Culturally appropriate Indigenous spirometry training and telehealth mentoring improve spirometry quality

Abstract

Introduction: Health workers (HW) trained in rural/remote Australia through a culturally appropriate Indigenous Health Worker (HW) Spirometry Training Program (STP) may improve quality of spirometry tests (Spiro) performed Post STP. Telehealth mentoring of HW after STP (Post STP+Tele) may further improve Spiro quality. Aim: To assess the impact on spirometry quality of STP and Post STP+Tele. Method: HW attended 2-day STP and submitted Spiro reports Pre STP, Post STP and Post STP+Tele. Spiro quality feedback was returned to HW Post STP and Post STP+Tele. Spiro quality was assessed by 1) patient demographics, 2) test acceptability, 3) FEV1 and FVC repeatability and 4) technical comment (max score=9). Linear mixed model analysis and post-hoc Tukey's test with Bonferroni adjustment assessed differences in average quality between timepoints. HW reported usefulness of Spiro quality feedback and Post STP+Tele by SurveyMonkey®. Results: HW submitted Spiro reports Pre STP (n=18), Post STP (n=36) and Post STP+Tele (n=29). There was an overall significant difference in Spiro quality between time-points (F=10.67, p<0.001). Table 1 View inline Post-hoc Tukey's tests demonstrated significant increase in quality between all time-points HW reported Post STP+Tele as Helpful or Very Helpful, 94% (17/18) and Spiro quality feedback as Helpful or Very Helpful, 100% (17/17). Conclusion: STP improves spirometry quality. A telehealth session after STP further improves spirometry quality and is helpful to HW.L6338029332021-01-05 <br />