Peer advisers compared with specialist health professionals in delivering a training programme on self-management to people with diabetes: a randomized controlled trial

Objective: Education and self-management training assist patients with bipolar disorder to take control of their condition and to reduce disability, but the timeliness and availability of the education are important. A free Web-based bipolar education program has been recently developed to provide accessible evidence-based information for patients, carers and health professionals. The present paper describes the nine-module program, reports usage data and user profiles, and overviews the aims and methodology of a randomized controlled trial to measure its impact. Methods: Customized Web reports were developed to measure usage of the Web-based program, and to profile its users on a month-by-month basis. Data on the percentage of completers of each module were also collected. A randomized controlled trial evaluating the program in people with newly diagnosed bipolar disorder was also commenced. Results: More than 8000 visitors used the online program in its first 6 months. Users were predominantly female, of a broad cross-section of ages, 43.5% with bipolar disorder, and with the remainder describing themselves as health professionals, carers/family/friends of a person with bipolar disorder or members of the general public. The majority (76%) completed the sessions they commenced. Conclusions: The Web-based education program is attracting a steady stream of users and is exhibiting good completion rates. This preliminary support for the program's utility requires validation from our randomized controlled trial before definite conclusions can be drawn.

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The use of information and communication technologies by arthritis health professionals to disseminate a self-management program to patients: a pilot randomized controlled trial protocol

Digital Health ◽

10.1177/2055207618819571 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 4 ◽

pp. 205520761881957 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Gino De Angelis ◽

Lucie Brosseau ◽

Barbara Davies ◽

Judy King ◽

George A. Wells

Keyword(s):

Randomized Controlled Trial ◽

Health Professionals ◽

Controlled Trial ◽

Management Program ◽

Perceived Usefulness ◽

Self Management ◽

Post Intervention ◽

Randomized Controlled ◽

Information And Communication ◽

Share Information

Design and objective: This paper describes the protocol for a three-arm, single-blind, parallel design randomized controlled trial (RCT) to investigate the perceived usability of Facebook to share information from an evidence-based arthritis self-management program with patients compared with email or an educational website after two weeks. Study population Three-hundred and twenty-seven arthritis health professionals (i.e., nurses or physical/occupational therapists) registered with their regulatory body in Canada, currently practicing clinically defined as spending a minimum of 50% of their time (working week) in direct arthritis patient care. Interventions The proposed RCT will include three information and communication technology (ICT) intervention groups: Facebook, email, and an educational website. Outcome measures The primary outcome will be perceived usefulness by health professionals of using the ICT intervention to share information with their patients according to the technology acceptance model 2 (TAM2) questionnaire at two weeks post-intervention. Secondary outcomes will include other usability domains of the TAM2 questionnaire (i.e., perceived ease of use, result demonstrability, output quality, job relevance, image, voluntariness, subjective norm, and intention to use) at two weeks, three months, and six months post-intervention. Analysis: An analysis of variance will be conducted to compare TAM2 questionnaire scores of the Facebook group with the email and educational website groups.

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Faculty Opinions recommendation of Optimized antidepressant therapy and pain self-management in primary care patients with depression and musculoskeletal pain: a randomized controlled trial.

Faculty Opinions – Post-Publication Peer Review of the Biomedical Literature ◽

10.3410/f.1161063.621527 ◽

2009 ◽

Author(s):

Dan Blazer

Keyword(s):

Primary Care ◽

Randomized Controlled Trial ◽

Musculoskeletal Pain ◽

Controlled Trial ◽

Antidepressant Therapy ◽

Self Management ◽

Randomized Controlled ◽

Primary Care Patients

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Faculty Opinions recommendation of Internet-based self-management compared with usual care in adolescents with asthma: a randomized controlled trial.

Faculty Opinions – Post-Publication Peer Review of the Biomedical Literature ◽

10.3410/f.717597812.793002868 ◽

2012 ◽

Author(s):

Anne Chang

Keyword(s):

Randomized Controlled Trial ◽

Usual Care ◽

Controlled Trial ◽

Self Management ◽

Randomized Controlled

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Evaluation of FindMyApps: protocol for a randomized controlled trial of the effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of a tablet-based intervention to improve self-management and social participation of community-dwelling people with mild dementia, compared to usual tablet use

BMC Geriatrics ◽

10.1186/s12877-021-02038-8 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 21 (1) ◽

Author(s):

David Peter Neal ◽

Yvonne J. F. Kerkhof ◽

Teake P. Ettema ◽

Majon Muller ◽

Judith Bosmans ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Randomized Controlled Trial ◽

Cost Effectiveness ◽

Usual Care ◽

Social Participation ◽

Controlled Trial ◽

Community Dwelling ◽

Self Management ◽

Tablet Computer ◽

Randomized Controlled ◽

People With Dementia

Abstract Background For the rising number of people living with dementia, cost-effective community-based interventions to support psychosocial care are needed. The FindMyApps intervention has been developed with and for people with dementia and their caregivers, to help them use tablets to facilitate self-management and engagement in meaningful social activities. A feasibility study and exploratory pilot trial evaluating FindMyApps have been carried out. This definitive trial further evaluates the effectiveness of the intervention and, for the first time, the cost-effectiveness. Methods A randomized controlled non-blinded single-center two-arm superiority trial will be conducted. Community-dwelling people with Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI), or dementia with a Mini Mental-State Examination (MMSE) of > 17 and < 26, or Global Deterioration Scale 3 or 4, with an informal caregiver and access to a wireless internet connection will be included. In total, 150 patient-caregiver dyads will be randomly allocated to receive either usual care (control arm – tablet computer; n = 75 dyads) or usual care and the FindMyApps intervention (experimental arm – tablet computer and FindMyApps; n = 75 dyads). The primary outcomes are: for people with dementia, self-management and social participation; for caregivers, sense of competence. In addition to a main effect analysis, a cost-effectiveness analysis will be performed. In line with MRC guidance for evaluation of complex interventions a process evaluation will also be undertaken. Discussion Results of the trial are expected to be available in 2023 and will be submitted for publication in international peer-reviewed scientific journals, in addition to conference presentations and reporting via the EU Marie Sklodowska-Curie DISTINCT ITN network. By providing evidence for or against the effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of the FindMyApps intervention, the results of the trial will influence national implementation of FindMyApps. We hope that the results of the trial will further stimulate research and development at the intersection of technology and psycho-social care in dementia. We hope to further demonstrate that the randomized controlled trial is a valuable and feasible means of evaluating new digital technologies, to stimulate further high-quality research in this growing field. Trial registration number Netherlands Trial Register: NL8157; registered 15th November 2019.

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