Acceptability and timing considerations when administering patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs) among people with chronic health conditions who are culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD): a qualitative study protocol.

Abstract

Patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs) are validated and standardised questionnaires that capture patients' own reports of their symptoms, functioning and well-being. PROMs can facilitate communication between patients and clinicians, reduce symptom burden, enhance quality of life and inform health service re-design. We aim to determine the acceptability of PROMs and the preferred timing of PROM completion in New South Wales (NSW) at the point of care, facilitated by the Health Outcomes and Patient Experiences (HOPE) platform. Semi-structured interviews with patients (~50-75, sampling across seven language groups and seven clinical cohorts), carers (~10-20) and clinicians (~18) enrolled in HOPE will be conducted via videoconference, telephone or in person. Participants will be asked questions about (1) what makes PROMs acceptable for use in chronic disease management (2) when patients would prefer to complete PROMs and when clinicians would like to use PROMs for clinical decision-making and (3) factors that impede the acceptability of PROMs for culturally and linguistically diverse patients. Interviews will be analysed using a reflexive thematic approach, guided by Normalisation Process Theory. Ethics approval has been obtained from the Sydney Local Health District Human Research Ethics Committee (SLHD HREC, Study Protocol #X24-0138). Results will be published in appropriate peer-reviewed journals, presented at conferences, disseminated to participants in the form of a plain language summary, and widely disseminated to consumer groups and professional stakeholders.