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

Introduction: Patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs) are validated and standardised questionnaires that capture patients’ own reports of how they feel, function, and live their lives (e.g., symptoms, functioning, well-being). PROMs can be used to facilitate communication between patients and clinicians, reduce symptom burden, enhance quality of life, and inform health service redesign. We aim to determine the acceptability of PROMs across 7 languages and chronic conditions and preferred timing of PROM completion and use in New South Wales (NSW) Health used at the point of care via the Health Outcomes and Patient Experience (HOPE) platform.

Methods and analysis: Semi-structured interviews with patients (~50, sampling across language groups), carers (~10-20) and clinicians (~18) enrolled in the HOPE platform 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 and when clinicians would like to use PROMs for clinical decision-making, and (3) specific cultural barriers that impede PROMs acceptability to culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) patients. Interviews will be analysed using a reflexive thematic approach, guided by Normalisation Process Theory.

Ethics and dissemination: Ethics approval has been obtained from the Sydney Local Health District Human Research Ethics Committee (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.