Sivyer, Katy, Teasdale, Emma, Greenwell, Kate, Steele, Mary, Ghio, Daniela, Ridd, Matthew, Roberts, Amanda, Chalmers, Joanne, Lawton, Sandra, Langan, Sinéad, Cowdell, Fiona, Le Roux, Emma, Wilczynska, Sylvia, Williams, Hywel, Thomas, Kim, Yardley, Lucy, Santer, Miriam and Muller, Ingrid (2022) Supporting families managing childhood eczema: developing and optimising Eczema Care Online using qualitative research. British Journal of General Practice, 72 (719), e378-e389. (doi:10.3399/BJGP.2021.0503).
Abstract
Background: childhood eczema is often poorly controlled due to under-use of emollients and topical corticosteroids. Parents/carers report practical and psychosocial barriers to managing their child’s eczema, including child resistance. Online interventions could potentially support parents/carers; however, rigorous research developing such interventions has been limited.
Aim: to develop an online behavioural intervention to help parents/carers manage and co-manage their child’s eczema. Design and setting: Intervention development using a theory-, evidence- and Person-Based Approach with qualitative research.
Methods: a systematic review and qualitative synthesis (32 studies) and interviews with parents/carers (N=30) were used to identify barriers and facilitators to effective eczema management, and a prototype intervention was developed. Think-aloud interviews with parents/carers (N=25) were then used to optimise the intervention to increase its acceptability and feasibility.
Results: qualitative research identified that parents/carers had concerns about using emollients and topical corticosteroids; incomplete knowledge and skills around managing eczema; and reluctance to transitioning to co-managing eczema with their child. Think-aloud interviews highlighted that while experienced parents/carers felt they knew how to manage eczema, some information about how to use treatments was still new. Techniques for addressing barriers included: providing a rationale explaining how emollients and topical corticosteroids work; demonstrating how to use treatments; and highlighting that the intervention provided new, up-to-date information.
Conclusions: parents/carers need support in effectively managing and co-managing their child’s eczema. The key output of this research is Eczema Care Online (ECO) for Families; an online intervention for parents/carers of children with eczema, which is being evaluated in a randomised trial.
More information
Identifiers
Catalogue record
Export record
Altmetrics
Contributors
Download statistics
Downloads from ePrints over the past year. Other digital versions may also be available to download e.g. from the publisher's website.