Evaluating online health information utilisation and its psychosocial implications among breast cancer survivors: Qualitative explorations.

Background: This study investigated the online information-seeking behaviours of breast cancer patients at Jordan University Hospital, focusing on their dissatisfaction with available online health resources and its impact on their well-being and anxiety levels. Methods: Employing descriptive phenomenology and convenience sampling, we conducted five Skype-based focus groups with 4-6 breast cancer survivors each, from March to July 2020. Data analysis was performed using NVivo, following Braun and Clark's inductive thematic analysis framework. Results: The thematic analysis revealed critical insights into survivors' interactions with online cancer resources, identifying key subthemes such as the quality of online information, cyberchondriasis, health literacy and search strategies, the distress caused by counterproductive searches, and the tendency to avoid internet searches. Conclusion: The study underscores the challenges breast cancer survivors face in accessing online health information, especially in Arabic. It highlights the need to improve the quality and accessibility of these resources. Enhancing the cultural relevance of online materials and educating patients on effective information evaluation are crucial. These measures can significantly boost health literacy, mitigate anxiety, and provide better support for breast cancer survivors.

Leveraging e-health for enhanced cancer care service models in middle-income contexts: Qualitative insights from oncology care providers.

Background: Global cancer research has predominantly favoured high-income countries (HICs). The unique challenges in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) demand tailored research approaches, accentuated further by the disparities highlighted during the COVID-19 pandemic. Aim and objectives: This research endeavoured to dissect the intricacies of cancer care in LMICs, with Jordan serving as a case study. Specifically, the study aimed to conduct an in-depth analysis of the prevailing cancer care model and assess the transformative potential of eHealth technologies in bolstering cancer care delivery. Methods: Utilising a qualitative methodology, in-depth semi-structured interviews with oncology healthcare professionals were executed. Data underwent inductive thematic analysis as per Braun and Clarke's guidelines. Results: From the analysed data, two dominant themes surfaced. Firstly, "The current state of cancer care delivery" was subdivided into three distinct subthemes. Secondly, "Opportunities for enhanced care delivery via e-health" underscored the urgency of digital health reforms. Conclusion: The need to restrategise cancer care in LMICs is highlighted by this study, using the Jordanian healthcare context as a reference. The transformative potential of e-health initiatives has been illustrated. However, the relevance of this study might be limited by its region-specific approach. Future research is deemed essential for deeper exploration into the integration of digital health within traditional oncology settings across diverse LMICs, emphasising the significance of telemedicine in digital-assisted care delivery reforms.

Evaluating the Effectiveness of Videos for Teaching Pharmaceutical Calculations to Pharmacy Students.

Performing pharmaceutical calculations accurately is a fundamental aspect of the pharmacy profession, ensuring treatment efficacy and patient safety. Incorporating videos in teaching can enhance visualisation and reinforce learning. The current study utilised videos to teach calculations and assessed how these affected students' performance. Initially, pharmacy students were surveyed at one UK University to identify calculation topics they found most challenging, and then two prototype videos were created based on these topics. Feedback was gathered through a follow-up survey on these prototypes, leading to the development of five additional videos. To evaluate the impact of these videos, students were given quizzes before and after watching them. The data were analysed in Microsoft Excel and included paired t-tests to compare mean scores, with significance set at p < 0.05. The survey was completed by 98/130 (75% response rate), with 58% expressing average or low confidence in calculations. A majority (78%) believed that videos would aid their comprehension of calculation concepts. In the subsequent phase, most respondents (92%, 80/87) agreed that the prototype videos improved their understanding of the two topics, but this increase was not statistically significant. However, quiz performance evaluation revealed a significant increase in average scores. This study affirms that videos can boost students' performance in calculations by allowing them to visualise the relevant practical scenarios.

Cancer care pathways across seven countries in Europe: What are the current obstacles? And how can artificial intelligence help?

