A Year of Evidence 2023/24 - Social Care
26 July
In our first year as the Health and Care Research Wales Evidence Centre, we have completed a number of research studies that are important to social care. We work closely with Social Care Wales and Welsh Government to identify research questions, which are important to answer for social care policy and practice in Wales. With the support of our public partnership group members, we ensure that the Welsh public is at the heart of our work from start to finish.
All our research reports are made available to the public online. The reports include a 2-page Executive Summary (see pages 4 and 5 of the full report for this). Click the following links for information about each study, including helpful lay summaries and infographics.
A rapid review of the effectiveness of interventions for addressing digital exclusion in older adults
Collaborating Partner: Public Health Wales
Older adults constitute the largest proportion of non-users of the internet. With the increasing digitalisation of services, it is important to understand how best to support older adults to overcome the challenges they face with accessing or engaging with the digital world (e.g. for personal use). This rapid review aimed to assess the effectiveness of interventions to address digital exclusion in older adults (aged 60 years and above). The review found that digital exclusion can occur due to issues with motivation (if people do not see why the internet might be beneficial), accessibility (unable to physically access to the internet), ability (lack of skills to use the internet) or affordability (unable to afford access to the internet) of digital technology.
Read more
The costs and cost-effectiveness of different service models of palliative care, focusing on end of life care: a rapid review
Collaborating Partner: Bangor Institute for Health & Medical Research
Some people receive palliative or end of life care at home, others in hospitals or hospices, or a combination of home and hospice/home and hospital models. This rapid review aims to determine the costs and cost-effectiveness of different service models of palliative care or end of life care. The review found that studies are mostly conducted from the perspective of the healthcare system, disregarding costs related to patients and caregivers.
The review also showed that palliative care costs are higher in the hospital than hospice or home-based palliative care. Quality home-based palliative care should be available to patients who desire to remain and die at home and patients should have a choice about where they prefer to die.
What are the most effective interventions to support children and young people bereaved by suicide in the family: a rapid review
Collaborating Partner: SURE
Bereavement by suicide is different from other forms of bereavement and needs specialised support. Children and young people who lost loved ones to suicide are more likely to suffer a complicated bereavement process and have poorer mental health.
This review aims to assess the evidence for the effectiveness of interventions to support children and young people bereaved by suicide. Only three studies were identified and all reported on group therapy interventions .The strongest evidence came from a study, in which children receiving an intervention had significantly greater reduction in anxiety and depressive symptoms than the control group. However, more good quality research is needed in this area.
How effective and cost-effective are interventions to support children and young people who have been exposed to domestic violence or abuse: a rapid review
Collaborating Partner: Bangor Institute for Health & Medical Research
Children and young people witnessing domestic violence and abuse (DVA) can be affected negatively in terms of their psychological, emotional, and social development.
Adverse events in childhood are known to be harmful to a young persons development and influence their life course, and therefore is a significant public health issue.
The aim of this rapid review is to highlight the evidence on effective interventions (and any relevant cost-effectiveness evidence) focusing on reducing the harms for children and young people who have been exposed to DVA.
The review found preliminary evidence that cognitive therapy is a cost-effective intervention to treat children and young people with post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
What organisational level factors support or inhibit the scale and spread of innovations in children’s social care: a rapid review
Collaborating Partner: SURE
Innovation may provide a means for tackling challenges facing children’s social care, some of them deep-rooted and many exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic. Welsh Government has recently committed to a significant 3-year investment to support innovation in adults and children’s social care. The delivery of social care in Wales has a complex and multi-faceted approach, involving collaborative working between a range of organisations, which will likely affect decisions around implementation and scale-up of new and/or existing interventions. The aim of the review was to identify any factors (barriers and enablers) that affect the implementation and scale up of an innovation in children’s social care organisations.