{
  "abstract": "There are several challenges that come with the care of adolescent patients when managing long term conditions, including Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), which can have a negative impact upon adolescent patients’ sense of self. 1 Management and monitoring of IBD shows tighter control with regular faecal calprotectin monitoring.2 Even in asymptomatic patients, it is a proven way to monitor disease activity and predict symptomatic relapse.3 It is recognised, that there is an issue with non-adherence and that patients find it challenging to autonomously provide regular samples.4 Within an urban, tertiary paediatric gastroenterology unit, several patient barriers to stool sampling were identified from informal family feedback. These included the reluctance for in-hospital sample collection; embarrassment of walking around carrying samples; inconvenience and time spent away from family/work for carers in physically dropping off samples; samples getting lost after drop-off.With the aim of improving the sampling process for patients, a postal sample service has been established. Postal samples are already used successfully nationally in the Bowel Cancer Screening Programme.5 6 Families are given packs containing sample kits which can be posted back in a regular post-box direct to the laboratory.To evaluate patient and carer acceptability of the intervention, qualitive data will be collected in the form of surveys. Data will be gathered on how families find the process; the ease of sample collection, whether samples have been lost and whether carers needed to re-arrange work or childcare to facilitate sample drop off.References Nicholas DB, Otley A, Smith C, et al. Challenges and strategies of children and adolescents with inflammatory bowel disease: a qualitative examination. Health Qual Life Outcomes 2007;5:28.Colombel J-F, et al. Effect of tight control management on Crohn’s disease (CALM): a multicentre, randomised, controlled phase 3 trial. The Lancet 2017;390(10114):2779 – 2789.Heida A, Park KT, van Rheenez PF. Clinical utility of fecal calprotectin monitoring in asymptomatic patients with inflammatory bowel disease: a systematic review and practical guide. Inflamm Bowel Dis. 2017;23(6):894–902.Heida A, Dijkstra A, Dantuma SK, et al. A cross-sectional study on the perceptions and practices of teenagers with inflammatory bowel disease about repeated stool sampling. J Adolesc Health. 2016;59(4):479–48.NHS England Website, Bowel Cancer Screening information page. [online]. NHS: England; 2024 [accessed 10 November 2024]. Available from: https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/bowel-cancer-screening/ Church TR, Yeazel MW, Jones RM, et al. A randomized trial of direct mailing of faecal occult blood tests to increase colorectal cancer screening. J Natl Cancer Inst. 2004;96(10):770–780.",
  "authors": [
    {
      "affiliations": [
        "Royal Free Hospital"
      ],
      "name": "Oscar Robins"
    },
    {
      "affiliations": [
        "Royal Free Hospital"
      ],
      "name": "Mark Furman"
    },
    {
      "affiliations": [
        "Royal Free Hospital"
      ],
      "name": "Bukunola Kokuyi"
    },
    {
      "affiliations": [
        "Royal Free Hospital"
      ],
      "name": "Micol Sonnino"
    },
    {
      "affiliations": [
        "Royal Free Hospital"
      ],
      "name": "Aimee Wiseman"
    },
    {
      "affiliations": [
        "Royal Free Hospital"
      ],
      "name": "Rachel Levi"
    }
  ],
  "title": "OC60 Postal faecal calprotectin testing: a qualitative study assessing impact of a pilot on patient and carer experience in a paediatric inflammatory bowel disease (PIBD) population",
  "uid": "d4bd8b08-4ce2-5fad-b420-1104a2e0d414"
}