Abstract
Using smartphones to examine the association between weather and joint pain in patients with rheumatoid arthritis: a feasibility study
Background
Patients with rheumatic diseases have long reported an association between weather and joint pain. Previous studies have found 84% of patients believe an association exists, whilst 54% believe they can predict the weather based on their symptoms. Nonetheless, previous research has failed to identify the association.
The increasing penetration of smartphones opens new opportunities for epidemiology, enabling the collection and transmission of frequent patient data using both self-report and passive movement and position data.
Aim
This feasibility study is to demonstrate proof of concept that patients will use smartphones to support patient-led research in musculoskeletal disease, using the exemplar study of weather and joint pain in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). In addition to the weather project, it aims to test whether passively collected position and movement data will enable development of a validated algorithm to define disease severity in RA.
Methods
1. Qualitative methods using focus groups (n=3) and a patient advisory group to inform co-design of an appropriate app to capture data in collaboration with uMotif
2. Enrollment of 20 patients to pilot the app collecting daily data (pain symptoms, weather data and passive movement) over 8 weeks
3. Qualitative longitudinal interviews to explore barriers and enablers of ongoing engagement with data collection
4. Descriptive statistics outlining the extent of missing data and attrition to demonstrate the feasibility and likely success of conducting a larger-scale project
5. Exploratory analysis of the correlation between i) weather and joint pain, ii) movement data collected from the smartphone app and a wrist-worn accelerometer, and iii) movement data and self-reported disease severity
Progress to date
• Smartphone app for self-reported data co-designed with patients
• Parallel ‘capture app’ developed to collect and transmit GPS and accelerometer data, and to collect weather variables from local weather station
• Baseline focus groups demonstrated participants were enthusiastic to be involved in providing data to test associations between weather/ passive functioning and self-reported symptoms. The uMotif app was considered to be user-friendly.
• 18 patients recruited so far
• Two month data collected due to complete June 2015
Summary
Smartphones offer new opportunities for patient-led data collection for population research. Early work suggests this is feasible, and patients value the opportunity for greater involvement in population research.
Background
Patients with rheumatic diseases have long reported an association between weather and joint pain. Previous studies have found 84% of patients believe an association exists, whilst 54% believe they can predict the weather based on their symptoms. Nonetheless, previous research has failed to identify the association.
The increasing penetration of smartphones opens new opportunities for epidemiology, enabling the collection and transmission of frequent patient data using both self-report and passive movement and position data.
Aim
This feasibility study is to demonstrate proof of concept that patients will use smartphones to support patient-led research in musculoskeletal disease, using the exemplar study of weather and joint pain in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). In addition to the weather project, it aims to test whether passively collected position and movement data will enable development of a validated algorithm to define disease severity in RA.
Methods
1. Qualitative methods using focus groups (n=3) and a patient advisory group to inform co-design of an appropriate app to capture data in collaboration with uMotif
2. Enrollment of 20 patients to pilot the app collecting daily data (pain symptoms, weather data and passive movement) over 8 weeks
3. Qualitative longitudinal interviews to explore barriers and enablers of ongoing engagement with data collection
4. Descriptive statistics outlining the extent of missing data and attrition to demonstrate the feasibility and likely success of conducting a larger-scale project
5. Exploratory analysis of the correlation between i) weather and joint pain, ii) movement data collected from the smartphone app and a wrist-worn accelerometer, and iii) movement data and self-reported disease severity
Progress to date
• Smartphone app for self-reported data co-designed with patients
• Parallel ‘capture app’ developed to collect and transmit GPS and accelerometer data, and to collect weather variables from local weather station
• Baseline focus groups demonstrated participants were enthusiastic to be involved in providing data to test associations between weather/ passive functioning and self-reported symptoms. The uMotif app was considered to be user-friendly.
• 18 patients recruited so far
• Two month data collected due to complete June 2015
Summary
Smartphones offer new opportunities for patient-led data collection for population research. Early work suggests this is feasible, and patients value the opportunity for greater involvement in population research.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Publication status | Published - 28 Aug 2015 |
| Event | http://www.farrinstitute.org/events-courses/event/the-farr-institute-international-conference-2015 - Duration: 26 Aug 2015 → 28 Aug 2015 |
Conference
| Conference | http://www.farrinstitute.org/events-courses/event/the-farr-institute-international-conference-2015 |
|---|---|
| Period | 26/08/15 → 28/08/15 |