A cross-sectional survey assessing the acceptability and feasibility of self-report electronic data collection about health risks from patients attending an Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Service

Abstract

BackgroundAboriginal Australians experience significantly worse health and a higher burden of chronic disease than non-Aboriginal Australians. Electronic self-report data collection is a systematic means of collecting data about health risk factors which could help to overcome screening barriers and assist in the provision of preventive health care. Yet this approach has not been tested in an Aboriginal health care setting. Therefore, the aim of this study was to examine the acceptability and feasibility of a health risk questionnaire administered on a touch screen laptop computer for patients attending an Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Service (ACCHS).MethodsIn 2012, consecutive adult patients attending an ACCHS in rural New South Wales, Australia, were asked to complete a health risk survey on a touch screen computer. Health risk factors assessed in the questionnaire included smoking status, body mass index, and level of physical activity. The questionnaire included visual cues to improve accuracy and minimise literacy barriers and was completed while participants were waiting for their appointment.ResultsA total of 188 participants completed the questionnaire, with a consent rate of 71%. The mean time taken to complete the questionnaire was less than 12 minutes. Over 90% of participants agreed that: the questionnaire instructions were easy to follow; the touch screen computer was easy to use; they had enough privacy; the questions were easy to understand; they felt comfortable answering all the questions.ConclusionsResults indicate that the use of a touch screen questionnaire to collect information from patients about health risk factors affecting Aboriginal Australians is feasible and acceptable in the ACCHS setting. This approach has potential to improve identification and management of at-risk individuals, therein providing significant opportunities to reduce the burden of disease among Aboriginal Australians.

Feasibility and acceptability of opportunistic screening to detect atrial fibrillation in Aboriginal adults

“…Our quantitative data found that both Aboriginal and non‐Aboriginal ACCHS staff were confident in providing iECG screening and managing the referral follow‐up pathway, and felt the process was beneficial for patients. The feasibility and acceptability of screening tools within the ACCHS setting has been described previously 23 and our findings confirm the usefulness of screening in this setting across urban, rural and remote settings. Interviews confirmed the feasibility and usefulness of iECG screening in the community setting despite several barriers.…”

“…Several studies have previously established the feasibility and acceptability of a range of screening tools among Aboriginal populations 22,23 as well as iECG devices in mainstream populations 5,7 . This study is the first to examine these factors in relation to the iECG screening tool in Aboriginal populations.…”

Identifying people at higher risk of melanoma across the U.K.: a primary-care-based electronic survey

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“…Participants were also asked whether they had had melanoma. Age was collected in six age bands (20)(21)(22)(23)(24)(25)(26)(27)(28)(29)(30)(31)(32)(33)(34)(35)(36)(37)(38)(39)(40)(41)(42)(43)(44), 45-54, 55-64, 65-74 and ≥ 75 years). The questions and possible responses for the other risk factors are shown in Table 1.…”

An evaluation of a telehealth-based specialist consultation service for Indigenous people living with diabetes in Queensland

“…The domains included acceptability of telehealth by Indigenous clients, appropriateness, clinical quality of the videoconsultation, the presence of local health workers and family during a consultation and pre-consultation work-up required for each consultation. The questions were informed by literature [122][123][124][125] and later refined by input from supervisors. Initial interviews also assisted in forming new questions for later interviews.…”