Implications for GP endorsement of a diabetes app with patients from culturally diverse backgrounds: a qualitative study
Julie Ayre
A , Carissa Bonner A B , Sian Bramwell C , Sharon McClelland C , Rajini Jayaballa C D , Glen Maberly C E and Kirsten McCaffery A F
A The University of Sydney, Faculty of Medicine and Health, Sydney School of Public Health, Sydney Health Literacy Lab, Edward Ford Building (A27), The University of Sydney, NSW 2006, Australia.
B The University of Sydney, Discipline of General Practice, Ask, Share, Know: Rapid Evidence for General Practice Decisions Centre for Research Excellent, Edward Ford Building (A27), The University of Sydney, NSW 2006, Australia.
C Western Sydney Diabetes, Western Sydney Local Health District, Level 3, Administration and Education Building, Blacktown Hospital Campus, Marcel Crescent, Blacktown, NSW 2148, Australia.
D Western Sydney University, Locked Bag 1797, Penrith, NSW 2751, Australia.
E The University of Sydney, Faculty of Medicine and Health, Sydney School of Public Health, Edward Ford Building (A27), The University of Sydney, NSW 2006, Australia.
F Corresponding author. Email: kirsten.mccaffery@sydney.edu.au
Australian Journal of Primary Health 26(1) 52-57 https://doi.org/10.1071/PY19062
Submitted: 17 December 2018 Accepted: 23 August 2019 Published: 13 November 2019
Abstract
Although many diabetes self-management apps exist, these are not tailored for people from culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) backgrounds. This study aimed to explore GP perceptions of how diabetes app features could help GPs better support their patients from CALD backgrounds. Twenty-five semi-structured interviews with GPs in Western Sydney explored attitudes towards a proposed app’s suitability for CALD patients. Interviews were audio-recorded, transcribed and coded using Framework Analysis. Theme 1 explored the implications of perceptions that patients’ health literacy is dependent on the language used. Theme 2 explored the influence of messaging from sources that share the patient’s language and culture (including misinformation from community sources). Theme 3 described the suitability of the app platform for CALD patients, and its potential challenges in this group. GPs perceived that a diabetes app could be useful for providing support to patients from CALD backgrounds. Findings suggest app features should be optimised to address existing challenges that GPs face and carefully consider strategies for recruiting CALD patients. It is important that GPs feel comfortable promoting an app to their CALD patients to help increase participation rates by people in the CALD community.
Additional keywords: general practitioners, mobile applications, primary care.
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