title: A multi-centre qualitative study exploring the experiences of UK South Asian and white diabetic patients referred for renal care.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  An exploration of renal complications of diabetes from the patient perspective is important for developing quality care through the diabetic renal disease care pathway.
  
  
  METHODS
  Newly referred South Asian and White diabetic renal patients over 16 years were recruited from nephrology outpatient clinics in three UK centres--Luton, West London and Leicester--and their experiences of the diabetes and renal care recorded.A semi-structured qualitative interview was conducted with 48 patients. Interview transcripts were analysed thematically and comparisons made between the White and South Asian groups.
  
  
  RESULTS
  23 South Asian patients and 25 White patients were interviewed. Patient experience of diabetes ranged from a few months to 35 years with a mean time since diagnosis of 12.1 years and 17.1 years for the South Asian and White patients respectively. Confusion emerged as a response to referral shared by both groups. This sense of confusion was associated with reported lack of information at the time of referral, but also before referral. Language barriers exacerbated confusion for South Asian patients.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The diabetic renal patients who have been referred for specialist renal care and found the referral process confusing have poor of awareness of kidney complications of diabetes. Healthcare providers should be more aware of the ongoing information needs of long term diabetics as well as the context of any information exchange including language barriers.
authors.affiliation: Institute for Health Research, University of Bedfordshire, Luton, UK.
authors.forename: Emma
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Wilkinson
authors.forename: Gurch
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Randhawa
authors.forename: John
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Feehally
authors.forename: Ken
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Farrington
authors.forename: Roger
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Greenwood
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Choi
authors.forename: Liz
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Lightstone
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000553:Ambulatory Care / Q000379:methods / Q000592:standards*; D044466:Asian People / Q000208:ethnology*; D003924:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / Q000208:ethnology* / Q000628:therapy; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D005791:Patient Care / Q000379:methods / Q000592:standards; D036301:Qualitative Research; D011787:Quality of Health Care / Q000592:standards*; D012017:Referral and Consultation / Q000592:standards*; D006113:United Kingdom / Q000208:ethnology; D044465:White People / Q000208:ethnology*