BACKGROUND: Cancer poses significant challenges for healthcare professionals across the disease pathway including cancer imaging. This study constitutes part of the user requirement definition of INCISIVE EU project. The project has been designed to explore the full potential of artificial intelligence (AI)-based technologies in cancer imaging to streamline diagnosis and management. The study aimed to map cancer care pathways (breast, prostate, colorectal and lung cancers) across INCISIVE partner countries, and identify bottle necks within these pathways. METHODS: Email interviews were conducted with ten oncology specialised healthcare professionals representing INCISIVE partner countries: Greece, Cyprus, Spain, Italy, Finland, the United Kingdom (UK) and Serbia. A purposive sampling strategy was employed for recruitment and data was collected between December 2020 and April 2021. Data was entered into Microsoft Excel spreadsheet to allow content examination and comparative analysis. RESULTS: The analysed pathways all shared a common characteristic: inequalities in relation to delays in cancer diagnosis and treatment. All the studied countries, except the UK, lacked official national data about diagnostic and therapeutic delays. Furthermore, a considerable variation was noted regarding the availability of imaging and diagnostic services across the seven countries. Several concerns were also noted for inefficiencies/inequalities with regards to national screening for the four investigated cancer types. CONCLUSIONS: Delays in cancer diagnosis and treatment are an ongoing challenge and a source for inequalities. It is important to have systematic reporting of diagnostic and therapeutic delays in all countries to allow the proper estimation of its magnitude and support needed to address it. Our findings also support the orientation of the current policies towards early detection and wide scale adoption and implementation of cancer screening, through research, innovation, and technology. Technologies involving AI can have a great potential to revolutionise cancer care delivery. POLICY SUMMARY: This study highlights the widespread delay in cancer diagnosis across Europe and supports the need for, systematic reporting of delays, improved availability of imaging services, and optimised national screening programs. The goal is to enhance cancer care delivery, encourage early detection, and implement research, innovation, and AI-based technologies for improved cancer imaging.

Multilayer framework for digital multicomponent platform design for colorectal survivors and carers: a qualitative study.

Background: The advent of eHealth services offers the potential to support colorectal cancer (CRC) survivors and their informal caregivers (ICs), yet research into user needs and design requirements remains scant. This exploratory qualitative study addresses this knowledge gap by focusing on the development of a Digital Multicomponent Platform (DMP) designed to provide comprehensive support to these populations. Aims: The objective of this research is to use qualitative methodologies to identify key user needs and design requirements for eHealth services. It seeks to propose and apply a multi-tiered framework for creating a DMP that encapsulates the needs of CRC survivors and their ICs. Methods: Skype-based focus groups (FGs) were utilized to gather qualitative data from CRC survivors and ICs. This approach served to elicit crucial themes integral to the design of the DMP. A multi-tiered framework was subsequently developed to integrate user-centered design (UCD) principles and requirements with predetermined outcomes, eHealth services, and IT infrastructure. Results: The first stage of the analysis identified five crucial themes: (1) the importance of healthcare system interaction via eHealth, (2) interaction between healthcare providers and peers, (3) lifestyle and wellness considerations, (4) platform content and user interface requirements, (5) caregiver support. The second stage analysis applied the multi-tiered framework, to determine the DMP that was conceptualized from these themes, underscores the significance of personalized content, caregiver involvement, and integration with electronic health records (EHRs). Conclusion: The study offers novel insights into the design and development of digital supportive care interventions for CRC survivors and their caregivers. The results highlight the utility of user-centered design principles, the significance of personalized content and caregiver involvement, and the need for a unified health data platform that promotes communication among patients, healthcare providers, and peers. This multi-tiered framework could serve as a prototype for future eHealth service designs.

Cancer care at the time of the fourth industrial revolution: an insight to healthcare professionals' perspectives on cancer care and artificial intelligence.

