EPIC-AIR
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Effectiveness of air pollution monitoring in clinical exercise rehabilitation
IRAS ID
348160
Contact name
Cat Taylor
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
University of Leicester Research & Enterprise Division Research Governance Office
Duration of Study in the UK
0 years, 5 months, 26 days
Research summary
The EPIC-AIR study investigates whether providing real-time air pollution information through a smartphone app can help people in cardiac and pulmonary rehabilitation exercise more safely. Air pollution causes millions of premature deaths worldwide and is particularly harmful for people with heart and lung conditions. Despite this, rehabilitation programs don't currently consider pollution levels when advising patients about outdoor exercise.
We will test a specially-designed app called P-STEP that shows users local air pollution levels and provides exercise guidance. The study will involve 80 participants who have completed stage 4 cardiac or pulmonary rehabilitation at Leicester Hospitals NHS Trust. Half the participants will receive real-time pollution data through the app, while the other half will use the app without pollution information. All participants will receive a Fitbit device to track their activity.
The study lasts 13 weeks: 1 week of baseline monitoring followed by 12 weeks of guided exercise. Participants will complete questionnaires about their physical activity and quality of life at the start, middle, and end of the study. The app will track their walking routes and exposure to air pollutants during outdoor exercise.
This research could help make exercise safer for people with heart and lung conditions by helping them avoid high pollution exposure. If successful, it could lead to improved rehabilitation programs that consider environmental factors when giving exercise advice.REC name
South Central - Oxford B Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
26/SC/0048
Date of REC Opinion
3 Feb 2026
REC opinion
Favourable Opinion