Evaluation of a Mobile Application to Facilitate the Interpretation of Spirometry by Family Physicians and Residents

October 8, 2020 updated by: Louis-Philippe Boulet, Laval University

Evaluation of a Mobile Application to Facilitate the Interpretation of the Spirometry Test by Family Physicians and Family Medicine Residents: Impact on Prescription and Interpretation of This Test

Problematic: Spirometry is used to objectify the obstructive syndrome defining chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). However, this test remains underused in the primary care. The tools available for its interpretation are little used and the existence of several decision algorithms can create confusion during the diagnosis.

Principal objective: To evaluate the impact of a mobile application (SPIRO©) on medical practice (interpretation and prescription of spirometry) of family physicians and family medicine residents working in family medicine units (FMU) in Quebec affiliated with Laval University.

Secondary objective : To evaluate the usability of SPIRO© among family physicians and residents in family medicine working in FMU in Quebec affiliated with Laval University.

Methods: This is a pre-post clinical trial with control group. Participants (family MD and family medicine residents) will be recruited from the various FMU affiliated with Laval University. Participants working in the FMU in the experimental group will be able to use the SPIRO® mobile application to facilitate interpretation of the spirometry test results while participants in the control group will not have access to it during the study. The basic characteristics of the participants and various behavioral parameters based on the theory of planned behavior concerning the interpretation and prescription of spirometry test will be measured. Data from the control group will be collected before those in the experimental group at the time the application is not yet available, which will minimize contamination between groups. The data will be collected with questionnaires delivered in person to the participants before the intervention (T0 time) and then four months later (T1 time) during their team or research meeting. Participants will be recruited in eight of the 12 Quebec FMU affiliated with Laval University, who will be randomly assigned to two equal groups: control and experimental. The intervention will consist in sending the SPIRO© mobile application to participants in the experimental group who will use it for a period of four months.

Study Overview

Status

Completed

Conditions

Intervention / Treatment

Detailed Description

Hypothesis : The investigators hypothesize that the use of the SPIRO© application will increase the skills and confidence of family physicians and family medicine residents in prescribing and interpreting spirometry compared to the control group.

The project will be conducted in the following six major steps: 1) Collection of socio-demographic and behavioral characteristics of participants using sections A, B, C and D of the NAPI questionnaire in the control group; 2) Intervention in the control group (they will continue their daily medical practice without being subject to any intervention by our research team), for a period of 4 months; 3) Measurement of behavioral changes in the control group using Sections B, C, D and E of the NAPI questionnaire 4 months after the start of the study; 4) Collection of socio-demographic and behavioral data from participants in the experimental group using sections A, B, C and D of the NAPI questionnaire; 5) E-mail distribution of the application and use of the application by participants in the experimental group for a period of four months, 6) Measurement of behavioral changes in the experimental group after the use of the application, Using sections B, C, D and E of the NAPI questionnaire as well as a questionnaire on the application SPIRO© (SPIRO questionnaire) which will evaluate the usability of this one.

The study has been approved by the research ethic board of the Health and Social Services Center of the old capital - attached to the Integrated Center for Health and Social Services of the National Capital.

Study Type

Observational

Enrollment (Actual)

104

Contacts and Locations

This section provides the contact details for those conducting the study, and information on where this study is being conducted.

Study Locations

    • Quebec
      • Baie-Comeau, Quebec, Canada, G4Z 3B8
        • UMF de Manicouagan
      • Gaspé, Quebec, Canada, G4X 2W2
        • UMF de Gaspé
      • Lac-Etchemin, Quebec, Canada, G0R 1S0
        • UMF des Etchemins
      • Lévis, Quebec, Canada, G6W 0J4
        • UMF de Lévis
      • Quebec City, Quebec, Canada, G1J 2G1
        • Unité de médecine familiale - GMF Maizerets
      • Quebec City, Quebec, Canada, G1L 3L5
        • UMF Saint-François d'Assise
      • Quebec City, Quebec, Canada, G1V 0B7
        • Unité de médecine familiale Laval
      • Trois-Pistoles, Quebec, Canada, G0L 4K0
        • UMF de Trois-Pistoles

Participation Criteria

Researchers look for people who fit a certain description, called eligibility criteria. Some examples of these criteria are a person's general health condition or prior treatments.

Eligibility Criteria

Ages Eligible for Study

18 years and older (Adult, Older Adult)

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Genders Eligible for Study

All

Sampling Method

Non-Probability Sample

Study Population

Primary care physicians and residents in family medicine of 18 years old or more working in one of the 12 family medicine units in Quebec affiliated with Laval University.

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

  • Participants need to be primary care physicians or residents in family medicine of 18 years old or more working in one of the 12 family medicine units in Quebec affiliated with Laval University.

