npj Primary Care Respiratory Medicine (Jan 2022)

Prioritising primary care respiratory research needs: results from the 2020 International Primary Care Respiratory Group (IPCRG) global e-Delphi exercise

  • Arwa Abdel-Aal,
  • Karin Lisspers,
  • Siân Williams,
  • Peymané Adab,
  • Rachel Adams,
  • Dhiraj Agarwal,
  • Amanda Barnard,
  • Izolde Bouloukaki,
  • Job F. M. van Boven,
  • Niels Chavannes,
  • Andrew P. Dickens,
  • Frederik van Gemert,
  • Mercedes Escarrer,
  • Shamil Haroon,
  • Alex Kayongo,
  • Bruce Kirenga,
  • Janwillem W. H. Kocks,
  • Daniel Kotz,
  • Chris Newby,
  • Cliodna McNulty,
  • Esther Metting,
  • Luis Moral,
  • Sophia Papadakis,
  • Hilary Pinnock,
  • David Price,
  • Dermot Ryan,
  • Sally J. Singh,
  • Jaime Correia de Sousa,
  • Björn Ställberg,
  • Stanley J. Szefler,
  • Stephanie J. C. Taylor,
  • Ioanna Tsiligianni,
  • Alice Turner,
  • David Weller,
  • Osman Yusuf,
  • Aizhamal K. Tabyshova,
  • Rachel E. Jordan

DOI
https://doi.org/10.1038/s41533-021-00266-4
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 32, no. 1
pp. 1 – 12

Abstract

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Abstract Respiratory diseases remain a significant cause of global morbidity and mortality and primary care plays a central role in their prevention, diagnosis and management. An e-Delphi process was employed to identify and prioritise the current respiratory research needs of primary care health professionals worldwide. One hundred and twelve community-based physicians, nurses and other healthcare professionals from 27 high-, middle- and low-income countries suggested 608 initial research questions, reduced after evidence review by 27 academic experts to 176 questions covering diagnosis, management, monitoring, self-management and prognosis of asthma, COPD and other respiratory conditions (including infections, lung cancer, tobacco control, sleep apnoea). Forty-nine questions reached 80% consensus for importance. Cross-cutting themes identified were: a need for more effective training of primary care clinicians; evidence and guidelines specifically relevant to primary care, adaption for local and low-resource settings; empowerment of patients to improve self-management; and the role of the multidisciplinary healthcare team.