Development of a peer education programme for advance end-of-life care planning.
OBJECTIVE
to develop and evaluate an education programme to help older people find out about treatment and care choices at the end of life.


METHODS
an action research approach was used to develop an education booklet about end-of-life care. A programme of qualitative evaluation ran alongside the project. It comprised a combination of methods, including face-to-face and telephone interviews and questionnaires with those who took part in the small group discussions.


METHODS
the research team consisted of five academic researchers and eight people recruited from voluntary groups representing older adults to act as community advisors in developing the programme. The booklet was tested in small group discussions with members of the general public. Five community advisors volunteered to act as 'peer educators' and helped to lead the small group discussions after receiving a 3-day training course to prepare them for their role. The project took place in Sheffield.


RESULTS
the education discussions and the related booklet were perceived as acceptable in providing information about a sensitive issue. Peer educators felt that the training course prepared them well. Community advisors felt that they were treated as equal members of the research team. This project has served as a useful pilot study of the education programme that has now been extended to other areas of the UK.
Sanders
Caroline
C
National Primary Care Research and Development Centre (NPCRDC), The University of Manchester, UK. Caroline.Sanders@manchester.ac.uk
Seymour
Jane
J
Clarke
Amanda
A
Gott
Merryn
M
Welton
Maddie
M
D032722:Advance Care Planning; D000368:Aged / Q000523:psychology*; D001294:Attitude to Health; D003150:Community Health Workers / Q000193:education / Q000458:organization & administration*; D003479:Curriculum; D004739:England; D005240:Feasibility Studies; D017144:Focus Groups; D006302:Health Services Research; D006801:Humans; D017145:Models, Educational; D033262:Narration; D015403:Nursing Evaluation Research; D015404:Nursing Methodology Research; D010174:Pamphlets; D010353:Patient Education as Topic / Q000458:organization & administration*; D010379:Peer Group; D010865:Pilot Projects; D016730:Program Development; D015397:Program Evaluation; D036301:Qualitative Research; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013664:Teaching Materials