SWEET
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Supporting Women with adhErence to adjuvant Endocrine Therapy following breast cancer (SWEET)
IRAS ID
293238
Contact name
Linda Sharp
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
Newcastle upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
Duration of Study in the UK
0 years, 7 months, 31 days
Research summary
In 2016, 11,563 women died from breast cancer in the UK. Most would have been prescribed endocrine therapy (ET); sometimes known as hormone therapy, which blocks the effect of oestrogen on breast cancer cells. ET is prescribed as a daily tablet, usually for at least five years. When women stop taking ET prematurely, or don’t take it as prescribed (known as “poor adherence”), they have up to a three times higher chance of the cancer returning and dying from cancer. At least 20% of women have poor adherence after two years and around 50% by five years.
Our previous research has identified reasons for poor adherence, including: feeling negative or concerned about ET; not fully understanding its importance; side-effects; feeling unsupported; and forgetfulness.
SWEET is an NIHR funded a research programme, which supported by a User Advisory Group, will develop and test a support package to support women take ET as recommended. SWEET will be delivered over 6 workstreams.
This application refers to the first workstream of the SWEET research programme. Stakeholder consultation and patient and public involvement has contributed to the development of a prototype digital component (web-based application that can be accessed via a smartphone, tablet or computer).
Using qualitative methods, we will take two complementary approaches (sub-studies) to user pre-testing to provide different insights into the usability of the digital component of the prototype intervention. The first sub-study aims to conduct usability testing to explore women’s immediate and observable reactions to, and views and experiences of, using the digital component. The second sub-study aims to conduct pre-testing to explore women’s views and experiences of using the digital component in a real-life context.
Together these sub-studies will help to help to identify problems and inform changes to the details, layout, format, content and processes of the digital component.
REC name
London - Central Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
21/PR/0603
Date of REC Opinion
7 Jun 2021
REC opinion
Favourable Opinion