Empirical evidence has shown that individuals from minority ethnic communities have been at an increased risk of COVID-19 infections and adverse clinical outcomes including hospitalization, intensive care unit admission, and mortality. The COVID-19 vaccine has been heralded as key in ending the global pandemic. However, evidence suggests that although minority ethnic communities have been disproportionately affected by COVID-19, vaccine delivery to these communities has been poor. A barrier to the vaccine uptake has been health information. Health information is an important variable in the health decision-making process. Lack of or wrong health information has serious implications. Health information leads to better understanding of personal health and appropriate utilization of health services and consequently improves an individual’s health outcomes. This study sought to explore the health information seeking practices among participants from a Black ethnic minority community in the UK. This study interviewed six Black Africans from the UK. The study explored and highlighted the thoughts, perceptions, and experiences of the participants while health information seeking. This study found challenges in health information access, assumptions about health information and feelings of being dismissed, and an information void. Participants acknowledge that there is a lot that could be done to improve their health information experiences. Targeted health information and measures such as cultural sensitivity and competency could be important in improving health information seeking, not just for Black Africans but all ethnic minorities in the UK.

Published here on 14th July 2023

Advanced Practice encompasses four pillars of practice; this suggests equal weighting to each pillar, however in practice priority is placed on the clinical pillar with less focus on leadership, education and the often most neglected pillar, research. A review of recent literature found that ACPs find problems accessing research due to service demands, limited resources and clinical time pressures. Many ACPs feel scared of research and lack confidence in their ability, use and knowledge of the research process. ACPs often lack support from hospitals, departments and ethics committees to perform research, and for dissemination of research findings.

A selection of posters created by Dr. Himanshu Gul Mirani et al which he presented at the EM2C conference.

A selection of posters created by Dr. Himanshu Gul Mirani et al which he presented at the Oxford School of Emergency Medicine conference.

About Dr Himanshu Mirani...

Dr Himanshu Mirani is a Fellow of the Royal College of Emergency Medicine UK, and Fellow of the European Board of Emergency Medicine. Given how varied the presentations are in ED, he believes in a generalist profile of emergency medicine physicians. It reflects in his various qualifications like Dip in Child Health, Dip in Family Medicine, Dip in Geriatric Medicine, Dip in HIV/ AIDS and family education. He is currently pursing Dip in Resuscitation from Queens Mary University of London.

Apart from academics, Dr Mirani has a keen interest in point of care ultrasound and considers it an extension of the examining hand.

He also has a keen interest in areas around healthcare systems and financials, medical education, and legal aspects in medicine. To further these interests, he has an MBA in Healthcare Services, Dip in Legal Medicine and is a Fellow of the Higher Education Academy with a PG Cert in Medical Education from University of Warwick.