title: Stakeholders' views of recurrent sore throat, tonsillitis and their management: a qualitative interview study for the NAtional Trial of Tonsillectomy IN Adults (NATTINA Part 1).
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine the impact of recurrent sore throats and tonsillitis in adults and stakeholder views of treatment pathways.
  
  
  METHODS
  Qualitative semistructured interview design reporting novel data from a feasibility study for a UK national trial of tonsillectomy in adults.
  
  
  METHODS
  Nine study sites linked to ear, nose and throat departments in National Health Service hospitals located across the United Kingdom.
  
  
  METHODS
  Fifteen patients, 11 general practitioners and 22 ear, nose and throat staff consented to in-depth interviews, which were analysed using a framework analysis approach.
  
  
  METHODS
  Views of stakeholder groups.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Recurrent sore throats were reported to severely impact patients' family, work and social life. Ear, nose and throat staff stated that patients faced increasing barriers to secondary care service access. General practitioners were under pressure to reduce 'limited clinical value' surgical procedures.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The findings from this study suggest that there is a disconnect between the attitudes of the stakeholders and the reality of recurrent sore throat, tonsillectomy procedures and service provision. More evidence for the role of tonsillectomy is needed from randomised controlled trials to determine whether it should continue to be ranked as a procedure of limited clinical effectiveness.
authors: Institute of Health and Society, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK.
authors: L A
authors: LA
authors: McSweeney
authors: Institute of Health and Society, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK.
authors: N S
authors: NS
authors: Rousseau
authors: Institute of Health and Society, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK.|ENT Department, Freeman Hospital, Newcastle upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK.
authors: J A
authors: JA
authors: Wilson
authors: Department of Pharmacy Health and Well-being, University of Sunderland, Sunderland, UK.|Coquet Medical Group, Amble, Northumberland, UK.
authors: S
authors: S
authors: Wilkes
authors: Institute of Health and Society, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK.
authors: C A
authors: CA
authors: Haighton
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001294:Attitude to Health; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007407:Interviews as Topic; D008297:Male; D010612:Pharyngitis / Q000601:surgery*; D036301:Qualitative Research; D011788:Quality of Life; D012008:Recurrence; D014068:Tonsillectomy / Q000379:methods*; D014069:Tonsillitis / Q000601:surgery*; D006113:United Kingdom