Table 3 Qualitative data collection topics and example questions
Patients in Chiang Rai and Yangon | Patients in Hanoi | ||
Data collection topics | Example questions | Data collection topics | Example questions |
Medicine use and treatment-seeking behaviour | “You recently visited the health centre because of a fever. What was the process of getting treatment? Please be as specific as possible, step by step.” | Acute respiratory infections (ARIs) and treatment-seeking behaviour | “What is your understanding about the causes of ARI and its natural history?”, “Why did you choose to visit the clinic on this occasion?” |
Decision-making about medicines | “When would you use medicines for an illness? When not?” | Perception of CRP testing | “Does the test need to be improved? If yes, how?” |
Demand-side preferences, local notions and myths about medicine | “What is the best treatment for fever?” | Impact on antimicrobial use | “What do you expect from seeing the doctor with ARI?”, “Did you seek for subsequent antimicrobials if your doctor did not give you antimicrobial?” |
Health provider landscape and preferences from patient perspective | “Can you tell me which health providers are available to you, and which of them you would visit for treatment?” | Impact on consultation | “What other information would you need to help you fully trust the test and trust the doctor’s opinion that you do not need antimicrobials?” |
Experiences in public healthcare | “For your visit at the health centre, can you please tell me: How did you feel if you did not receive the medication you expected?” | Recommendations | “In your opinion, should a CRP test be done as a part of routine diagnosis for ARI patients in primary care settings?” |
CRP POCT experiences | “Do you feel that you were treated differently than usual because of the test?” | ||
Healthcare workers in Chiang Rai and Yangon | Healthcare workers in Hanoi | ||
Data collection topics | Example questions | Data collection topics | Example questions |
Workload, freedom and constraint in work | “What are your roles and responsibilities in your work” | Perception of CRP testing | “What do you like / dislike about the test?” |
Scope of outpatient work | “How many outpatients do you deal with on a normal day” | Impact on antimicrobial prescription | “How did the test support your treatment decision?”, “What do you think your patients are expecting from seeing a doctor? (Drugs / Antimicrobials / Advice / Reassurance / Diagnosis / Others)” |
The system context of CRP POCT | “Are any tests being carried out (e.g. by yourself) to diagnose [common outpatient complaints]?” | Impact on consultation | “Did you use the CRP result to discuss with patients about your treatment decision?” |
Antibiotics marketing | “Do drug company representatives promote the use of certain medicines in your health centre?” | Recommendations | “In your opinion, should a CRP test be introduced in routine practice of your setting? Why / Why not?” |
Extent of patient demand, dynamics in patient–HCW interaction | “Do patients demand certain drugs or treatments?” | ||
Antibiotics prescription practice | “For what conditions do you prescribe antibiotics?” | ||
Risk reduction through antibiotics | “Can antibiotics be a way to protect you from patient demands, ineffective treatment, or problems in diagnosing an illness?” | ||
(Measures to limit) over-prescription | “If you had to reduce antibiotics prescriptions, what would you consider the most effective way?” | ||