OP184 Healthcare professionals’ key considerations when developing and implementing digital technology for early detection of dementia causing diseases: A qualitative approach

Background

The use of digital technologies has been promoted by the World Health Organisation (WHO) to accelerate global attainment of health and well-being. This has led to a growth in research exploring how digital technology can be used to aid the early detection of dementia causing diseases and its successful implementation into healthcare systems. We conducted a qualitative study exploring healthcare professionals (HCP) opinions on the key considerations when developing and implementing digital technology for the early detection of dementia causing diseases in the NHS.

Methods

We recruited primary and secondary care HCPs from various NHS clinical networks. We explored participants’ views on the early detection of dementia causing diseases, and any potential implementation challenges. An inductive thematic analysis approach was taken to identify emerging themes within the interviews. A list of main and sub-themes was applied systematically to the whole data set using QSR N-Vivo (Version 1.6.1). Using the ‘constant comparison’ technique, the researchers moved backwards and forwards between these data and evolving explanations until a fit was made.

Results

Eighteen semi-structured interviews were conducted with seven secondary and 11 primary care HCPs. Key themes included considerations for healthcare users and the use of digital technology. HCPs shared their concerns around how ‘if we’re now looking at screening people who don’t have symptoms, [...] the waiting list for memory clinics [referring to secondary care] would dramatically increase’ (P6 GP). There were also concerns raised around health equity, particularly around how we plan to include the ‘big proportion of the population who are actually possibly a much higher risk [...] [but] aren’t as engaged or as involved with their healthcare’ (P6 GP) and to ensure that we are ‘not excluding people who already are in digital poverty’ (P5 GP). Many HCPs felt it was important that the digital technology could ‘tests different modalities’ (P6 GP) to help differentiate between the different types of dementia causing diseases. Some healthcare professionals felt early detection would provide healthcare users with the opportunity to ‘tak[ing] out lasting powers of attorney’ (P3 GP) and organise social support for the future.

Conclusion

These results will inform future research in developing and implementing digital technology for the early detection of dementia causing diseases. Future work is needed to explore how best to support patients receiving information about their early detection, and the HCPs involved in this process. More research is also needed to develop digital inclusion strategies to promote health equity.