Implementation of a Work-Related Asthma Screening Questionnaire in Clinical Settings: Multimethods Study

Area of Science:

• Occupational Medicine
• Pulmonology
• Health Services Research

Background:

• Work-related asthma (WRA) screening tools are under validation for clinical use.
• Minimizing implementation barriers is crucial for integrating new clinical tools.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess the benefits, feasibility, barriers, and limitations of implementing the Work-related Asthma Screening Questionnaire-Long version (WRASQ[L]) and associated e-tools in clinical settings.
• To propose effective dissemination and implementation strategies for the WRASQ[L].

Main Methods:

• A mixed-methods approach involving workshops and questionnaires with patients and healthcare providers in Kingston, Ontario (September 2019-August 2021).
• Thematic qualitative analysis of workshop data to identify implementation themes.
• An expert advisory committee developed implementation and dissemination strategies.

Main Results:

• Six key themes emerged: patient needs, data collection, knowledge translation, time, practical barriers, and human limitations.
• Participants reported positive utility for the WRASQ[L], citing ease of information collection and potential to enhance WRA awareness.
• Implementation and dissemination strategies were formulated with stakeholder input.

Conclusions:

• The WRASQ[L] is considered a useful tool by stakeholders, meeting provider needs in clinical settings.
• Dissemination will involve educational materials, online linking, translation, network leveraging, and presentations.
• Implementation strategies include EMR integration, multifaceted interventions, and targeting non-traditional settings, addressing identified human limitations.