BACKGROUND: The integration of Artificial Intelligence (AI) technology in cancer care has gained unprecedented global attention over the past few decades. This has impacted the way that cancer care is practiced and delivered across settings. The purpose of this study was to explore the perspectives and experiences of healthcare professionals (HCPs) on cancer treatment and the need for AI. This study is a part of the INCISIVE European Union H2020 project's development of user requirements, which aims to fully explore the potential of AI-based cancer imaging technologies. METHODS: A mixed-methods research design was employed. HCPs participating in cancer care in the UK, Greece, Italy, Spain, Cyprus, and Serbia were first surveyed anonymously online. Twenty-seven HCPs then participated in semi-structured interviews. Appropriate statistical method was adopted to report the survey results by using SPSS. The interviews were audio recorded, verbatim transcribed, and then thematically analysed supported by NVIVO. RESULTS: The survey drew responses from 95 HCPs. The occurrence of diagnostic delay was reported by 56% (n = 28/50) for breast cancer, 64% (n = 27/42) for lung cancer, 76% (n = 34/45) for colorectal cancer and 42% (n = 16/38) for prostate cancer. A proportion of participants reported the occurrence of false positives in the accuracy of the current imaging techniques used: 64% (n = 32/50) reported this for breast cancer, 60% (n = 25/42) for lung cancer, 51% (n = 23/45) for colorectal cancer and 45% (n = 17/38) for prostate cancer. All participants agreed that the use of technology would enhance the care pathway for cancer patients. Despite the positive perspectives toward AI, certain limitations were also recorded. The majority (73%) of respondents (n = 69/95) reported they had never utilised technology in the care pathway which necessitates the need for education and training in the qualitative finding; compared to 27% (n = 26/95) who had and were still using it. Most, 89% of respondents (n = 85/95) said they would be opened to providing AI-based services in the future to improve medical imaging for cancer care. Interviews with HCPs revealed lack of widespread preparedness for AI in oncology, several barriers to introducing AI, and a need for education and training. Provision of AI training, increasing public awareness of AI, using evidence-based technology, and developing AI based interventions that will not replace HCPs were some of the recommendations. CONCLUSION: HCPs reported favourable opinions of AI-based cancer imaging technologies and noted a number of care pathway concerns where AI can be useful. For the future design and execution of the INCISIVE project and other comparable AI-based projects, the characteristics and recommendations offered in the current research can serve as a reference.

Objective Assessment of Adherence and Inhaler Technique among Asthma and COPD Patients in London: A Study in Community Pharmacies Using an Electronic Monitoring Device.

BACKGROUND: The INhaler Compliance Assessment (INCATM) device is an electronic monitoring device (EMD) that assesses both patient's adherence and inhaler technique (IT). This study aimed, first, to assess the value of using the INCATM device as an objective measure during medicine use review (MUR) consultations provided by community pharmacists (CPs) on patients' adherence and IT. Second, we aimed to explore patients' perceptions about the INCATM device. METHODS: A mixed methods approach was used, involving two phases. Phase one was a service evaluation in independent community pharmacies in London with a before-and-after study design. The service included provision of an MUR consultation to asthma and COPD patients using objective feedback about adherence and IT generated with the INCATM device. Descriptive and inferential statistics were performed using SPSS. Phase two involved semi-structured interviews with respiratory patients. Thematic analysis was performed to generate key findings. MAIN FINDINGS: Eighteen patients participated in the study (12 COPD and 6 asthma). The results showed significant improvement in the INCATM actual adherence from 30% to 68% (p = 0.001) and significant reduction in IT error rate from 51% to 12% (p = 0.002) after conducting the service. Analysis of the interviews revealed patients' positive attitudes in terms of the perceived benefits of the technology and a desire for future use and recommendation for others. Patients had also positive attitudes towards the consultations provided. CONCLUSION: Embedding an objective measure about adherence and IT during CPs' consultations showed a significant improvement in patients' adherence and IT and was accepted by patients as well.

Cancer literacy among Jordanian colorectal cancer survivors and informal carers: Qualitative explorations.

Introduction: Cancer patients face a variety of challenges in understanding their diagnosis and treatment options. Making informed decisions requires health literacy. There is scant research on how colorectal cancer (CRC) survivors and their caregivers engage with healthcare systems and obtain cancer-related knowledge to maintain proper health literacy, which is crucial for enhancing their outcomes. Materials and methods: In-depth semi-structured interviews (IDIs) with CRC survivors (n = 15) and online focus groups (FG) with informal caregivers (ICs) were held in Amman between Jan-June 2020. In-depth interviews were conducted using semi-structured interview protocol that addressed the healthcare experience of CRC cancer survivors. FGs evaluated ICs' perspectives of e-health for cancer care support. IDIs and FGs were done in the local Jordanian Arabic dialect, which was then translated into English. Transcribed audio-recordings were thematically coded and framework analysis was used. Results: The findings are organized around a central concept of "exploring the level of literacy and its impact." From the overarching theme, three themes and subthemes emerged, including: (1) The current state of counseling and information provision, (2) The impact of lack of information, awareness, and literacy and (3) The health system's influence on literacy. Conclusions: Poor cancer literacy hinders patients throughout their cancer journey. Empowering cancer patients is crucial for a more timely and positive patient experience. Increased cancer literacy together with the creation of health-literate organizations and systems have the potential to improve patients' treatment throughout the continuum of care.

Latency of breast cancer stigma during survivorship and its influencing factors: A qualitative study.

Introduction: Breast cancer diagnosis and treatment have been shown in studies to have a negative impact on patients' physical, psychological, and social well-being, as well as overall quality of life. Psychologically, it's linked to sadness, anxiety, and demoralisation. Stigma contributes to the hidden burden of breast cancer as a chronic illness. Research on the elements that breast cancer survivors encounter as influences on stigma associated to the disease is lacking. Based on the lived experiences of breast cancer survivors, this study sought to investigate the factors that lead to the manifestations of both self- and public breast cancer stigma. Methods: Individual semi-structured interviews with 24 patients diagnosed with breast cancer were performed, followed by five focus groups with 25 patients diagnosed with breast cancer. Interviews were verbatim transcribed and analysed using thematic framework analysis. Results: Two major themes have emerged from the data: a) Breast cancer stigma among breast cancer survivors, highlighting the various manifestations of stigma and the variables that influence them; including disease-related factors, patients' views of cancer, public perceptions of breast cancer, family and interpersonal dynamics, and b) Stigma resilience and empowerment, emphasising the necessity of sociocultural transformation and coping strategies to preserve resilience. Conclusions: To improve the well-being of breast cancer survivors, practitioners and health policymakers should be aware of the breast cancer stigma that underpins patients' emotional and behavioural outlooks and its potential consequences on patients' quality of life. They need to develop interventions to address the different stages of cancer stigma taking into consideration sociocultural influences, norms, and beliefs.

SPUR-27 - Psychometric Properties of a Patient-Reported Outcome Measure of Medication Adherence in Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease.

Purpose: People living with COPD who struggle to take their medicines often experience poorer health outcomes such as exacerbations of symptoms, more frequent and lengthy hospital admissions, and worsening mortality rates. This study aimed to evaluate the psychometric properties of the previously validated SPUR-27 model, a multi-factorial model of medication adherence. Patients and Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted with 100 adult patients living with COPD in a hospital setting in Southwest London. Medication adherence was assessed using a shortened SPUR model (SPUR-27) against the validated Inhaler Adherence Scale (IAS) as a comparator. In addition, objective medication adherence data, presented as the Medication Possession Ratio (MPR), were derived from patient medical and pharmacy records. The COPD Assessment Tool (CAT) score was used to examine the relationship between medication adherence and COPD symptom severity. Reliability of SPUR-27 was assessed using internal consistency estimates. Exploratory factor analysis, partial confirmatory factor analysis, and maximum likelihood analysis were conducted in conjunction with construct, concurrent, and known-group validity testing to explore the psychometric properties of the SPUR model in this population. Results: A 7-factor model for SPUR-27 was derived with adequate factor loadings. SPUR (α=0.893) observed strong internal consistency (>0.8). The model was significantly positively correlated with IAS score (p<0.001) as well as MPR (p<0.01). A significant (p<0.01) relationship between poor medication adherence and worsening symptom severity, as defined by the CAT score, was identified for SPUR (χ 2 = 8.570) using Chi-Square analysis. Furthermore, SPUR-27 demonstrated early evidence of validity with good incremental fit indices: NFI (0.96), TFI (0.97), and CFI (0.93) were all reported as >0.9 in addition to the RMSEA, which was <0.08 (0.059). Conclusion: SPUR demonstrated strong psychometric properties in patients living with COPD. Further work should look to examine the test-retest reliability of the model and its application in broader sample populations.

SPUR: A Patient-Reported Medication Adherence Model as a Predictor of Admission and Early Readmission in Patients Living with Type 2 Diabetes.

Purpose: Poor medication adherence (MA) is linked to an increased likelihood of hospital admission. Early interventions to address MA may reduce this risk and associated health-care costs. This study aimed to evaluate a holistic Patient Reported Outcome Measure (PROM) of MA, known as SPUR, as a predictor of general admission and early readmission in patients living with Type 2 Diabetes. Patients and Methods: An observational study design was used to assess data collected over a 12-month period including 6-month retrospective and 6-month prospective monitoring of the number of admissions and early readmissions (admissions occurring within 30 days of discharge) across the cohort. Patients (n = 200) were recruited from a large South London NHS Trust. Covariates of interest included: age, ethnicity, gender, level of education, income, the number of medicines and medical conditions, and a Covid-19 diagnosis. A Poisson or negative binomial model was employed for count outcomes, with the exponentiated coefficient indicating incident ratios (IR) [95% CI]. For binary outcomes (Coefficient, [95% CI]), a logistic regression model was developed. Results: Higher SPUR scores (increased adherence) were significantly associated with a lower number of admissions (IR = 0.98, [0.96, 1.00]). The number of medical conditions (IR = 1.07, [1.01, 1.13]), age ≥80 years (IR = 5.18, [1.01, 26.55]), a positive Covid-19 diagnosis during follow-up (IR = 1.83, [1.11, 3.02]) and GCSE education (IR = 2.11, [1.15,3.87]) were factors associated with a greater risk of admission. When modelled as a binary variable, only the SPUR score (-0.051, [-0.094, -0.007]) was significantly predictive of an early readmission, with patients reporting higher SPUR scores being less likely to experience an early readmission. Conclusion: Higher levels of MA, as determined by SPUR, were significantly associated with a lower risk of general admissions and early readmissions among patients living with Type 2 Diabetes.

Digital Trends, Digital Literacy, and E-Health Engagement Predictors of Breast and Colorectal Cancer Survivors: A Population-Based Cross-Sectional Survey.

Introduction: Advances in information and communication technology (ICT) and post-COVID-19 tectonic changes in healthcare delivery have made it possible for cancer survivors to obtain disease-related information for remote management online rather than through healthcare providers. To comprehend and evaluate health information, digital literacy is crucial. Objectives: This study examined cancer survivors' information-seeking behaviour, information sources, digital health literacy, and digital trends, as well as potential determinants of e-health information receptivity and online resource use. Methods: A national 30-item cross-sectional survey using a representative random sample of cancer survivors from Jordan's cancer registry was conducted. Chi-square tests established categorical variable relationships. Using the mean and standard deviation, we calculated the Likert scale's ordinal data average. A p-value < 0.05 was statistically significant. Logistic regression identified predictors of interest in late-trajectory information acquisition and use of e-health platforms (apps, portals) for cancer self-management. Results: Lower digital literacy and electronic searching were associated with older age and lower income, education, and employment status (p ≤ 0.001). Digital literacy independently predicted m-health app use for remote management and interest in cancer supportive care information. Digitally literate survivors preferred the use of digital platforms (p ≤ 0.001). Information acquisition barriers included "reliability" (26%, n = 25) and "health information trustworthiness" (16.2%, n = 25). Following treatment completion, Internet-seeking behaviour decreased significantly when compared to the early cancer trajectory. Conclusion: Our findings imply that Jordanian cancer survivors' low digital literacy may hinder information acquisition and technology-enabled cancer care. Digital interventions for cancer survivors should be adaptable to varying levels of digital health literacy. Healthcare policymakers should recognise digital inequities and devise focused initiatives to bridge the digital divide while responding to the urgent need to digitalise cancer care delivery.

Assessing the digital literacy levels of the community pharmacy workforce using a survey tool.

OBJECTIVES: To investigate the digital literacy of staff in London, UK, community pharmacies and to explore their perceptions about the use of eHealth tools. METHODS: The study population was community pharmacy staff (N = 21,346) in Greater London. A survey tool was divided into six sections: Use of the internet; Use of social media; Use of mobile health applications (MHAs); Perception of and practical use of digital health tools; Scenario-based questions and demographics. Responses were analysed in SPSS. Following data collection, Health Education England's (HEE's) Digital Capabilities Framework (DCF) was published. The authors mapped the survey tool retrospectively to the framework. KEY FINDINGS: Almost all respondents (98.0%, n = 551/562) used eHealth tools at work, mainly to access medicine information (89.8%, n = 495/551). Almost one-third (31.7%, N = 178/562) used social media regularly, while many (79.4%, N = 446/562) were aware of MHAs. Self-perceived digital literacy indicated that 63.3% (n = 356/562) deemed themselves to be above average. Under 35s rated their digital literacy more highly than over 35s (P < 0.001). HEE's DCF indicated that actual digital literacy was lower than that of self-perceived. Despite the high use of eHealth tools, respondents were reluctant to recommend these to the public for health advice. CONCLUSIONS: Community pharmacy staff self-report their digital literacy to be high yet do not use these skills for public health purposes. Furthermore, these self-reported skills appear to be over-estimated. Despite high levels of use of digital tools at work, staff do not use them for public health, therefore, further training to build confidence to better utilise them is recommended.

An Observational Cohort Study to Evaluate the Impact of a Tailored Medicines Optimisation Service on Medication Use, Accident and Emergency Department Visits, and Admissions Among Patients Identified with Medication Support Needs in Secondary Care.

Purpose: Quantifying the impact of pharmacy interventions, such as tailored medicines optimisation, can be challenging owing to the sometimes-indirect nature of their effect on patient outcomes such A&E (Accident & Emergency) attendance, hospital admission and length of stay. This study aimed to assess the impact of the, Lewisham Integrated Medicines Optimisation Service (LIMOS) on medicines self-management, A&E attendances and hospital admissions. Patients and Methods: The study was conducted as a retrospective and prospective observational evaluation of patients referred to LIMOS at University Hospital Lewisham between April and September 2016. Only patients with an appropriate referral that received a LIMOS intervention within the study period were considered eligible. The main outcomes examined pre- and post-LIMOS included medicines self-management, A&E attendance, number of admissions, as well as length of stay. Results: Data were collected for a total of 193 patients. Over half (56.4%, n = 109) identified as female with a mean age of 78 years at the time of referral. The number of hospital admissions decreased significantly post-LIMOS (-0.36 ± 1.87, 95% CI -0.63-0.10). Furthermore, the mean reduction in length of stay was significant and decreased by over a week (19.58 vs 11.09 days post-LIMOS, -7.67 ± 48.57, 95% CI -14.57--0.78). There was a significant increase in A&E visits observed post-intervention (0.78 ± 1.93, 95% CI 0.50-1.06); however, the majority (63%, n =165/261) occurred over 90 days post-intervention. There was a significant reduction in the number of patients self-managing medication post-LIMOS, with the number of patients receiving additional support with their medication increasing (-0.38 ± 0.50, 95% CI -0.45--0.31). LIMOS, therefore, successfully identified patients who were unable to manage their medicines. Conclusion: Specialist pharmacy interventions, which include support with medicines management, have a positive impact on admission avoidance and length of hospital stay.

Developing and evaluating training for pharmacists to offer a pharmacy-led public health service in primary care.

BACKGROUND: Currently in Greece, no formal organisation offers post-academic education to pharmacists. To improve the clinical practice of pharmacists, there is a need for training that will educate them on how to approach and consult their patients. The study aimed to evaluate the training required by pharmacists to offer a pharmacy-led weight management service in Greece. METHODS: The study consisted of 3 phases. During the first phase educational needs of the participating pharmacists were identified. A pre-training quiz was given consisting of 14 questions to investigate the participating pharmacists' knowledge on guidance, causes and facts of obesity. The second phase comprised the training design and delivery. The final phase dealt with training evaluation (27 questions in total), which included the perceived rating of knowledge and confidence levels pre- and post-training, and a post-training quiz (the same as the pre-training quiz). The post-evaluation questionnaire and the quiz (pre- and post-training) results were entered into SPSS Version 23 for statistical analysis. RESULTS: The mean total quiz score was 6.38 (SD = 2.56) pre-training compared to 11.92 (SD = 1.20) post-training (P < 0.001). Nearly all community pharmacists, 96.2% (n = 25) stated that they had an excellent/good experience and 88.5% (n = 23) strongly agreed/agreed that their expectations were met. CONCLUSIONS: Training delivered was well received and it enhanced participants' knowledge on the topic. Limitations include the small number of participating pharmacists and investigation of short-term training effects only. Due to the positive outcomes of the training, however, it has the potential to become a model for Greek pharmacists to offer different pharmacy-led public health services.

