Exploring the experiences of remote health care delivery among people with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease from minoritised ethnic groups and their carers: a qualitative study

Conference:

SAPC ASM 2024 - Bristol

Talk Code:

9E.4

Presenter:

Nina Fudge, Helen Atherton

Twitter:

@Ratna_Sohanpal

Co-authors:

Brenda Hayanga, Helen Atherton, Stephanie Taylor, Nina Fudge, Marta Wanat, Grainne Colligan, Ceri Durham, Eleanor Southgate

Author institutions:

Queen Mary University of London, City, University of London, University of Southampton, University of Oxford, Social Action for Health (community partner)

Problem

Remote health care delivery (via telephone, smartphone, video link/other website platforms) has become a more common form of health care delivery but some studies have highlighted that while remote care delivery may work well for some type of patients, it may not work well for patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Patients with COPD commonly have other long term health conditions with complex needs, are older, are less likely to access or use technology and patients from an ethnic minority group may require language support during consultations. Thus, the move to remote health care delivery could widen inequalities. Little is known about the views and experiences of remote care from the perspectives of patients with COPD from minoritised ethnic groups, and their carers.

Approach

Individual semi-structured interviews are being conducted by telephone, face-to-face or online depending on participant preference. Till date, 12 interviews have been conducted among patients with COPD who also have one or more long term conditions and 11 interviews have been conducted with their caregiving family member/friend to better understand their experiences of remote health care delivery, to identify what works well, what the challenges are and how their experience of health care delivery/remote health care delivery can be improved. Interviews are being recorded and transcribed verbatim and will be analysed using thematic analysis. Of the interviewed patients and carers, four of each will also be involved in the photovoice method. This method can elicit greater depth of understanding about a topic and it will help us to capture data in another way that will be rich and meaningful to participants. Our public contributors have been involved in every aspect of study delivery including the prompts that need to be considered for participants to take photos to share their experience of remote health care provision.

Findings

Of the 12 patients and 11 carers interviewed, the age ranged between 42-78 years and 25-64 years. Patients have one or more long term conditions. The ethnicity of patients and carers was diverse and comprised Other White, Black Caribbean, Black African, Other Black, Indian, Pakistani, Bangladeshi, Arab and Mixed ethnic groups. The telephone mode was mostly used by patients and by carers involved either with patient present or on their behalf for remote consultations. The findings will highlight several areas/issues related to remote care delivery including areas where improvements might be needed e.g. appointments, communication, information and support, virtual option preferred but not offered.

Consequences

The findings following completion of the analysis will be used to highlight the experiences of patients from minoritised ethnic groups and their carers about remote care delivery and provide potential solutions to improve availability, accessibility, and quality of remote care delivery.

Submitted by:

Ratna Sohanpal

Funding acknowledgement:

This study is funded by the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) School for Primary Care Research (project reference 665). The views expressed are those of the author(s) and not necessarily those of the NIHR or the Department of Health and Social Care.