BRIDGE
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Building Relationships to Improve Discharge Guidance for South Asian Families of Children with Congenital Heart Disease in England: A Mixed Methods Study
IRAS ID
355831
Contact name
Luong Tran
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
Birmingham City University/Faculty of Health, Education & Life Sciences Research Office
Clinicaltrials.gov Identifier
10.6084/m9.figshare.29505107, DOI: 10.6084/m9.figshare.29505107
Duration of Study in the UK
2 years, 0 months, 11 days
Research summary
Children with complex heart conditions often require early interventions. These babies need dedicated care, thus parents need comprehensive information for managing babies at home after discharge. However, children of Asian, Black, or Mixed descent often experience a higher incidence and mortality rate of heart defects. Their families frequently reside in the most deprived areas and may face additional linguistic and cultural barriers. A research gap exists concerning their experiences, challenges, and support needs, which hinders the development of targeted interventions.
The BRIDGE study, to be conducted in the Midlands, aims to explore the experiences and information needs of South Asian families and the experiences of healthcare professionals caring for children under two years old with congenital heart disease following cardiac surgery or other cardiac interventions within the child's first year of life. The study is designed in four phases: (1) qualitative research; (2) developing a quantitative survey; (3) conducting a cross-sectional survey; and (4) developing the recommendations for improved discharge care. The study will interview and survey parents and healthcare professionals. Interpretation services will be provided for those not confident communicating in English, including the top South Asian languages most frequently requested for translation at the research sites (any South Asian languages in top 10): Urdu, Punjabi/Panjabi, Gujarati, Bengali, Hindi, and Pashto. The surveys will include both written and spoken questions in English or these seven selected languages. The study is planned to be conducted between September 2025 and September 2027.
The findings of BRIDGE will provide evidence for the development of culturally and linguistically appropriate nurse-led discharge guidance for non-English speaking families and strategies to effectively engage them in the research. This study potentially contributes to reducing health inequalities and enhancing the well-being of children with congenital heart disease.
REC name
West Midlands - South Birmingham Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
25/WM/0189
Date of REC Opinion
3 Oct 2025
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion