Co-developing & feasibility of an asthma online social intervention V4
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Focus groups to co-develop a primary care intervention to promote engagement in an online health community for adults with asthma, a survey to recruit participants and a non-randomised feasibility study testing recruitment and the intervention.
IRAS ID
314672
Contact name
Anna De Simoni
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
Queen Mary University of London
Clinicaltrials.gov Identifier
N/A, N/A
Duration of Study in the UK
1 years, 7 months, 31 days
Research summary
• What are the stakeholders’ preferences for an intervention promoting engagement in an asthma Online Health Community (OHC)?
• Is the intervention acceptable/feasible and can we recruit patients to a trial testing it?Approximately 4.3 patients have asthma in the UK, with one-third experiencing poor asthma control which negatively affects mortality, healthcare use, costs and patients’ psychology. Interventions focusing on self-management, by fostering behavioural and emotional well-being, can enhance asthma control and minimise co-morbidities. The National Health Services (NHS), however, has limited resources to widely promote self-management.
OHCs are becoming increasingly popular amongst patients, with millions accessing information posted by peers (other patients). Online peer support likely improves self-management of conditions and health-related outcomes. Our aim with this project, therefore, is to design an intervention based on a consultation by primary care clinicians encouraging participation in an asthma OHC and verify feasibility of conducting additional research to evaluate the intervention’s usefulness. The project consists of three studies:
• Discussion groups with patients, general practitioners, and practice nurses to co-design the intervention’s content.
• A survey exploring the profile of people likely to welcome digital interventions for asthma.
• A feasibility study, in which a sample of patients from the survey will undergo a one-off, face-to-face intervention, and subsequent engagement with an asthma OHC for six months, and recruitment, uptake and retention will be assessed.
Participants will be recruited from North and East London general practices. Participating patients will be adults on the asthma register, only patients with troublesome asthma will be invited to the feasibility study.
The project is funded by the National Institute for Health and Care Research and will complete within 20 months from commencement. Findings will enhance patients’ ability to cope with asthma, inform initiatives to build a digital NHS, and assist the conduction of a large trial to refine the intervention.REC name
North East - Newcastle & North Tyneside 1 Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
22/NE/0182
Date of REC Opinion
8 Sep 2022
REC opinion
Favourable Opinion