mobile apps: promoting breastfeeding and sun safe behaviours

www.fuse.ac.uk

From evidence to practice: an example from the skin cancer

prevention research

Angela Rodrigues, PhDCo-authors: Falko Sniehotta , Mark Birch-Machin, Patrick

Olivier & Vera Araujo-Soares

Fuse event3 April 2017

Also…

Annual UV exposure

2-week holidays

30%

How can we develop and evaluate an intervention to promote sun-protective behaviours?

Intervention development: flow chart

• Systematic review

• Qualitative study

• Developing a draft intervention

• User engagement

• Pilot

What do we know already from other studies?

Skin deep?

Qualitative study

Interviews studySample:

17 participants (13 females & 4 males; 20-34 years: n=9; 35-49 years: n=5; 50-65+ years: n=3);

Main findings:Desire to tan and attributed a high value to acquire a tanned

appearance over holiday;Sufficient knowledge how to perform sun-protection behaviour;Strategies such as planning and reminders were identified as

facilitators;Key barriers were: the impact of on the holiday experiences,

the fear of social consequences, inconvenience of sun protection and lack of facilities/resources (e.g. shade, sunscreen);

‘A tan is worth a thousand words’

The miskin app

The mISkin mobile-phone application

Users’ feedback

User engagement studySample:

17 participants (13 females & 4 males; 20-34 years: n=9; 35-49 years: n=5; 50-65+ years: n=3) provided feedback on the app features and design.

Main findings:All participants were satisfied with the

prototype and expressed willingness to use it.Minor changes: customisable prompts with

suggestions, shortened videos, skin cancer information and UV photos were placed in a more discrete menu.

The pilot study

The study…

Who can participate?

Holidaymakers travelling for up to 2 weeks;≥18 years old;Own an Android™ or iOS (iPhone; iPad)

mobile device.

Findings Participants characteristics

42 participants (December 2012 to October 2013)

Age: 35.5 years (SD= 9.7 years; range: 21-58)

Gender: 76.2% female

Most frequent holiday destinations:Spain (N=12; 28.6%)France (N=5; 11.9%)USA (N=5; 11.9%)Turkey (N=4; 9.5%)Greek Islands (N=4; 9.5%)

Findings: Acceptability and FeasibilityTwo main problems for recruitment

Having another type of smartphone (e.g. iPhone);Willingness to be randomised to SPF15 or SPF30

Acceptability of trial proceduresAllocation to SPF

Acceptability of mISkin interventionMajority was satisfied with the appSuggestions about possible ways of improving the

mISkin app:‘Sun Alert Service’: possibility of having a systems that is able

to learn participants sun protection habits, preferences and personal risks to sunburn, and personalise prompts according to these (e.g. time until sunburn risk).

Acknowledgements

The work was undertaken by Fuse, a UKCRC Public Health Research: Centre of Excellence. Funding from the British Heart Foundation, Cancer Research UK, Economic and Social Research council, Medical Research Council, and the National Institute for Health Research, under the auspices of the UK Clinical Research Collaboration, is greatly acknowledged.Opinions expressed in this presentation do not necessarily represent those of the funders.

Research team:Prof. Falko SniehottaProf. Mark Birch-MachinDr Vera Araujo-SoaresProf. Patrick Olivier

Sunscreens kindly provided by:L’Oreal

Thank you!

Contact: angela.rodrigues@ncl.ac.uk