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Health professionals not practicing family medicine and residents of other specialties will not be eligible. Individuals who participated in the development of the " subjective Norms, Attitudes, Perceived behavioral control, Intentions (NAPI) " questionnaires (apparent validation) will be excluded.

Study Plan

This section provides details of the study plan, including how the study is designed and what the study is measuring.

How is the study designed?

Design Details

  • Observational Models: Cohort
  • Time Perspectives: Prospective

Cohorts and Interventions

Group / Cohort
Intervention / Treatment
Control Group
Primary care physicians and residents in family medicine of family medicine units affiliated with Laval University.
Experimental Group
Primary care physicians and residents in family medicine of family medicine units affiliated with Laval University that will use the mobile application SPIRO(c) for a period of four months.
Participants in the Experimental Group will be asked to use SPIRO mobile application during a period of 4 months.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Beliefs about capabilities - interpretation
Time Frame: six weeks
The beliefs about the capabilities of primary care physicians and residents in family medicine regarding interpretation of spirometry.
six weeks

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Beliefs about consequences - prescription
Time Frame: six weeks
The beliefs about the consequences of primary care physicians and residents in family medicine regarding prescription of spirometry.
six weeks
Beliefs about consequences - interpretation
Time Frame: six weeks
The beliefs about the consequences of primary care physicians and residents in family medicine regarding interpretation of spirometry.
six weeks
Beliefs about consequences - use of a mobile application
Time Frame: six weeks
The beliefs about the consequences of primary care physicians and residents in family medicine regarding the use of a mobile application to interpret spirometry.
six weeks
Moral norms - prescription
Time Frame: six weeks
The beliefs about the moral norms of primary care physicians and residents in family medicine regarding prescription of spirometry.
six weeks
Moral norms - interpretation
Time Frame: six weeks
The beliefs about the moral norms of primary care physicians and residents in family medicine regarding interpretation of spirometry.
six weeks
Moral norms - use of a mobile application
Time Frame: six weeks
The beliefs about the moral norms of primary care physicians and residents in family medicine regarding the use of a mobile application to interpret spirometry.
six weeks
Intentions - prescription
Time Frame: six weeks
The beliefs about the intentions of primary care physicians and residents in family medicine regarding prescription of spirometry.
six weeks
Intentions - interpretation
Time Frame: six weeks
The beliefs about the intentions of primary care physicians and residents in family medicine regarding interpretation of spirometry.
six weeks
Intentions - use of a mobile application
Time Frame: six weeks
The beliefs about the intentions of primary care physicians and residents in family medicine regarding the use of a mobile application to interpret spirometry.
six weeks
Social influence - prescription
Time Frame: six weeks
The beliefs about the social influence of primary care physicians and residents in family medicine regarding prescription of spirometry.
six weeks
Social influence - interpretation
Time Frame: six weeks
The beliefs about the social influence of primary care physicians and residents in family medicine regarding interpretation of spirometry.
six weeks
Social influence - use of a mobile application
Time Frame: six weeks
The beliefs about the social influence of primary care physicians and residents in family medicine regarding the use of a mobile application to interpret spirometry.
six weeks
Belief about capabilities - prescription
Time Frame: six weeks
The beliefs about the belief about capabilities of primary care physicians and residents in family medicine regarding prescription of spirometry.
six weeks
Belief about capabilities - use of a mobile application
Time Frame: six weeks
The beliefs about the belief about capabilities of primary care physicians and residents in family medicine regarding the use of a mobile application to interpret spirometry.
six weeks

Collaborators and Investigators

This is where you will find people and organizations involved with this study.

Sponsor

Investigators

  • Principal Investigator: Louis-Philippe Boulet, MD, Heart and Lung Institute

Study record dates

These dates track the progress of study record and summary results submissions to ClinicalTrials.gov. Study records and reported results are reviewed by the National Library of Medicine (NLM) to make sure they meet specific quality control standards before being posted on the public website.

Study Major Dates

Study Start (Actual)

October 1, 2016

Primary Completion (Actual)

July 7, 2017

Study Completion (Actual)

December 20, 2017

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

June 26, 2017

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

June 29, 2017

First Posted (Actual)

July 2, 2017

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Actual)

October 12, 2020

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

October 8, 2020

Last Verified

October 1, 2020

More Information

Terms related to this study

Other Study ID Numbers

  • SPIRO-MD Residents

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?

Undecided

Drug and device information, study documents

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product

No

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product

No

This information was retrieved directly from the website clinicaltrials.gov without any changes. If you have any requests to change, remove or update your study details, please contact register@clinicaltrials.gov. As soon as a change is implemented on clinicaltrials.gov, this will be updated automatically on our website as well.

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