The prevalence of technology in healthcare is rapidly expanding. People of all ages with long-term health conditions (LTCs) increasingly rely on health technology for self-management, with remote clinical support and monitoring becoming the norm, particularly during the COVID-19 pandemic. Consequently, more children, young people (CYP) and families rely on health technology to manage their LTCs. 

However, our recent scoping review exploring CYP’s needs and concerns about health technology use (1), found that many studies do not involve CYP in health technology design, development, evaluation, and implementation. Studies that involved CYP reported their concerns as: labelling and stigma associated with using technology for LTCs; privacy and reliability; accessibility; and trustworthiness. There is also no conceptual framework that guides the development of health technology for use by CYP.

(1) Blower S, Swallow V, Maturana C, … Martin-Kerry, J. Arch Dis Child. 2020;105(11):1093-1104.

The aim of this project is to develop a regional consortium focused on improving research involving CYP and health technology within Yorkshire to actively plan future research priorities together.

Objectives 

1. Establish a regional consortium to discuss key issues about how CYP are informed about health technology, including delivery in the context of families;
2. Undertake a scoping review to explore the positive elements of health technology design and implementation for CYP and families;
3. Advance the field by developing recommendations and research objectives for a research proposal to develop a conceptual framework for use when developing health technology for CYP. 

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If you decide to take part, please see below information sheet

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Lead Academic at Lead Institution:  
Dr Jackie Martin-Kerry, Department of Health Sciences, University of York (ECR)  

 

Lead Academics at other two universities:
Professor Zoe Marshman, School of Clinical Dentistry, University of Sheffield
Associate Professor Ian Kellar, University of Leeds

Other staff
Sheffield:  
Dr Sarab El-Yousfi, School of Clinical Dentistry (ECR)
Dr Fiona Noble, School of Clinical Dentistry (ECR)

York:  
Dr Bob Phillips, Centre for Research and Dissemination
Dr Jess Morgan, Centre for Research and Dissemination

Leeds:  
Ms Lucy Prodgers, School of Psychology (ECR)
Ms Madeleine Pownall, School of Psychology (ECR)
Dr Kara Gray-Burrows, School of Dentistry (ECR)

Other partners:
Dr Clare Bartlett, NIHR Children and Young People MedTech Co-operative
Nathaniel Mills, NIHR Devices for Dignity MedTech Co-operative and NIHR Children and Young People MedTech Co-operative, Programme Manager  | Devices for Dignity HTC | NIHR MedTech & In Vitro diagnostics Co-operatives (MICs)
Ms Rosemary Court, Sheffield Hallam University (ECR)
Professor Paul Dimitri, Sheffield Children’s Hospital
Professor Steven Higgins, University of Durham
Mr Simon Stones (ECR)
Professor Veronica Swallow, Sheffield Hallam University

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