a wider body of work, which includes both qualitative and quantitative methods. It will be framed within the “Encompass” study which aims to adapt and pilot test a group programme for parents/carers of children with disabilities originally developed in Uganda, to be implemented in an NHS setting in the UK. The initial qualitative work supported every phase of the mixed methods study from grant applications to key decisions around implementation, to informing the adaptation phase, to considering objectives and outcomes, and finally dissemination and future work. It has provided a wealth of knowledge and rich insights, much of which continues to inform future grant applications. Kirsten is a paediatric occupational therapist and HARP doctoral research fellow. Her clinical and research interests include supporting the wellbeing of families who have children with complex disabilities, improving family-centred services, global child health, global innovation including knowledge transfer from low-resource settings to high-income countries, and research capacity building among allied health professionals.