Experiences of cancer survivors in Europe: Has anything changed? Can artificial intelligence offer a solution?

Introduction: Cancer is a major global health issue. Despite technological advancements in oncology, challenges remain in many aspects related to cancer management. This study constitutes one part of the user requirement definition of INCISIVE EU H2020 project, which has been designed to explore the full potential of artificial intelligence (AI) based technologies in cancer imaging. The study aimed to explore cancer survivors' experiences of cancer care in five European countries. Methods: A qualitative study employing semi-structured interviews was conducted. A purposive sampling strategy was used to recruit participants across the five validation countries of INCISIVE project: Greece, Cyprus, Spain, Italy, and Serbia. Forty cancer survivors were interviewed between November 2020 and March 2021. Data was analysed thematically using the framework approach and coded using NVivo12 software. Results: The analysis yielded several gaps within the cancer care pathway which reflected on the participants experiences. Five key themes were revealed; (1) perceived challenges during the cancer journey, (2) the importance of accurate and prompt diagnosis, (3) perceived need for improving cancer diagnosis, (4) absence of well-established/designated support services within the pathway and (5) suggestions to improve cancer care pathway. Conclusion: Cancer survivors experienced significant burdens pertaining to cancer diagnosis and treatment. Our findings underscored some main gaps within the cancer care pathway which contributed to the challenges articulated by the participants including lack of resources and delays in diagnostic and treatment intervals. Additionally, several suggestions were provided by the cancer survivors which could be considered towards the improvement of the current state of care, some of which can be optimised using new technologies involving AI such as the one proposed by INCISIVE.

A Systematic Analysis of Reviews Exploring the Scope, Validity, and Reporting of Patient-Reported Outcomes Measures of Medication Adherence in Type 2 Diabetes.

Introduction: Non-adherence to medicines is estimated to cost billions to healthcare providers across the US and Europe each year. Addressing medication adherence (MA) can be challenging. Patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs) have been developed to collect self-reported data on MA, among other behaviours. Despite the myriad PROMs available and their widespread implementation in research, there is little commentary or standardization on the way they are reported, or their validity assessed. This review aims to provide a comprehensive analysis of systematic reviews (SRs) that report PROMs of MA with a focus on type 2 diabetes to explore PROM reporting and validity. Materials and Methods: A literature search was conducted using the following databases: PubMed, EMBASE, CINAHL, Cochrane, and Web of Science. SRs reporting on PROMs related to MA behaviour in patients living with type 2 diabetes were included. Any SR published in English prior to December 2021 was included. Abstract and title screening were performed prior to full-text review by two independent researchers with discrepancies managed by a third. Protocols and SRs reporting on paediatric populations were excluded. Results: A total of 19 eligible SRs that included 241 unique PROM studies were captured from the initial 2074 records that were identified. Data were captured across a 30-year scope, with roughly half (47.4%, n=9/19) of the SRs published in the last 5 years. In total, 104 unique PROMs were identified. Inclusion of non-validated PROMs was identified in 63.2% (n=12/19) of the included SRs, and reporting issues were identified in 47.3% of studies (n=114/241). A lower journal impact factor was significantly associated with a higher prevalence of validity issues (r=0.44, p=0.04). Conclusion: There are a broad range of available PROMs; however, they have been reported inconsistently in the literature, often lacking significant evidence with respect to validity criteria. Standardization of reporting and assessments of validity may help to address this.

Development of the SPUR tool: a profiling instrument for patient treatment behavior.

