Policy on Optimized Epilepsy Management: The Use of an Online Social Media Platform to Collect Patient-Entered Data in the Veteran Population
Trial Snapshot
- Phase
- Not Applicable
- Sponsor
- Enrollment
- 200
- Locations
- 2
- Primary Endpoint
- Epilepsy Self-Management
Study Overview
Brief Summary
This study examines the use of an online social media platform (PatientsLikeMe) to assist Veterans with epilepsy. The hypothesis is that the online social media platform, PatientsLikeMe, will improve selected patient-reported outcomes on perceived self-management skills for patients who engage in the website functions.
Study Design
- Study Type
- Interventional
- Allocation
- Na
- Intervention Model
- Single Group
- Masking
- None
Eligibility Criteria
- Ages
- 18 Years to — (Adult, Older Adult)
- Sex
- All
- Accepts Healthy Volunteers
- Yes
Inclusion Criteria
- •US Veteran
- •Epilepsy (Seizure Disorder)
- •>18 years
Exclusion Criteria
- Not provided
Arms & Interventions
PLM
Upon consenting to the study, participants will be asked to register an account on PatientsLikeMe; no personal identifiers will be required. As part of registration patients create a user name and password for the website and share their email with PatientsLikeMe. Participants will be asked to provide a set of demographic variables and to complete a survey assessing elements of self-management, disease knowledge, social support, and quality of life. Paticipants will then use the PatientsLikeMe website for 6 weeks as much as they wish. After 6 weeks the participants are asked to complete a second survey.
Intervention: PatientsLikeMe.com (Behavioral)
Outcomes
Primary Outcomes
Epilepsy Self-Management
Time Frame: 6 weeks
The Epilepsy Self-Management Scale (ESMS) is a 38 item scale that assesses "frequency of use of epilepsy self-management practices." A 5-point Likert scale asks participants to respond from never to always. The scale includes 5 subscales that measure medication management, Information management, Safety management, Seizure management, and Lifestyle Management. Higher scores indicate more frequent use of self-management strategies. The scale and its subscale have been previously validated and used in similar studies.
Epilepsy Self-Efficacy
Time Frame: 6 weeks
The Epilepsy Self-Efficacy Scale is a 33-item scale that measures "aspects of efficacy in the self-management of epilepsy". An 11-point Likert rating scale asks participants to choose from 0, I cannot do at all to 10, sure I can do. The scale contains three dimensions: 1) self-efficacy for medication management, 2) self-efficacy for seizure management and 3) self-efficacy for general management issues. Higher scores correspond to higher levels of self-efficacy. The scale has been validated and used in similar studies of website interventions for epilepsy patients.
Secondary Outcomes
- Epilepsy Self-Management Information Scale(6 weeks)
Investigators
Dr. John Hixson
Assistant Professor of Clinical Neurology
San Francisco Veterans Affairs Medical Center