None listed
Conditions
Brief summary
In 2014 almost half of people in Northland, New Zealand, lived outside a main urban or independent urban area. It has been suggested in previous studies that children from rural areas have more severe and complicated appendicitis but it isn't clear exactly why. By interviewing the families of Northland children who have recently had an appendicectomy, this study aims to identify barriers to accessing surgical care that are significant to our people as well as investigate relevant experiences of rural living.
Interventions
This study aims to identify barriers to accessing surgical care that are significant to health care consumers as well as investigate perceptions of rural living by investigating the clients’ family’s journey with accessing acute paediatric surgical care. Our investigators are all doctors who work with children in a surgical capacity.
The primary caregiver of a child (aged 16 or under) who has recently (within 60 days of the planned interview date) undergone an acute appendicectomy at Whangarei
This study aims to identify barriers to accessing surgical care that are significant to health care consumers as well as investigate perceptions of rural living by investigating the clients’ family’s journey with accessing acute paediatric surgical care. Our investigators are all doctors who work with children in a surgical capacity. The primary caregiver of a child (aged 16 or under) who has recently (within 60 days of the planned interview date) undergone an acute appendicectomy at Whangarei Hospital will be identified from electronic Hospital records. They will be contacted in person if the child is still an inpatient or by phone if they have been recently discharged. From here, the survey will be introduced and preliminary consent gained to participate in a face-to-face interview. The caregiver will be asked a suitable time and location for the interview – ideally in a location they feel comfortable and familiar with, such as their own home. Once there, an investigator will go over the information sheet and formal consent. If agreed, the investigator will undertake the interview which will be recorded and field notes taken on a case report form (CRF). If the child is present, they are of course welcome to participate, and voice their story, but this is not an expectation and their interaction will be determined by family wishes. Data collection will be undertaken using a semi-structured interview, through a variety of open questions. Prompts for each domain will be provided to investigators that have been derived from pre-existing themes thought to be contributing factors through previous research or clinical practice experience. Each interview is expected to last approximately 30 minutes and no scheduled follow up visits or interactions are planned. Participants will be offered a small renumeration/koha for their time in the form of a local supermarket voucher.
Sponsors
Dr Brodie Elliott
Eligibility
Sex/Gender
All
Age
18 Years to No maximum
Healthy volunteers
Yes
Inclusion criteria
20 “study participants” will be interviewed. These participants will be defined as the one or more individuals who cared for and enabled a child to interact with health care services during an episode of acute appendicitis and the subsequent acute appendicectomy at Whangarei Base Hospital in three months prior to the date of the interview. The actual number of individuals in each interview will be dynamic and decided on by the family to maximise participant comfort and a full discussion to be had. In some cases, we envision an extended whanau being present – a possibility that we will encourage. Inclusion Criteria • Participant is willing and able to give informed consent for participation in the study. • Aged 18 years or above. • Is a caregiver or family member of a child who was directly involved in the child’s accessing of healthcare in which the child has undergone an acute appendicectomy at Whangarei Base Hospital in the last three months. • Either open or laparoscopic appendicectomy. • Was involved in the child’s journey and access to healthcare during this time.
Exclusion criteria
The participant may not enter the study if ANY of the following apply: • The listed caregiver contacted wasn’t involved in the child’s accessing of healthcare services leading up to and including their acute appendicectomy. • The child was transferred to another District Health Board pre-operatively – for example to Starship Childrens Hospital, a Tertiary service in Auckland for definitive treatment. • The appendicectomy was an elective procedure. • The child underwent an interventional radiologic or percutaneous procedure. • The child and their family doesn’t usually reside in the Northland District Health Board catchment area. • Family decline consent.
Outcome results
None listed