Perceptions of healthcare professionals on the use of a risk prediction model to inform atrial fibrillation screening: qualitative interview study in English primary care
Objectives There is increasing interest in guiding atrial fibrillation (AF) screening by risk rather than age. The perceptions of healthcare professionals (HCPs) towards the implementation of risk prediction models to target AF screening are unknown. We aimed to explore HCP perceptions about using r...
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BMJ Publishing Group
2025-02-01
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| Series: | BMJ Open |
| Online Access: | https://bmjopen.bmj.com/content/15/2/e091675.full |
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| author | Chris Gale Jianhua Wu Ramesh Nadarajah Catherine Reynolds Ellen Hamilton Lydia Shone |
| author_facet | Chris Gale Jianhua Wu Ramesh Nadarajah Catherine Reynolds Ellen Hamilton Lydia Shone |
| author_sort | Chris Gale |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Objectives There is increasing interest in guiding atrial fibrillation (AF) screening by risk rather than age. The perceptions of healthcare professionals (HCPs) towards the implementation of risk prediction models to target AF screening are unknown. We aimed to explore HCP perceptions about using risk prediction models for this purpose, and how models could be implemented.Design Semistructured interviews with HCPs engaged in the Future Innovations in Novel Detection of AF (FIND-AF) study. Data were thematically analysed and synthesised to understand barriers and facilitators to AF screening and guiding screening using risk assessment.Setting Five primary care practices in England taking part in the FIND-AF study.Participants 15 HCPs (doctors, nurses/nurse practitioners, healthcare assistants, receptionists and practice managers).Results Participants knew the health implications of AF and were supportive of the risk prediction models for AF screening. Four main themes developed: (1) health implications of AF, (2) positives and negatives of risk prediction in AF screening, (3) strategies to implement a risk prediction model and (4) barriers and facilitators to risk-guided AF screening. HCPs thought risk-guided AF screening would improve patient outcomes by reducing AF-related stroke, and this outweighed concerns over health anxiety and the impact on workload. Pop-up notifications and practice worklists were the main suggestions for risk-guided screening implementation and for this to be predominantly run by administrative staff. Many recommended the need for educating staff on AF and the prediction models to help aid the implementation of a clear protocol for longitudinal follow-up of high-risk patients and communication of risk.Conclusions Overall, HCPs participating in the FIND-AF study were supportive of using risk prediction to guide AF screening and willing to take on extra workload to facilitate risk-guided AF screening. The best pathway design and the method of how risk is communicated to patients require further consideration.Trial registration number NCT05898165. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-65098ce26e544b11946e165e05b0fd7c |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2044-6055 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-02-01 |
| publisher | BMJ Publishing Group |
| record_format | Article |
| series | BMJ Open |
| spelling | doaj-art-65098ce26e544b11946e165e05b0fd7c2025-02-06T04:30:09ZengBMJ Publishing GroupBMJ Open2044-60552025-02-0115210.1136/bmjopen-2024-091675Perceptions of healthcare professionals on the use of a risk prediction model to inform atrial fibrillation screening: qualitative interview study in English primary careChris Gale0Jianhua Wu1Ramesh Nadarajah2Catherine Reynolds3Ellen Hamilton4Lydia Shone5Leeds Institute of Cardiovascular and Metabolic Medicine, University of Leeds, Leeds, UKQueen Mary University of London, Queen Mary University of London, London, UKLeeds Institute of Cardiovascular and Metabolic Medicine, University of Leeds, Leeds, UKLeeds Institute of Cardiovascular and Metabolic Medicine, University of Leeds, Leeds, UKFaculty of Medicine and Health, University of Leeds, Leeds, UKFaculty of Medicine and Health, University of Leeds, Leeds, UKObjectives There is increasing interest in guiding atrial fibrillation (AF) screening by risk rather than age. The perceptions of healthcare professionals (HCPs) towards the implementation of risk prediction models to target AF screening are unknown. We aimed to explore HCP perceptions about using risk prediction models for this purpose, and how models could be implemented.Design Semistructured interviews with HCPs engaged in the Future Innovations in Novel Detection of AF (FIND-AF) study. Data were thematically analysed and synthesised to understand barriers and facilitators to AF screening and guiding screening using risk assessment.Setting Five primary care practices in England taking part in the FIND-AF study.Participants 15 HCPs (doctors, nurses/nurse practitioners, healthcare assistants, receptionists and practice managers).Results Participants knew the health implications of AF and were supportive of the risk prediction models for AF screening. Four main themes developed: (1) health implications of AF, (2) positives and negatives of risk prediction in AF screening, (3) strategies to implement a risk prediction model and (4) barriers and facilitators to risk-guided AF screening. HCPs thought risk-guided AF screening would improve patient outcomes by reducing AF-related stroke, and this outweighed concerns over health anxiety and the impact on workload. Pop-up notifications and practice worklists were the main suggestions for risk-guided screening implementation and for this to be predominantly run by administrative staff. Many recommended the need for educating staff on AF and the prediction models to help aid the implementation of a clear protocol for longitudinal follow-up of high-risk patients and communication of risk.Conclusions Overall, HCPs participating in the FIND-AF study were supportive of using risk prediction to guide AF screening and willing to take on extra workload to facilitate risk-guided AF screening. The best pathway design and the method of how risk is communicated to patients require further consideration.Trial registration number NCT05898165.https://bmjopen.bmj.com/content/15/2/e091675.full |
| spellingShingle | Chris Gale Jianhua Wu Ramesh Nadarajah Catherine Reynolds Ellen Hamilton Lydia Shone Perceptions of healthcare professionals on the use of a risk prediction model to inform atrial fibrillation screening: qualitative interview study in English primary care BMJ Open |
| title | Perceptions of healthcare professionals on the use of a risk prediction model to inform atrial fibrillation screening: qualitative interview study in English primary care |
| title_full | Perceptions of healthcare professionals on the use of a risk prediction model to inform atrial fibrillation screening: qualitative interview study in English primary care |
| title_fullStr | Perceptions of healthcare professionals on the use of a risk prediction model to inform atrial fibrillation screening: qualitative interview study in English primary care |
| title_full_unstemmed | Perceptions of healthcare professionals on the use of a risk prediction model to inform atrial fibrillation screening: qualitative interview study in English primary care |
| title_short | Perceptions of healthcare professionals on the use of a risk prediction model to inform atrial fibrillation screening: qualitative interview study in English primary care |
| title_sort | perceptions of healthcare professionals on the use of a risk prediction model to inform atrial fibrillation screening qualitative interview study in english primary care |
| url | https://bmjopen.bmj.com/content/15/2/e091675.full |
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