BACKGROUND: Long-term treatment adherence is a worldwide concern, with nonadherence resulting from a complex interplay of behaviors and health beliefs. Determining an individual's risk of nonadherence and identifying the drivers of that risk are crucial for the development of successful interventions for improving adherence. Here, we describe the development of a new tool assessing a comprehensive set of characteristics predictive of patients' treatment adherence based on the Social, Psychological, Usage and Rational (SPUR) adherence framework. Concepts from existing self-reporting tools of adherence-related behaviors were identified following a targeted MEDLINE literature review and a subset of these concepts were then selected for inclusion in the new tool. SPUR tool items, simultaneously generated in US English and in French, were tested iteratively through two rounds of cognitive interviews with US and French patients taking long-term treatments for chronic diseases. The pilot SPUR tool, resulting from the qualitative analysis of patients' responses, was then adapted to other cultural settings (China and the UK) and subjected to further rounds of cognitive testing. RESULTS: The literature review identified 27 relevant instruments, from which 49 concepts were included in the SPUR tool (Social: 6, Psychological: 13, Usage: 11, Rational: 19). Feedback from US and French patients suffering from diabetes, multiple sclerosis, or breast cancer (n = 14 for the first round; n = 16 for the second round) indicated that the SPUR tool was well accepted and consistently understood. Minor modifications were implemented, resulting in the retention of 45 items (Social: 5, Psychological: 14, Usage: 10, Rational: 16). Results from the cognitive interviews conducted in China (15 patients per round suffering from diabetes, breast cancer or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease) and the UK (15 patients suffering from diabetes) confirmed the validity of the tool content, with no notable differences being identified across countries or chronic conditions. CONCLUSION: Our qualitative analyses indicated that the pilot SPUR tool is a promising model that may help clinicians and health systems to predict patient treatment behavior. Further steps using quantitative methods are needed to confirm its predictive validity and other psychometric properties.

Informational needs and predictors of Jordanian breast and colorectal cancer survivors: a national cross-sectional study.

PURPOSE: To investigate the informational gap and predictors of information-seeking behaviour amongst survivors to inform survivorship planning and supportive cancer services for the population. METHODS: A national cross-sectional survey of breast and colorectal cancer survivors was conducted in 2020 using a representative sample of those diagnosed in 2015/2016 as recruited from Jordan's Cancer Registry (JCR). Participants responded to a 3-domain questionnaire: background information (9 items); information typologies (13 items) measured on a 5-point Likert scale (from very interested to extremely not interested); timing of developing the information needs (13 items) (ranging from immediately after diagnosis to after recurrence). Logistic regression was used to determine the independent association between demographics and information-seeking behaviour amongst survivors. The chi-square test was employed to examine the association between categorical variables. ANOVA was used to compare the means of interest in cancer-related information between more than two groups. RESULTS: Results show a relatively high overall information needs amongst survivors (3.68 ± 1.53). The most prevalent typologies were cancer staging (3.77 ± 1.593), treatment options (3.76 ± 1.55), and doctors' communications (3.73 ± 1.62). ANOVA revealed no statistically significant differences between cancer types. 55.8% of patients desired information immediately after diagnosis and 23.3% developed their needs within 2 months. There was a statistically significant difference across all information typologies and educational attainment, age groups, monthly income, and employment (P < 0.05). Age was the only independent predictor of high information requirements amongst cancer survivors. CONCLUSION: Survivors reported high cancer information needs, suggesting that they may have been under-informed. Effective health communication programmes should be implemented to meet the informational needs.

The PRACTICE framework for organising and delivering a learning event for pharmacists' lifelong learning.

INTRODUCTION: To date, there is no unified model in Great Britain (GB), or globally, that provides consistency in planning, delivering, and evaluating learning events, that can support pharmacists' lifelong learning. This poses ongoing challenges for quality assurance and standardisation. The aim of this study is to present the development and validation of a framework to support the planning, delivery, and evaluation of learning events. METHODS: Development and design of the framework was a result of using triangulating methods capturing data from previous studies. Primary validation included face validation and content validation. Secondary validation involved using a think-aloud systematic process. Finally, the framework was trialed in practice by organising, delivering, and evaluating a learning event, following its guidelines. RESULTS: Initially, the PRACTICE framework included 48 statements. The content validity of the framework was 0.9. Think-aloud interventions resulted in changes to the number and clarity of statements, along with their position in the framework. The final PRACTICE framework consists of 51 statements and was successfully trialed in a face-to-face training event. CONCLUSIONS: The PRACTICE framework is an instrument supported by validation evidence and has been shown to be used effectively. Although the PRACTICE framework was created primarily for pharmacists, validation showed it can also be used for organising training events for other health care professionals. Future organisation and delivery of events according to the framework will continue to provide evidence about use in different settings.