Survey regarding Hypothyroidism Link to Anxiety and Depression

[lynmynott]

Sobia Fesal has been diagnosed with hypothyroidism (underactive thyroid) and is currently in her 3rd year of a BSc psychology counselling and health degree.

For her dissertation she has chosen the topic of hypothyroidism and the link to anxiety and depression and is conducting a survey regarding this topic.

The purpose of this study is to obtain an understanding of the experiences of individuals with hypothyroid disease.

If you are interesting in taking part in this survey, please go to:

surveymonkey.co.uk/r/KCZT53Y

[SlowDragon Administrator]

The survey doesn't give options on how you felt when not correctly medicated, or undiagnosed, only how you feel now.

If correctly medicated then your answers between the two states would be EXTREMELY different.

[Repton1 in reply to SlowDragon]

I agree with you. My answers now are completely different to what they would have been before I changed my medication several months ago.

[SilverAvocado]

The first few questions are also a bit incomplete. An early question is whether you've been diagnosed with hypothyroidism. I have had thyroid cancer and a thyroidectomy, so I said 'yes', but it's not really accurate.

Then you're asked what medication you're on, and the list is almost a random set of medicines. It doesn't include T3/liothyronine, or combination Levo and T3, which will be the most common options in the UK after Levo alone. It includes Armour, but not any other brand of NDT. I ticked Armour because I am taking NDT, but if course thats also not accurate.

I think this question will stop the largest number of people from ThyroidUK from answering, as many will be on combination or T3 alone.

But there are a lot of problems with every part of the survey, I think. It's about hypothyroid and depression, but as far as I can make out the only questions about depression are some from the standard depression scale used by the NHS. But those of us who've been through this system will know that there is a huge overlap between depression symptoms and physical illness symptoms.

For example little pleasure in doing things. If you're confined to bed, or only have the energy to do the minimum, you will not be excited to do nice things. Many questions on the scale are essentially questions about how much available energy you have.

But this is an undergraduate project, so the student may not even have studied survey design and research methods. It shows that these things are difficult to construct!

[lynmynott Partner Thyroid UK]

I have had a word with the student about her survey but her tutor feels that it's ok to use it as it is. Hopefully, she will be able to get some good info from it even though it's not as thorough as we would like.

[SilverAvocado in reply to lynmynott]

Yes, she will also have some things to write in her 'what I'd do differently next time' section.

[cwill]

Given the issues raised above I would assume that this is the pilot survey and that the issues will be corrected? Bit of a shame to have those that want to complete omitted from the info. Undergrad dissertations can be more process than product but a huge opportunity missed and when marking dissertations getting the questions right for the group will certainly attract lower marks. (Memories of actually being able to work here) Is this feedback reaching Sobia?

[cwill in reply to cwill]

Just read that her tutor thinks this is fine so enough said...