Woman and Man
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Extract
Background and study aims We are carrying out a study of about 300 asthma patients who manage their asthma with a preventer inhaler (inhalers that control the swelling and inflammation in the airways, stopping them from being so sensitive and reducing the risk of severe attacks). Our goal is to test whether online social networks can improve adherence to asthma preventer medicine and promote feelings of being socially supported. To our knowledge there has yet to be a study to measure the effect of online social networks on medicine adherence, let alone the treatment of asthma. The ease and speed of connection between users holds great promise for spreading new behaviors (such as adherence) and fostering social support. Who can participate? Participants who manage their asthma with a preventer inhaler and have access to an internet connection are eligible to participate. What does the study involve? Participants will be randomly allocated to the experimental group or the control group. Participants in the experimental group will be asked to track their preventer medication adherence using the online social network AsthmaVillage, posting as they use their inhalers. Participants may also post questions and statuses unrelated to this medication tracking. Participants in the control (AsthmaDiary) group will simply track their preventer use on a simple web-form. Participants in this group will be unaware of the presence of other participants. Participants in both groups are required to post their preventer use at least once each week for 8 weeks. At the start of the study and at follow-up visits all participants will fill out a self-report of preventer adherence. At follow-up participants will also fill out questionnaires on social support and quality of life. What are the possible benefits and risks of participating? Participants in both conditions are thought to see an improvement in asthma preventer adherence, with the patients in the experimental group expected to see the largest improvement. All participants who complete the requirements for the study will receive a £20 shopping voucher. One risk is that participants may, through frequent communication with one another, determine the identities of other participants. However, these risks should be mitigated by full disclosure at the beginning of the study, and guidelines on anonymizing user identities. Group discussions/postings will be monitored, and there will be clear guidelines on participant postings. However, in an open forum like this, topics may come up that are embarrassing to some users. In more extreme cases, users could potentially post hurtful and abusive comments to one another. Abusive and hurtful comments will not be tolerated by the research team. Abusive users will be removed from the study. Where is the study run from? This study is run from the University of Leeds, Institute Of Psychological Sciences (UK). When is the study starting and how long is it expected to run for? Recruitment began in June 2013. Participants will be enrolled in this study for a period of 8 weeks following the completion of recruitment. Who is funding the study? Funding has been provided by the University of Leeds Institute of Psychological Sciences, with the support of a Fulbright Scholarship. Who is the main contact? Mr Justin Koufopoulos, [email protected] Professor Mark Conner, [email protected]
Inclusion criteria
- Asthma