Use of a DBCI in lung cancer prehabilitation
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Barriers and facilitators to the uptake and engagement with a digital behaviour change intervention in lung cancer prehabilitation
IRAS ID
344609
Contact name
Paul Pfeffer
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
Queen Mary University of London
Duration of Study in the UK
1 years, 0 months, 11 days
Research summary
Lung cancer is the biggest cause of UK cancer death. Surgery gives the best chance of cure, but is only offered to patients who are fit enough. ‘Prehabilitation’ means getting fitter for cancer treatment. The “Living With Lung Cancer” App is offered to patients at Barts Hospital to do this. But good outcomes depend on patients using the App. Those who experience poverty, or are from ethnic minority groups, may be less able to use the App.
We aim to understand patient health beliefs to prehabilitation (e.g. poor acceptance it is beneficial) and experience with the App, and make improvements. We worked with the public to design the study.
There are four steps:
1) Interview 30 lung cancer patients 4-12 weeks after getting App access (including different ages, genders and ethnicities). This will tell us what makes it easy or difficult for patients to use the App.
2)Interview 20 Healthcare Professionals who support patients with the App, to get their perspectives.
3) Recruit 140 lung cancer patients who have been given App access. After 12 weeks, we will measure i) how many patients register on the App, ii) how much time is spent on the App, and iii) number of activities completed per day. We will look for differences in the characteristics of people who use the App, to identify inequalities which can be addressed. This information will also tell us if changes we make have been successful.
4) Make improvements aiming to increase the number of people who can use the App.
Our findings will guide how Apps should be designed in the future, so they work effectively for all patients. Helping more patients with prehabilitation, ultimately means more patients can be fit enough to benefit from life-saving treatments. This can improve survival rates, reduce complications after operations, and reduce healthcare costs.
REC name
North East - York Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
25/NE/0093
Date of REC Opinion
2 Jun 2025
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion