Engaging patients in early inflammatory arthritis clinics
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Perceptions of South Asian and Afro-Caribbean patients on the provision of information delivered in early inflammatory arthritis clinics: an exploration of patients and clinicians perspectives\n
IRAS ID
234815
Contact name
Kanta Kumar
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
The University of Birmingham
Duration of Study in the UK
1 years, 0 months, 25 days
Research summary
Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA) is a condition with no cure and can cause significant disability. Our research has showed differences between individuals from ethnic groups on how they view their medicines. These views can potentially impact on medication adherence and patients’ satisfaction with information they receive in clinic. \nBuilding on from our previous cross sectional studies, we have shown that South Asian patients with RA were dissatisfied with the information they receive about medicines especially in second generation non-English speaking patients. Patients beliefs about medicines and illness pereceptions were found to be associated with satisfaction with information received by clinicans moreover, this was found to be linked to poor medication adherence. There is greater emphasises on cure rather than control in ethnic minority populations. The initial engagement with patients takes place within early inflammatory arthritis clinics. Early Inflammatory arthritis clinics are the gateways for diagnosing and treating patients within a three month period from symptom onset. This has been shown to reduce the disease impact on patients. This “window of opportunity” allow newly diagnosed patients to absorb crucial information on their diagnosis and long term treatments. Optimally, clinics should have the expertise to engage patients in consultation and in shared decision making. Traditionally, patients newly diagnosed with inflammatory arthritis are managed with one standard approach13. This may not meet the needs of certain ethnic minority patients in whom there seems to be a drive towards seeking for cure rather than control. This study will be the first to explore to what extent patients’ from South Asian and Afro-Caribbean background perceive the early inflammatory arthritis clinics as valuable and what they consider as positive and where improvement is required. Our team will explore to what extent clinicians (nurses and doctors) use different approaches to motivate patients’ participation in their clinical care. \n
REC name
South West - Frenchay Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
17/SW/0282
Date of REC Opinion
22 Dec 2017
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion