7 October 2019
Members of the Cystic Fibrosis NZ Otago Branch and the University of Otago are undertaking a survey to learn more about the types of nebulisers used by people with cystic fibrosis for inhaling antibiotics, and how those nebulisers are cleaned after use. This will help in their research that aims to inform best practice guidelines for the CF community about safe and appropriate disposal of nebulised antibiotic residue, to minimise the chance of creating antibiotic resistant bacteria in the environment.
Message from Cystic Fibrosis NZ Otago Branch and the University of Otago:
We would like to invite you to take part in this study, which is exploring how people with cystic fibrosis, or their carers, rinse and clean nebulisers after they have been used for inhaled antibiotic treatment.
Please read this information sheet carefully. Take time to consider and, if you wish, talk with relatives or friends, before deciding whether or not to participate.
If you decide to participate we thank you. If you decide not to take part there will be no disadvantage to you and we thank you for considering our request.
Inhaling nebulised antibiotics to treat lung infections is a key part of treatment for many people with cystic fibrosis. After each use, the residual medicine left in the nebuliser is disposed of as the nebuliser is rinsed and cleaned. Questions have been raised amongst the CF community about the best way of disposing of antibiotic residue from nebulisers to minimise the chance of creating antibiotic resistant bacteria in the environment.
Antibiotic resistance happens when bacteria that cause disease change so that the medicines that used to kill them no longer work. This can happen when bacteria are exposed to, but not killed by, antibiotics. Infections caused by these bacteria are harder to treat so it is important that the effectiveness of available antibiotic treatment is maintained as long as possible.
We are undertaking our study to learn more about the types of nebulisers used by people with cystic fibrosis for inhaling antibiotics, and how those nebulisers are cleaned after use. It is our aim that this information will be used to help inform best practice guidelines for the cystic fibrosis community about safe and appropriate disposal of nebulised antibiotic residue in the home.
We are interested in hearing from people (or the carers of people) with cystic fibrosis that have used nebulised antibiotics at home. You are eligible to take part in this study if you:
If you decide to participate in this study, we ask that you open https://psm-dm.otago.ac.nz/limesurvey/index.php/978127?lang=en and complete a short survey. We anticipate that the survey will take about 5 minutes to complete.
We are from Cystic Fibrosis Otago and the University of Otago. The members of our research team are: Julian Cox (Chairperson of Cystic Fibrosis Otago), Karyn Maclennan (Research Fellow in the University of Otago Department of Preventive and Social Medicine), and Greg Walker (Senior Lecturer in the University of Otago School of Pharmacy).
This study is the first part of a larger project (Nebulised antibiotics – residue and resistance), which is being funded by the Otago Participatory Science Platform.
As the information you provide will be anonymous, it will not be possible to remove that information after you have completed and submitted the survey.
We do not believe there is any risk that you will experience discomfort or harm from taking part in this survey. However, if you prefer not to answer a particular question that is fine.
The survey includes questions about what type of nebuliser is used for treatment with inhaled antibiotics, what antibiotic(s) have been taken using a nebuliser, and how the nebuliser is cleaned after use with antibiotics.
All of the information you share will be retained on a secure database at the University of Otago for at least 10 years, as required by the University’s research policy, after which it will be deleted.
The information you provide in the survey will be completely anonymous. No IP addresses or other information that could identify you will be collected with your survey response.
We hope this study will produce information that will inform guidelines on how best to dispose of antibiotic residue in nebulisers after use. This is relevant to people with cystic fibrosis, their families and healthcare providers. We therefore plan to publish the results of the research, and will also discuss the results at community meetings and at conferences. However, as your contribution is completely anonymous, none of the information you provide in the interview would be published or released in a way that you could be identified.
If you have any questions now or in the future, please feel free to contact either:
Julian Cox
Chairperson
Cystic Fibrosis NZ Otago
(03) 473 6406 or 027 481 3196
Karyn Maclennan
Research Fellow
Preventive and Social Medicine
021 0582242
This study has been approved by the University of Otago Human Ethics Committee (Health). If you have any concerns about the ethical conduct of the research you may contact the Committee through the Human Ethics Committee Administrator (phone +64 3 479 8256 or email gary.witte@otago.ac.nz). Any issues you raise will be treated in confidence and investigated and you will be informed of the outcome.
