Accepted for/Published in: JMIR Formative Research
Date Submitted: Jan 25, 2020
Date Accepted: May 8, 2021
Date Submitted to PubMed: Aug 12, 2021
Attitudes of patients and health professionals regarding screening algorithms: a qualitative study
ABSTRACT
Background:
As a preamble to an attempt to develop a tool that can aid health professionals in identifying whether the patient may have an alcohol abuse problem, the present study investigates attitudes and opinions among both health professionals and patients toward using patient data in an algorithm screening for alcohol problems.
Objective:
The aim of this study is to investigate the attitudes and opinions of patients and health professionals regarding the use of previously collected data in developing and implementing an algorithmic tool for screening inexpedient alcohol habits; in addition, the study aims to analyze how patients would feel about asking and being asked about alcohol based on a reminder from such a tool
Methods:
Using semistructured interviews, we interviewed nine health professionals and five patients to explore their opinions and attitudes toward an algorithm-based helping tool and about asking and being asked about alcohol usage when being given a reminder from this type of tool. The data were analyzed using an ad hoc method consistent with a close reading and meaning condensing.
Results:
The health professionals were both positive and negative about an algorithmic helping tool. They were positive about the potential of such a tool to save some time by providing a quick overlook but on the negative side noted that this type of helping tool would take away the professionals’ instinct. The patients were overall positive about the helping tool, stating that they would find this type of tool beneficial for preventive care. Some of the patients expressed concerns that the information provided by the tool could be misused.
Conclusions:
To make an algorithmic helping tool effective, one has to take into account the attitudes and opinions of both patients and health professionals.
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