Older Chinese migrants' experiences of remote primary care in England: a semi-structured interview study

Over the past decade, remote (non-face-to-face) services - including interactions via the telephone and online platforms - have been increasingly used in primary care. These services bring potential benefits, as well as potential barriers, for patients. Older migrants are a population that could face intersectional barriers when accessing health care; it is important to understand the impact of remote services on them.

This study explores older Chinese migrants' experiences of, and attitudes to, remote access to primary care services.

A qualitative semi-structured interview study.

Recruitment was carried out in 2023, through community organisations, social media, and snowballing. Participants were individuals aged ≥60 years, who self-identified ethnically as Chinese, and were UK residents; they were purposively sampled for maximum variation in sociodemographics and backgrounds. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews conducted in English and Mandarin. Interviews were recorded and transcribed verbatim; if consent to record the interview had not been given, field notes were taken. Transcripts and field notes were analysed using reflexive thematic analysis. Results were shared with participants for verification.

Nineteen participants were interviewed. Many technical and practical barriers were reported as existing for the participants when accessing primary care remotely. Due to the different levels of access to resources, these barriers affected the most disadvantaged people to the greatest degree. In addition, participants felt the need for in-person interactions to address some concerns and believed remote services should not replace in-person care.

Overall, older Chinese migrants felt few benefits from using remote primary care services. In the current digital context of the NHS, it is crucial to keep multimodal services available while rolling out new service modes, and to consider the needs of different populations to ensure equitable access.