Stakeholder perspectives on contributors to delayed and inaccurate diagnosis of cardiovascular disease and their implications for digital health technologies: a UK-based qualitative study

Kamilla Abdullayev, Olivia Gorvett, Anna Sochiera, Lynn Laidlaw, Timothy Chico, Matthew Manktelow, Oliver Buckley, Joan Condell, Richard Van Arkel, Vanessa Diaz, Faith Matcham

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Abstract

Objective: The aim of this study is to understand stakeholder experiences of diagnosis of cardiovascular disease (CVD) to support the development of technological solutions that meet current needs. Specifically, we aimed to identify challenges in the process of diagnosing CVD, to identify discrepancies between patient and clinician experiences of CVD diagnosis, and to identify the requirements of future health technology solutions intended to improve CVD diagnosis. Design: Semistructured focus groups and one-to-one interviews to generate qualitative data that were subjected to thematic analysis. Participants: UK-based individuals (N=32) with lived experience of diagnosis of CVD (n=23) and clinicians with experience in diagnosing CVD (n=9). Results: We identified four key themes related to delayed or inaccurate diagnosis of CVD: symptom interpretation, patient characteristics, patient–clinician interactions and systemic challenges. Subthemes from each are discussed in depth. Challenges related to time and communication were greatest for both stakeholder groups; however, there were differences in other areas, for example, patient experiences highlighted difficulties with the psychological aspects of diagnosis and interpreting ambiguous symptoms, while clinicians emphasised the role of individual patient differences and the lack of rapport in contributing to delays or inaccurate diagnosis. Conclusions: Our findings highlight key considerations when developing digital technologies that seek to improve the efficiency and accuracy of diagnosis of CVD.
Original languageEnglish
Article numbere080445
Pages (from-to)1-12
Number of pages12
JournalBMJ Open
Volume14
Issue number5
Early online date20 May 2024
DOIs
Publication statusPublished (in print/issue) - 20 May 2024

Bibliographical note

Publisher Copyright:
© Author(s) (or their employer(s)) 2024. Re-use permitted under CC BY. Published by BMJ.

Data Access Statement

Data are available upon reasonable request.

Keywords

  • health services accessibility
  • qualitative research
  • patient satisfaction
  • patient-centered care
  • cardiology

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