21 Barriers to and facilitators of patient engagement in the lung cancer pathway: An interview study exploring the impact of distance and disadvantage in an urban setting
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Authors
Mitchinson,L.
Quaife,S.
Nelson,D.
Cooke,S.
Januszewski,A.
Lapuente,M.
Reeves,A.
HardingBell,A.
Knowles,B.
Peake,M. D.
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2024
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Conference Proceedings
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Introduction The National Optimal Lung Cancer Pathway (NOLCP) was introduced by the NHS to improve timelier diagnosis and staging, enabling patients to progress rapidly to optimal treatment. While care pathways can be streamlined, contextual factors may compromise patient engagement with their care. Northeast London is ethnically diverse and highly deprived; two factors associated with difficulty navigating care systems and increased cancer mortality. This study aims to explore how patient and carer characteristics, and factors related to their location, interact to influence patients' capability, opportunity, and motivation to engage with the NOLCP and improve patient outcomes. Methods Semi-structured interviews are being conducted with lung cancer patients (n = 30) and informal carers (n = 15-30) from Northeast London between November 2023 and April 2024. Inclusion criteria include being diagnosed within the last 6-months and having received surgery, radical radiotherapy, or treatment for advanced cancer. Sixty-minute interviews are conducted in-person or by telephone, audio-recorded and transcribed. Framework analysis will be conducted, informed by the COM-B behaviour-change model. Themes will be compared to and contrasted with findings from a parallel interview study exploring the same topic in rural Lincolnshire. Results Preliminary findings suggest that patients were fatigued from long, repeated journeys and were distressed when care plans changed. Barriers include financial (emission zone charges, taxis), support networks (carers availability) and physical wellbeing. Good relationships with nurse specialists were reassuring for patients and their family. The study is ongoing and further themes and analyses will be presented. Conclusions The results will inform the development of an interactive resource to support patient and carer engagement with the NOLCP. By identifying and addressing the barriers faced by patients and carers in deprived and diverse settings, we can tailor lung cancer services and support to the needs of local people to help address disparities in their experience and outcomes. Disclosure No significant relationships.
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Lung Cancer (Amsterdam, Netherlands)
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Poster abstracts of the 22nd Annual British Thoracic Oncology Group Conference 2024 ICC Belfast.