Optimising Acne Care Online for ethnically diverse skin tones

Background Acne is very common, potentially distressing, and a major contributor to antibiotic use. The Acne Care Online programme is developing and evaluating an online intervention to support people with acne to use effective treatments to improve outcomes and reduce overuse of antibiotics. Acne Care Online has been developed with input from a diverse range of 13–25 year-olds. While this has been useful for starting to identify specific self-management support needs, complexities have been identified that require further exploration, particularly for people with differing skin tones. People with darker skin tones affected by acne are more likely to experience scarring and hyperpigmentation, leading to greater acne-related distress. Some treatments may cause increased irritation in different skin tones requiring careful management. This programme development grant aims to further explore the experiences and support needs of people with ethnically diverse skin tones affected with acne to provide appropriate self-management support. Aims and Objectives We aim to ensure that Acne Care Online is optimised for relevance to people with ethnically diverse skin tones, and to maximise implementation plans for reaching diverse communities. A combination of community engagement and qualitative research approaches will be taken. Objectives: To gain a nuanced understanding of the experiences and life contexts of young people (aged 13-25) with darker skin tones in relation to managing acne To use insights gained to optimise Acne Care Online to meet the needs and preferences of people with darker skin tones To seek feedback on optimised materials to check they are relevant, engaging and helpful and to understand further optimisation requirements. To develop dissemination and implementation strategies for Acne Care Online that address the needs and contexts of people with ethnically diverse skin tones Development work plan Work package 1 Listening Cafe co-production workshops involving young people from ethnically diverse backgrounds with acne will provide in-depth insights into their experiences and life contexts in relation to managing acne. These insights will directly inform changes to Acne Care Online. Work package 2 Think aloud qualitative interviews on Acne Care Online will be conducted and analysed to identify and action further optimisation required. Work package 3 An implementation strategy will be drafted collating learning from work packages one and two. This will ensure that the acne-related experiences and preferences of people with diverse skin tones are accounted for in considering how Acne Care Online can most effectively, and inclusively, be disseminated and implemented. Timelines Work packages run concurrently: WP1 months 1-10; WP2 months 7-14; WP3 months 5-15; total 15 months. Impact and Dissemination We will use the optimised Acne Care Online materials and implementation strategy, alongside evidence from the effectiveness trial, to determine how to implement Acne Care Online to maximise support for diverse groups. Outputs will include publications regarding specific concerns and acne-related support needs amongst young people with ethnically diverse skin tones, and guidance for future research with regards to our culturally sensitive methodological approach. We will disseminate findings at appropriate meetings, conferences and via our community organisation partners and their networks.