MAPS

  • Research type

    Research Study

  • Full title

    Feasibility of MAPS (Medication Adherence for Patient Support): A highly tailored text and voice messaging intervention to support medication adherence among patients with type 2 diabetes and/or hypertension in primary care

  • IRAS ID

    206459

  • Contact name

    Carolyn Read

  • Contact email

    cad50@medschl.cam.ac.uk

  • Sponsor organisation

    University of Cambridge

  • Duration of Study in the UK

    2 years, 5 months, 28 days

  • Research summary

    More than 11 million people in England have type 2 diabetes or hypertension (high blood pressure). Taking medication as prescribed can significantly reduce risks, complications and early deaths associated with these conditions. But many people with these conditions do not take their medication as prescribed. GPs and nurses can support patients in taking their medication but they have limited time. There is therefore a need for low-cost solutions for helping patients to take their medication as prescribed.

    A promising approach is to use automated telephone interventions. Text (SMS) and voice (IVR) messages sent to patients’ mobile phones and landlines can deliver personalised and tailored support over a period of time.

    With the help of patients, nurses and other experts, we will develop such an intervention. We will seek the views of patients, practice nurses, academics/researchers and healthcare commissioners in a series of stakeholder consultations (mainly via email). We will also run several focus groups of patients in which they will be asked to comment on examples of text and voice messages.

    Having developed the intervention, we will then test it in 100 people with type 2 diabetes or high blood pressure from six general practices in a feasibility trial. We want to find out whether the intervention is feasible and acceptable to patients and whether it helps patients take their medication as prescribed. If the results are encouraging, we plan to test the effectiveness of the intervention in a large randomised controlled trial.

  • REC name

    East of England - Essex Research Ethics Committee

  • REC reference

    17/EE/0203

  • Date of REC Opinion

    25 May 2017

  • REC opinion

    Further Information Favourable Opinion