Promoting uptake of apps for cancer prevention via EHRs
Research type
Research Study
Full title
OptiMine: Optimizing the mining of electronic health record (EHR) data to increase uptake of cancer prevention digital interventions
IRAS ID
260085
Contact name
Zarnie Khadjesari
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
University of East Anglia
Duration of Study in the UK
0 years, 11 months, 31 days
Research summary
Background: Smoking and drinking alcohol at risky levels are among the main reasons people get cancer. Many factors prevent people from getting help to stop smoking or reduce their drinking. For example, people may fear judgment from others, so they do not seek help from counsellors. People may not have the time or money to get the help they need. Digital programs are successful in helping people quit smoking or reduce their alcohol drinking without the time, costs, and fear of judgment that other programs carry.
Aims: We intend to use information in electronic health records to identify patients who smoke and/or drink alcohol at risky levels and refer them to mobile applications to help them quit smoking and reduce their alcohol drinking.
Methods: 1) Identify adult patients who are smoking and/or drinking alcohol at risky levels in the electronic health records; 2) Ask patients if they find it acceptable to get an email or text message from their hospital that refers them to mobile apps to help them quit smoking and reduce alcohol drinking. And ask healthcare professionals, hospital administrative staff and managers if it is doable to use the electronic health records in this way; 3) Set up and test a system that automatically selects patients who smoke and/or drink alcohol at risky levels and sends them an email or text message promoting the mobile apps.
How the results of this research will be used: If the messages are successful, we can use the same idea to identify and refer patients who have other health problems such as poor diet and lack of exercise to digital programs that support healthy lifestyles. The same system can be used in other hospitals across the United Kingdom and in other countries such as the United States.
REC name
East of England - Cambridge South Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
19/EE/0149
Date of REC Opinion
29 May 2019
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion