Interactive online course to improve cancer patients' digital health skills
Development and Effectiveness Evaluation of an Interactive E-learning Environment to Enhance Digital Health Literacy in Cancer Patients: Study Protocol for a Randomized Controlled Trial
This project will test whether an interactive online course helps people with cancer improve their ability to find and understand reliable health information online compared with reading a PDF or receiving no material.
Quick facts
| Phase | Not applicable |
|---|---|
| Study type | Interventional |
| Enrollment | 660 (estimated) |
| Ages | 18 Years and up |
| Sex | All |
| Sponsor | Universitätsklinikum Hamburg-Eppendorf Academic / other |
| Locations | 1 site (Hamburg, Free and Hanseatic City of Hamburg) |
| Trial ID | NCT07200453 on ClinicalTrials.gov |
What this trial studies
Researchers will develop an interactive e-learning environment with input from focus groups and usability testing, then run a randomized controlled trial. A total of 660 people with cancer will be randomly assigned to one of three variants of the e-learning tool, to a PDF with the same content, or to a no-intervention control group. Participants will complete questionnaires about their digital health literacy at baseline, after two weeks, and after eight weeks to measure change. The main comparison is improvement in digital health literacy from baseline to eight weeks between the intervention groups and the control group.
Who should consider this trial
Good fit: Adults with a cancer diagnosis who speak German, can use an internet-connected device (smartphone, tablet, PC or laptop), and consent to participate are the intended participants.
Not a fit: Patients with severe cognitive impairment or those unable to operate a digital device are unlikely to benefit from this online intervention.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the tool could help cancer patients more confidently find and understand trustworthy online health information and make better-informed care decisions.
How similar studies have performed: Previous digital health literacy and eHealth education programs have shown modest improvements in online information skills in other populations, but interactive, cancer-specific e-learning interventions are less well studied.
Eligibility criteria
Show full inclusion / exclusion criteria
Inclusion criteria: * cancer diagnosis * sufficient knowledge of the German language as all study content and questionnaires will be in German only * Participants must also have and be able to use a digital device (smartphone, tablet, PC, laptop, etc.) with an internet connection * Confirm consent to participate in the study Exclusion criteria: * Patients who are severely cognitively impaired due to their cancer or other illness * Patients who are unable to operate a digital device
Where this trial is running
Hamburg, Free and Hanseatic City of Hamburg
- University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf — Hamburg, Free and Hanseatic City of Hamburg, Germany (Recruiting)
Study contacts
- Principal investigator: Holger Schulz, Prof. — Universitätsklinikum Hamburg-Eppendorf
- Study coordinator: Lukas Lange-Drenth, Dr.
- Email: lu.lange@uke.de
- Phone: +49 (0) 40 7410-56811
How to participate
- Review the eligibility criteria above with your treating physician.
- Visit the official trial page on ClinicalTrials.gov for the most current contact information and recruitment status.
- Contact the listed study coordinator or principal investigator to request pre-screening. Pre-screening is free and never obligates you to enroll.