DiaBox-Qual Version1.0
Research type
Research Study
Full title
The Diabetes Annual Review in a Postal Box: A Qualitative Study Exploring Views of People with Diabetes.
IRAS ID
312970
Contact name
Hermione Price
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
Southern Health Foundation Trust
Duration of Study in the UK
0 years, 6 months, 2 days
Research summary
RESEARCH SUMMARY:
People with diabetes are offered yearly appointments at their GP practice. At this appointment they have a sample of blood taken, a urine sample, and checks of their height, weight, blood pressure and an examination of their feet. This review helps to identify health problems early and prevent complications from diabetes. About one third of people with diabetes in the United Kingdom (UK) do not attend these appointments. Non-attenders are often at the highest risk of health problems. We think people with diabetes may be able to perform some of these tests themselves at home.
In this study we want to explore the views of people with diabetes about a postal kit, which would allow them to take finger-prick blood samples, urine samples, and possibly measure their height, weight, and blood pressure. This kit could make the annual review process more convenient for people with diabetes and may encourage more people to have their checks done.
Participants will be asked to attend either a single one-hour focus group session, or a one-on-one interview. We will explore participant experiences of diabetes annual review appointments, and views on a postal kit as an alternative. We aim to recruit 20-30 adults who have had diabetes for a minimum of 12 months. We will identify potential participants from rural and central GP practice registers as well as secondary care patient registers. We aim to recruit a mix of people with diabetes who do and do not attend their annual review appointments.
Sessions will either be held face-to-face or virtually, and participants will be able to choose their preference. If held face-to-face the group sessions will be held at Moorgreen Hospital, Southampton. We will offer all participants a £20 gift voucher for their contribution to our research, as well as re-imbursing reasonable travel costs.SUMMARY OF RESULTS:
Our study aimed to determine the views of people living with diabetes regarding the use of a self-directed postal home collection box as an alternative to usual care for collecting diabetes annual review blood samples and anthropometric data. We aimed to establish whether introduction of this postal box could improve non-attendance rates at diabetes annual review appointments. In total, twenty participants were recruited into the study, including eight participants identified as infrequent attenders at their annual review. People with diabetes responded positively to the idea of the postal box, the majority of participants felt it would make the annual review process more accessible and convenient. Participants felt that to improve non-attendance, the postal box would need to go beyond the delivery of the current 'tick-box' approach to care, and allow people with diabetes to take more control over the content of their annual review appointments by providing a channel for communicating their concerns. They felt the postal box could free up appointment time in which they could discuss other issues and to facilitate more holistic care. People with diabetes expressed that collecting their own bloods and having more input regarding the content of their annual review appointments would give them more control over their care and support self-management. The main concerns about the postal box related to the possibility that it might replace face-to-face contact entirely, which people with diabetes felt would be detrimental to the care they receive. Our study demonstrates that a postal box has the potential to remove both logistical barriers to care, such as travel and finding time out of work, as well as addressing more psychosocial barriers such as feeling disempowered by a perceived clinician-led 'tick-box' approach delivered in the current annual review appointment.REC name
West Midlands - Coventry & Warwickshire Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
22/WM/0127
Date of REC Opinion
26 Jul 2022
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion