Digital Health for Respiratory Diseases
Research type
Research Study
Full title
The Use of Digital Health in the Management of Respiratory Diseases in the UK: A Sequential Mixed-method Study
IRAS ID
354439
Contact name
Hibbah Alshuwaikhat
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
The University of Exeter
Duration of Study in the UK
2 years, 0 months, 0 days
Research summary
Chronic respiratory diseases are a group of long-term, irreversible conditions that significantly affect individuals' quality of life. As these diseases are incurable, a range of treatment strategies is used to manage symptoms and support quality of life. Technology is increasingly integrated into healthcare through various digital health solutions. This includes the use of different technology modalities for healthcare professionals to provide high-quality care remotely. Technologies used vary based on the patient’s need from phone and video calls, text messages, and applications to more complex remote medical data monitors and trackers. Around the world, digital health is recognised as key to shaping the future of healthcare, with initiatives like the NHS Long Term Plan shaping the direction.
Existing digital health literature lacks an in-depth analysis of situations where one group of patients uses digital health while another group within the same healthcare organisation does not. In such cases, special considerations are necessary to prevent inequalities and ensure equitable access to care and services. Therefore, the aim of this study is to investigate the impact of digital health on access to and delivery of care, and to develop recommendations for optimising care for patients with respiratory diseases. This will involve identifying any inequalities in access to and delivery of care that arise when digital health is used to manage the care of individuals with respiratory conditions.
REC name
South West - Frenchay Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
25/SW/0078
Date of REC Opinion
4 Jul 2025
REC opinion
Favourable Opinion