Skin Selfie - a self-monitoring phone app for dermatology patients

  • Research type

    Research Study

  • Full title

    Skin Selfie - a self-monitoring mobile phone application for skin conditions

  • IRAS ID

    196716

  • Contact name

    Philip Hampton

  • Contact email

    philip.hampton@nuth.nhs.uk

  • Sponsor organisation

    Newcastle Joint Research Office

  • Duration of Study in the UK

    1 years, 6 months, 1 days

  • Research summary

    “SkinSelfie” is a mobile phone application has been developed to support patients monitor their skin conditions. The main objective is to give patients the capability to monitor their conditions in a consistent way using images that have been self-captured using their smartphones, and (if desired) to share pictures with clinicians. To accomplish this the application allows patients to take sequences of pictures and this is supported by the application using "overlays" to allow the patient to take more consistent sequences of images. to share them by emailing a secure link which another person can use to access (when used in combination with a separate pin number provided by the user). With a waiting time over 4 months for a first Dermatology service appointments in much of the NHS there is a need to devise technology to reduce the number of follow up visits to allow more new patient consultations. Potential participants will be approached by medical staff. The training to use the app all be based either within the app or online. They will be asked to use Skin Selfie to monitor their skin condition and then complete the questionnaire which will collect information on usability. A selected group of patients will be asked to provide face to face interviews to gather more information about their experience with Skin Selfie.
    We want to examine how well our developed application is accepted by patients who suffer from skin conditions and if the application has a positive effect on those concerned. The research study is designed to accompany their normal medical treatment. The study is set for a period of one year.

  • REC name

    North East - Newcastle & North Tyneside 1 Research Ethics Committee

  • REC reference

    16/NE/0106

  • Date of REC Opinion

    21 Jul 2016

  • REC opinion

    Further Information Favourable Opinion