What Do Physicians Think About the Use of Telemedicine to Recruit and Assess Participants in mHealth-Related Clinical Studies as a Consequence of the COVID-19 Pandemic?

Autores da FMUP

• Ana Margarida Barbosa Ribeiro Pereira

  Autor

• Rute Alexandra Borges De Almeida

  Autor

• Rita Da Silva Amaral

  Autor

• João De Almeida Lopes Da Fonseca

  Autor

Participantes de fora da FMUP

• Alves Correia, M
• Mendes, S
• Jacome, C

Unidades de investigação

• Laboratório Associado RISE- Rede de Investigação em Saúde

  

  Investigador

  Fernando Carlos De Landér Schmitt

• Medicina da Comunidade, Informação e Decisão em Saúde

• RISE-Health

  

  Investigador

  Fernando Carlos De Landér Schmitt

Abstract

Objectives: To evaluate physician's opinion and availability to participate in mHealth-related clinical studies with patient recruitment and assessment via telemedicine and to identify characteristics associated with the willingness to participate.Methods: Cross-sectional, observational study, based on an anonymous web survey conducted in May-Jun of 2020 to 237 physicians, from Portugal and Spain that collaborated with an asthma mHealth project (INSPIRERS).Results: Response rate was 51% (n = 120). Most (74%, n = 89) physicians were available to participate in such studies, but 62% anticipated lower recruiting capacity and 40% increased difficulty in obtaining quality data. Physicians aged <= 40 years, from secondary care (vs. general practitioners) and that used apps in personal life or clinical practice were more likely to be available.Conclusions: Three-quarters of the physicians were available to participate in mHealth-related clinical studies with patient recruitment and assessment through telemedicine. Age group, medical specialty, and app use were associated with the willingness to participate.

Keywords

• clinical studies; data collection; digital technologies; mHealth; patient recruitment; telemedicine