Encouraging adolescents’ participation during paediatric diabetes clinic visits: Design and development of a question prompt list intervention

Abstract

AimsTo investigate adolescents’ communication with healthcare providers (HCPs) and co– design a question prompt list as one part of an intervention to increase patient participation and communication at diabetes clinic visits. MethodsUsing an adolescent-led co-design approach we conducted interviews and focus groups with adolescents, parents, and healthcare providers (HCPs) and held workshops with both a Youth Advisory Group (YAG) and a Parent Advisory Group (PAG). ResultsAdolescents and parents identified challenges categorised into four themes: negative experience communicating with HCPs, lacking patient education leading to disinterest, low self-confidence out of fear of being wrong and forgetting to ask question(s). Adolescents identified that a Question Prompt List (QPL) could help them to ask questions, be more confident and participate more. The design process was an iterative development that engaged all stakeholders. Parents and HCPs assumed adolescents had greater knowledge about diabetes than they had in reality. ConclusionsDivergence in perceptions between adults and adolescents regarding patient knowledge of diabetes care demonstrates the importance of encouraging adolescents to ask the questions that matter to them. The QPL could be a useful means of supporting adolescents to actively participate in clinic encounters with healthcare providers.