Dr. Linda Li and her team receive funding from CIHR to improve her ANSWER tool with ANSWER-2. The ANSWER tool was created by Dr. Li and her team from the University of British Columbia, Arthritis Research Centre of Canada, University of Ottawa and the Centre for Digital Media. It is designed to help individuals living with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) determine if Methotrexate is the right treatment option for them. Our Knowledge Broker, Alison Hoens, was interviewed about her experience, as a person with RA, on using ANSWER. Read about her experience on the Graphics, Animation and New Media (GRAND) website
A unique feature of ANSWER-2 will be its subsequent integration into an online RA Patient Passport that tracks patients’ health status and allows them to communicate this information with their health professionals. Developed by members of this team in collaboration with Vancouver General Hospital and Vancouver Costal Health Authority, the Patient Passport can be accessed by patients at their preferred time and location.
The development process of ANSWER-2 will involve:
1) Creating a storyline and scripts based on the best evidence on the use of biologics and other management options in RA, and the contextual factors that affect a patient’s decision to use a treatment.
2) Developing the ANSWER-2 prototype
3) Conducting usability tests with 15 patients and refining the prototype
4) Conducting a study with 55 patients with RA, who have received a new prescription of a biologic agent. Participants will be asked to complete an online questionnaire to assess their decisional conflict, medication knowledge and self-efficacy before and after using the ANSWER-2. They will also be asked to declare their preferred treatment choice after using the decision aid. One month later, they will participate in a telephone interview about their experience in using the ANSWER-2 and their subsequent discussion with physicians about the preferred treatment option.
A reviewer of the grant application stated “The ANSWER-2 study is interesting and the process could be applied to many other areas of health care other drugs, tests and procedures.”