COMMUNICATION WHEN PAEDIATRIC OSTEOMYELITIS IS SUSPECTED: QUALITATIVE STUDY OF PATIENT, FAMILY, AND HEALTH PROFESSIONAL PERSPECTIVES

AbstractAimsThis study aimed to identify the information and support needs of children and their families during diagnostic investigations for paediatric osteomyelitis.MethodsQualitative study involving semi-structured interviews with families who had experienced investigations for paediatric osteomyelitis and health professionals. Data analysis was informed by thematic analysis.ResultsTwenty-one families (4 children; 21 parents) and 11 health professionals from 11 English National Health Service (NHS) trusts and a Welsh health board were interviewed. Families often felt highly anxious during diagnosis. Some families described a disorderly process, gaps or inconsistencies in information, and insensitive communication that contributed to their anxiety. However, other families described more positive experiences, indicating how health professionals helped them feel prepared by providing an outline of the likely timelines, the rationale for different investigations and the potential need to adjust plans when new information became available. Both health professionals and families recognized the importance of direct and age-appropriate communication between health professionals and children, and the involvement of play specialists to communicate with children.ConclusionThis is the first study to describe experiences of communication in suspected paediatric osteomyelitis. The findings demonstrate the importance of health professionals helping to prepare families for the diagnostic journey and underline how information provision and communication can influence the extent to which families experience anxiety and uncertainty. The findings are broadly supportive of previously published recommendations that aim to assist health professionals with the challenges of communication with patients in inherently uncertain and fluid diagnostic contexts.