Fatigue is experienced by lots of people living with types of inflammatory arthritis, such as rheumatoid arthritis. For UWE Bristol’s rheumatology research team, based at the Bristol Royal Infirmary, understanding how best to manage fatigue has been a priority for over ten years. 

 

One of their interventions incorporated cognitive-behavioural techniques and explored adaptive behaviour changes and ways to enhance coping skills. The results of the study, called FREE-IA (Fatigue – Reducing its Effects through individualised support Episodes in Inflammatory Arthritis), suggested that the intervention was promising and could help people to self-manage the impact of their fatigue.

 

When it came to dissemination, the team agreed that those who needed to hear about the research were those who are dealing with how to manage the symptom, namely people with inflammatory arthritis, as well as rheumatology health professionals. They chose animation as an accessible and engaging way to communicate their findings to these varied audiences.

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We worked closely with the researchers and patient partners throughout the project, co-developing the script and refining the animation with their input at every stage to ensure authentic representation. The team wanted the patient partners to voice the film, so Lauren travelled to Bristol to direct the recording, supporting them through the process to create a positive experience and achieve a high-quality voiceover. The session was held in one of UWE’s sound studios, with Audio Technology and Computer Science student Oli Clarke employed as sound recordist. We also produced multiple versions tailored for different audiences and contexts, helping the film reach both patients and clinicians effectively.

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 Find out more about the research

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Read UWE's case study