Feasibility of an 'app' to prepare cancer patients for consultations
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Exploring the potential of a mobile phone or tablet ‘app’ to help patients with cancer prepare for consultations: Phase 3 pilot evaluation
IRAS ID
172524
Contact name
Becky Richards
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
Cardiff University
Duration of Study in the UK
1 years, 0 months, 1 days
Research summary
Encouraging cancer patients to ask questions during consultations enables them to achieve a greater understanding of their medical care which, in turn, improves satisfaction with care and reduces anxiety. Although cancer patients often express a desire for more information, they are sometimes uncertain about what questions they should ask their clinicians or may forget to ask the question during the consultation. Efforts to improve communication within the consultation such as patient question prompt sheets (a structured list of questions patients may wish to ask) have been shown to have some benefit. Question prompt sheets appear to work because they empower patients to ask questions.
Technology is becoming an important way of supporting patients. Mobile phone technology has been found to be acceptable for cancer patients and professionals in the reporting and monitoring of chemotherapy symptoms (Gibson, Aldiss, Taylor, Maguire, & Kearney, 2009; McCann, Maguire, Miller, & Kearney, 2009). We have conducted qualitative interviews with a sample of cancer patients, their clinicians and relatives/friends that explored their views on a potential 'app' to help cancer patients address their information needs, particularly in consultations with clinicians. We are currently building an 'app' based on the information provided in these qualitative interviews and now plan to pilot the app with a sample of 15 patients leading up to a consultation with a clinician. Following the consultation, patients will be interviewed on their views and opinions of their experience of using the app and the benefits and barriers involved.
REC name
Wales REC 2
REC reference
15/WA/0161
Date of REC Opinion
4 Jun 2015
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion