We will use text-messages to signpost people to weight-management services across the East of England. People who may benefit from weight-management services will be identified through hospital and GP electronic health records.
Background
Cancer causes one in six deaths worldwide. Changing health behaviours, such as dietary intake, alcohol consumption, tobacco use and physical activity can prevent almost 40% of cancers. However, there are barriers to implementing effective interventions that support behaviour change.
The eSign study will use text-messages to signpost people to weight-management services across the East of England. People who may benefit from weight-management services will be identified through hospital and GP electronic health records. By raising awareness of behaviour change support in more effective ways, electronic signposting (e-signposting) could improve the reach of services and ultimately prevent cancer and cancer disparities.
Project Aims
To design, test and implement widespread use of text-messages to signpost people to weight-management services across the East of England.
Project Activity
We will:
- Review the literature to determine what type of electronic signposting works, for whom, in what circumstances, and how.
- Co-design the content of text-messages and the timing of their delivery with people interested in weight management support, health professionals referring patients to weight-management support, and data scientists managing electronic health records, to develop and refine e-signposting.
- Determine the most effective text-message content and delivery mechanisms for signposting people to weight management support.
- Map the regional weight-management system to explore different ways of implementing e-signposting in healthcare settings – to maximise its spread and adoption.
- Develop a toolkit to support healthcare organisations to implement and evaluate e-signposting.
Anticipated or actual outputs
- A realist review (preprint here: https://osf.io/pxm9j/overview)
- Summary reports for participants
- Publication of study findings in an open access papers
Papers and resources
Who is involved?
- Dr Zarnie Khadjesari (Principal Investigator), School of Health Sciences, University of East Anglia
- Ella Malloy, School of Health Sciences, University of East Anglia
- Tracey Brown, School of Health Sciences, University of East Anglia
- Prof Felix Naughton, School of Health Sciences, University of East Anglia
- Dr Helen Parretti, Norwich Medical School, University of East Anglia
- Dr Adam P Wagner, Norwich Medical School, University of East Anglia, NIHR Applied Research Collaboration, East of England
- Prof Lee Shepstone, Norwich Medical School, University of East Anglia
- Dr Lucy Clark, Norwich Medical School, University of East Anglia
- Anna Varley, Norwich Medical School, University of East Anglia
Contact
Dr Zarnie Khadjesari, z.khadjesari@uea.ac.uk
