M-OncoEd

M-OncoEd: Oncology Education and Training for Providers using Mobile Phones

NCI Grant Number: 1R21CA224387-01

Study Team:

Dr. Sujha Subramanian, Principle Investigator, RTI International
Dr. Regi Jose, India Lead Investigator, Medical Director, Snehita Women’s health Foundation.

Project Duration: December 1, 2017 – November 30, 2019

Summary:

Low and middle income countries are experiencing a substantial increase in cancer incidence, with India very much in the epicenter of this explosive growth. A large percentage of cancers are detected at a late stage in India, and active engagement of primary care providers can have a significant impact on cancer outcomes. There is low level of awareness of cancer risk factors, symptoms, and appropriate use of screening approaches for early detection of cancers among primary care providers. Mobile health based oncology education can serve as a powerful tool for offering e-learning opportunities to physicians, as mobile technology is widely available and inexpensive, and it can provide training on demand. We propose to develop a mobile application (M-OncoED) to educate physicians on cancer risk factors, symptoms, and screening approaches.

We have assembled a multidisciplinary team of researchers with expertise in mobile technology development, evaluation research, and oncology training. RTI international will collaborate with the World Health Organization’s International Agency for Research on Cancer and Indian partners, Snehita Women’s Health Foundation, ZOVOZ Technologies Pvt Ltd, Government Medical College-Trivandrum, Sree Gokulum Medical College, State NCD division Government of Kerala Health services , Regional Cancer Centre Trivandrum and the Indian Medical Association to implement the intervention. Successful completion of the study aims will provide the evidence base for using mobile applications to train providers to improve oncology care. This study will also lay the foundations to design and conduct large scale studies to further refine the mobile application and systematically assess the impact of the training tool in changing physician behavior to reduce the burden from cancer. Furthermore, the M-OncoED application will serve as a platform for expanding features to provide training to a wider group of providers, including nurses and community health workers. The framework provided in this grant application can be used to tailor the mobile application as required to be successfully deployed in other settings.