Barriers and enablers of providing and receiving healthcare in specialized Covid-19 wards: a qualitative study in two geographic areas in India

1. Research question- What are the barriers and enablers of providing healthcare on specialized wards in two geographical regions in India?2. Background- The high prevalence and incidence of Covid-19 in India in the last one year have brought new challenges to the country’s health-care infrastructure. This has put an undue pressure on the healthcare providers posted in these health facilities. Patients of Covid-19 are facing social stigma because of the disease which resulted in undue psychological stress on the mental state of the patients. The study will examine physicians’ and nurses’ experiences who work under highly stressful conditions on specialized COVID-19. The study will also provide pertinent contextual data that can be used to understand the perspectives of COVID-19 patients and their caregivers, as Health Care Recipients (HCRs) on medical, psychological and social conditions. Possible methodology: (eg research methods, design, population, recruitment, funding): Permission will be sought from the hospital to approach every fortnight, two physicians and nurses who are posted on Covid-19 wards using an administrative list. Using qualitative research, insights will be directly gained from the HCPs on what is important to them and what they consider as barriers or enablers while providing patient care at specialized COVID-19 wards. Data will be collected using interviews (IDIs) diaries of day-to-day barriers and enablers of providing healthcare followed by in-depth. HCP’s diaries will be studied by interviewers to prompt, focus, and structure the IDIs. A topic guide will be developed to categorize these barriers and enablers. Interviews will be used in this study to co‐create meaning with interviewees by reconstructing perceptions of events and experiences related to health care delivery in Covid-19 wards. For the HCR’s list of patients admitted to the Covid-19 wards will be obtained from the hospital authorities. From this list, the name, age and telephonic information of the Covid-19 patients will be taken. Purposive sampling will be used with maximum variation. Interviews with patients and caregivers will generate learning about their experience and challenges, the stigma, stress and anxiety. Total 64 participant’s will be recruited for interviews.The study is Funded by IPCRG and RESPIRE in the qualitative school workshop.4. Questions to discuss- (a)Will the study impact the existent health-system for COVID-19?(b)Will the study findings help the policy makers to redesign the policy for COVID-19 management and treatment? Declaration of Interest The study is Funded by IPCRG and RESPIRE in the qualitative school workshop. References and Clinical Trial Registry Information Not applicable