Mine Symptomer

THE eASY RESEARCH PROGRAMME

The eASY research programme is an umbrella over several eHealth and primary care projects for persistent physical symptoms (PPS). The first digital treatment programme developed was My Symptoms. The subsequent projects have been developed based on this treatment programme. Please see the separate webpages for a detailed description of the individual projects.

The development of My Symptoms has followed the guidelines from the UK Medical Research Council (MRC):

1. Our first aim was to develop an intervention targeting PPS in primary care based on involvement of GPs and patients, scientific evidence, and clinical excellence (2018-2020).
2. The second aim was to optimise the treatment programme using iterative circles of testing and user feedback on content, navigation, and usability (2020-2021).
3. The third aim was to test the feasibility of the programme in a small number of general practices (2022).
4. Our final aim, now an ongoing project, is to implement My Symptoms version 1.0 and evaluate GP and patient outcomes in a before-and-after study alongside this implementation (2023-2026).

Introductory video from My Symptoms version 1.0 [2:23 min]

New developments

• Parallel to aims 2-4 (above), a second eHealth programme targeting PPS in young people was developed using a redesign process.
• At present, we are exploring whether My Symptoms may be redesigned to address symptoms related to stress-induced sick leave in the workplace.
• In 2023, we received funding to develop an assistance package in order for primary care staff to provide minimal guidance to facilitate patient engagement.

We expect the interventions to:

• improve patient health and quality of life
• reduce loss of work capability
• reduce referrals to secondary healthcare.

CURRENT STATUS

So far, the eASY research programme has resulted in the following products:

• an internet-based self-help programme My Symptoms (version 1.0) for adults
• a one-day training course for GPs
• a one-hour training course for general practice, including clinical staff
• an internet-based self-help programme My Symptoms Young (version 1.0) for 15-20 year-old young people.

My Symptoms has been subject to quality assurance testing and several rounds of usability tests. My Symptoms and the training courses have all undergone feasibility tests and are currently ready for the first round of implementation in routine practice.

The knowledge gained from the eASY research programme has been disseminated in scientific and professional settings in order to make a profound contribution to both the research community and daily clinical practice. Additionally, a broad dissemination strategy targeting general practice and decision makers has been initiated to familiarise stakeholders with the treatment programmes and to ensure endorsement to its national implementation. See publications.

FUNDING

The eASY research programme was originally funded by Innovation Fund Denmark and TrygFonden. My Symptoms also received support from the North Denmark Region, the Quality Improvement Committee for General Practice in the Region of Southern Denmark and the Central Denmark Region, the National Foundation for General Practice, and Helsefonden. My Symptoms has received a total of DKK 22 million/EUR 3 million. The eASY research programme continues to receive funding for subsidiary and associated projects, e.g. My Symptoms Young has received DKK 7 million/EUR 1 million by TrygFonden, the joint regional fund under Danish Regions, Independent Research Fund Denmark and the Quality Improvement Committee of the Region of Southern Denmark.

ORGANISATION

The eASY research programme is headed by a steering committee. The development and research team is an interdisciplinary team including doctors, psychologists, anthropologists, healthcare economists, health service researchers, scientific experts on eHealth and participatory design, and statisticians, all at the level of senior scientists. The team is supervised by the steering committee and also has an advisory board consisting of GPs, highly specialised researchers, and patient representatives. Furthermore, the team collaborates with representatives from organisations linked to general practice, the Danish Regions, and regional quality improvement organisations in the Region of Southern Denmark, the Central Denmark Region, and the North Denmark Region.

Denmark holds a leading position within interventions for PPS, and we build on years of experience with collaborative research between the Danish Research Units for General Practice, the Research Clinic for Functional Disorders, Aarhus University Hospital, and the School of Culture and Society, Aarhus University. The Research Clinic for Functional Disorders launched its first large trial in primary care in Europe in 2000 including GP training and interventions on symptoms. Since then, the research clinic has gained experience within a variety of treatment methods including internet-based treatment for functional disorders and health anxiety.

Development and research team

General practitioners and patients from the Region of Southern Denmark and the Central Denmark Region.

Former contributors

• Nicolaj Knudsen, web developer, MSc
• Pernille Ravn Jakobsen, MSc, PhD
• Helene Scott-Fordsmand, MA in philosophy, PhD
• Jane Clemensen, Professor, MScN, PhD
• Julie Høgsgaard Andersen, MSc, PhD
• Thomas Tandrup Lamm, MSc, PhD-student

Steering committee

Advisory board