Key result
JBS3 heart age and risk manipulation tools improve patient engagement despite limited practitioner score understanding.
Why the study?
There is evidence of limited understanding and confidence among practitioners in communicating 10-year percentage CVD risk scores during NHS Health Checks, despite recommendations.
There is a critical need for practitioner training in CVD risk communication during NHS Health Checks, as current understanding of 10-year risk scores is limited.
BACKGROUND: NHS Health Check (NHSHC) is a national programme to identify and manage cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk. Practitioners delivering the programme should be competent in discussing CVD risk, but there is evidence of limited understanding of the recommended 10-year percentage CVD risk scores. Lifetime CVD risk calculators might improve understanding and communication of risk. AIM: To explore practitioner understanding, perceptions, and experiences of CVD risk communication in NHSHCs when using two different CVD risk calculators. DESIGN & SETTING: Qualitative video-stimulated recall (VSR) study with NHSHC practitioners in the West Midlands. METHOD: = 8). Data were analysed using reflexive thematic analysis. RESULTS: In total, nine healthcare assistants (HCAs) and six general practice nurses (GPNs) were interviewed. There was limited understanding and confidence of 10-year risk, which was used to guide clinical decisions through determining low-, medium-, or high-risk thresholds, rather than as a risk communication tool. Potential benefits of some JBS3 functions were evident, particularly heart age, risk manipulation, and visual presentation of risk. CONCLUSION: There is a gap between the expectation and reality of practitioners' understanding, competencies, and training in CVD risk communication for NHSHCs. Practitioners would welcome heart age and risk manipulation functions of JBS3 to promote patient understanding of CVD risk, but there is a more fundamental need for practitioner training in CVD risk communication.
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A 2021 study studied Cardiovascular disease risk communication (n=15). JBS3 lifetime CVD risk calculator vs. QRISK2 10-year risk calculator was evaluated on Practitioner understanding, perceptions, and experiences of CVD risk communication. Practitioners reported limited understanding of 10-year CVD risk scores for patient communication, but perceived the heart age and risk manipulation functions of the JBS3 calculator as beneficial for patient engagement.
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