Clinical trial NCT06700980: Options for Lowering the Threshold to Brussels Out-of-hours Primary Care Services for Dutch Speaking Citizens
Official title: Options for Lowering the Threshold to Brussels Out-of-hours Primary Care Services for Dutch Speaking Citizens
Study type: OBSERVATIONAL
Overall status: RECRUITING
Conditions: Communication Barriers
Language
Primary Health Care
After-hours Care
Health Services Accessibility
Keywords: Language barrier
translation
healthcare
technological tool
Official language minority
Lead sponsor: Universitair Ziekenhuis Brussel
Sponsor class: OTHER
Collaborators: name: Brusselse Huisartsenkring (BHAK)
name: Vlaamse Gemeenschapscommissie (VGC)
First posted: 2024-11-22
Enrollment: 40
Sex: ALL
Minimum age (years): 18
Standard ages: ADULT
OLDER_ADULT
Accepts healthy volunteers: yes
Observational model: OTHER
Time perspective: OTHER
Sampling method: NON_PROBABILITY_SAMPLE
Study population: Dutch-speaking residents of Brussels Primary care physicians of Brussels Representatives from pertinent organizational and policy sectors of Belgium

Brief summary: The purpose of this qualitative study is to find out which technological translation tools can be used to improve Dutch-speaking care in all Brussels out-of-hours primary care services.

Detailed description: Previous studies have shown that language barriers in healthcare can lead to communication problems between healthcare provider and patient. This can lead to a decrease in satisfaction, quality of care and patient safety. Dutch speakers are a minority in Brussels (a Dutch-French bilingual region in Belgium), and the majority of general practitioners (GPs) in the Brussels out-of-hours primary care services are French-speaking. Measures are already being taken to increase the number of bilingual (Dutch and French) GPs.

In addition, several technological tools (e.g. video interpreting, translation apps, ...) exist to overcome language barriers. The investigators want to explore which of these options can be used in Brussels out-of-hours primary care services to improve access for Dutch-speaking citizens. The objective of this study is to examine both barriers and facilitators to use these technological translation tools during language-discordant consultations with a French-speaking GP and a Dutch-speaking patient in Brussels out-of-hours primary care services.

To achieve this objective, the investigators aim to engage Dutch-speaking patients, Dutch- and/or French-speaking GPs, as well as Dutch- and/or French-speaking representatives from pertinent organizational and policy sectors.

There will be about 40 participants in total. Participants will answer questions during an online group session (focus group). There will be 4 focus groups, with a maximum of 10 participants in each focus group. Each focus group will last 60-90 minutes.

Eligibility criteria: Inclusion Criteria:

* Patients: adult, living in Brussels, Dutch-speaking
* GPs: adult, working in Brussels, Dutch- and/or French-speaking
* Employees of professional organization-regulatory bodies: adult, Dutch-and/or French-speaking

Exclusion Criteria:

* Subject is not capable of will
* Subject cannot express themself in Dutch or French

Primary outcomes:
measure: Exploration of barriers and facilitators of different stakeholders to the use of technological translation tools in Brussels out-of-hours primary care services for Dutch-speaking patients and French-speaking general practitioners.
timeFrame: The outcome will be measured during the online focus group, which will have a duration of 60 to 90 minutes.
Secondary outcomes:
Other outcomes:
Locations:
city: Jette
country: Belgium
facility: Vrije Universiteit Brussel
state: Brussels
Study officials:
affiliation: Vrije Universiteit Brussel
name: Prof. Dr. A. Roex
role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR
References: