Acceptability of chronic liver disease screening in a UK primary care setting: a qualitative evaluation

Objectives The increasing incidence of chronic liver disease (CLD) in the UK may be attributed to a rise in preventable risk factors, including hazardous alcohol use and type 2 diabetes. Transient elastography (TE) can rapidly stratify risk of CLD in primary care populations and provide an opportuni...

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Main Authors: Indra Neil Guha, Guruprasad Aithal, Holly Knight, Joanne R Morling, David Harman, Timothy Card, Manpreet Bains
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: BMJ Publishing Group 2020-11-01
Series:BMJ Open
Online Access:https://bmjopen.bmj.com/content/10/11/e041574.full
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author Indra Neil Guha
Guruprasad Aithal
Holly Knight
Joanne R Morling
David Harman
Timothy Card
Manpreet Bains
author_facet Indra Neil Guha
Guruprasad Aithal
Holly Knight
Joanne R Morling
David Harman
Timothy Card
Manpreet Bains
author_sort Indra Neil Guha
collection DOAJ
description Objectives The increasing incidence of chronic liver disease (CLD) in the UK may be attributed to a rise in preventable risk factors, including hazardous alcohol use and type 2 diabetes. Transient elastography (TE) can rapidly stratify risk of CLD in primary care populations and provide an opportunity to raise patient awareness of risk factors.This study explores patients’ experiences of TE screening in a primary care setting. In addition, patient awareness of CLD risk is explored.Study design and setting This study used a qualitative process evaluation of a community screening pathway for CLD (Nottingham, UK). Participants completed semistructured interviews, which were audio-recorded, transcribed verbatim and analysed thematically.Participants Twenty adults were purposively recruited 6 months to 2 years after TE screening. Inclusion criteria included (1) hazardous alcohol use, (2) type 2 diabetes and/or (3) persistently elevated liver enzymes without known cause.Results Undergoing TE in primary care was seen as acceptable to most participants. Hazardous alcohol use was identified as the primary cause of CLD; no participants were aware of metabolic risk factors. TE improved understanding of personal risk factors and prompted contemplation of lifestyle changes across all TE stratifications. However, participants’ perceptions of risk were altered by the healthcare providers’ communication of TE scores.Conclusions High acceptability of TE, regardless of the risk factor, provides strong support for inclusion of TE stratification in primary care. Findings highlight the positive impact of receiving TE on risk awareness. Future clinical iterations should improve the structure and communication of TE results to patients.
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spelling doaj-art-6d2f65cd7f5f4051929f735cbd51a7c32025-08-20T02:23:43ZengBMJ Publishing GroupBMJ Open2044-60552020-11-01101110.1136/bmjopen-2020-041574Acceptability of chronic liver disease screening in a UK primary care setting: a qualitative evaluationIndra Neil Guha0Guruprasad Aithal1Holly Knight2Joanne R Morling3David Harman4Timothy Card5Manpreet Bains6Nottingham University Hospitals, NIHR Nottingham Biomedical Research Centre, Nottingham, UK1 Nottingham Digestive Diseases Centre, School of Medicine, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, UKDivision of Epidemiology and Public Health, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, UK1University of Nottingham, Nottingham, UKRoyal Berkshire Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, Reading, UKDivision of Epidemiology and Public Health, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, UKSchool of Medicine, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, UKObjectives The increasing incidence of chronic liver disease (CLD) in the UK may be attributed to a rise in preventable risk factors, including hazardous alcohol use and type 2 diabetes. Transient elastography (TE) can rapidly stratify risk of CLD in primary care populations and provide an opportunity to raise patient awareness of risk factors.This study explores patients’ experiences of TE screening in a primary care setting. In addition, patient awareness of CLD risk is explored.Study design and setting This study used a qualitative process evaluation of a community screening pathway for CLD (Nottingham, UK). Participants completed semistructured interviews, which were audio-recorded, transcribed verbatim and analysed thematically.Participants Twenty adults were purposively recruited 6 months to 2 years after TE screening. Inclusion criteria included (1) hazardous alcohol use, (2) type 2 diabetes and/or (3) persistently elevated liver enzymes without known cause.Results Undergoing TE in primary care was seen as acceptable to most participants. Hazardous alcohol use was identified as the primary cause of CLD; no participants were aware of metabolic risk factors. TE improved understanding of personal risk factors and prompted contemplation of lifestyle changes across all TE stratifications. However, participants’ perceptions of risk were altered by the healthcare providers’ communication of TE scores.Conclusions High acceptability of TE, regardless of the risk factor, provides strong support for inclusion of TE stratification in primary care. Findings highlight the positive impact of receiving TE on risk awareness. Future clinical iterations should improve the structure and communication of TE results to patients.https://bmjopen.bmj.com/content/10/11/e041574.full
spellingShingle Indra Neil Guha
Guruprasad Aithal
Holly Knight
Joanne R Morling
David Harman
Timothy Card
Manpreet Bains
Acceptability of chronic liver disease screening in a UK primary care setting: a qualitative evaluation
BMJ Open
title Acceptability of chronic liver disease screening in a UK primary care setting: a qualitative evaluation
title_full Acceptability of chronic liver disease screening in a UK primary care setting: a qualitative evaluation
title_fullStr Acceptability of chronic liver disease screening in a UK primary care setting: a qualitative evaluation
title_full_unstemmed Acceptability of chronic liver disease screening in a UK primary care setting: a qualitative evaluation
title_short Acceptability of chronic liver disease screening in a UK primary care setting: a qualitative evaluation
title_sort acceptability of chronic liver disease screening in a uk primary care setting a qualitative evaluation
url https://bmjopen.bmj.com/content/10/11/e041574.full
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