The IBD Helper

What is this research looking at? 

People with Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) do not always take their medicines as prescribed. It has been previously shown that this is due to a combination of factors: 

• Practical barriers – for example, they may forget to take their medicines. 
• Perceptual barriers – for example, they may fear side-effects or feel the medicines are unnecessary. 

Every person has their own mixture of perceptual and practical barriers which affect their medication adherence. 

In this study, the researchers wanted to make an online tool to help people overcome these barriers, and then test how well it worked.  The tool, entitled ‘The IBD Helper’ was tested on IBD patients taking either azathioprine or mesalazine, who were recruited using the Crohn’s and Colitis UK website, social media pages, and NHS clinics.   The information on the IBD Helper was personally tailored for each of the patients, and for the medication they were on, and was designed to try to overcome perceptual barriers, as well as counteract any myths and misconceptions.  

Conclusions: 

The researchers successfully developed an online tool for people with IBD.  They found that online, tailored information appeared to be able to change people’s perceptual barriers towards taking their medication.  This is important, as medication adherence can reduce flare-ups and increase quality of life in people with IBD. Further research is needed to provide evidence of the cost effectiveness of this IBD Helper, and the long term impact on clinical outcomes for IBD patients.  

What do researchers think this could mean for people with IBD? 

It is important that people with IBD continue to take their medication - The IBD Helper could help people with IBD to manage their medication in a more effective manner.  

Who leading the research: Prof Rob Horne, University of London
Our funding: £110,541 over 24 months
Official title of the application: “Development of an online intervention to address perceptual and practical barriers to medication adherence in IBD.”
Tags: technology/personalised care