Patients' experience of QR code-based health education program in university general practice waiting room

Background: The general practice waiting room is a novel setting for health promotion and education. Research suggests that waiting rooms are a potential location for engaging patients with health education resources, with some studies showing positive patient response to digital-based content such as videos. Quick response (QR) codes have recently surged in popularity and are an emerging platform for engaging the public with various types of information. Despite this, little is known about the public's views towards QR codes as means of engaging with health education material. Aim/Objectives: This student project aims to assess the reach and explore participant experience and views of a QR code-based health education program in a university-based general practice waiting room. Methods: A mixed-methods approach will be used. Posters with information about the research project and the QR code linked to health education videos, healthy recipes, and community digital resources that promote healthy dietary behaviours will be displayed at a university health service waiting room. Patients who scanned the QR code will have access to the education program and invited at the end of the program to be considered for semi-structured interviews to explore their experience of the health education program and their views of QR codebased health information. The interviews will be recorded and transcribed. Quantitatively, data scan rates of QR codes will be collected and analysed to produce descriptive statistics. Qualitatively, interview data will be thematically analysed. Findings: Ethics approval for this project is pending. Data collection is planned to start mid-June for a two-month period. Preliminary results will be presented at this conference. Implications: Understanding of patients' experience and views of QR code-based health education programs will inform future development of engaging and effective preventative health resources to promote community health literacy.