NCT03262337

Brief Summary

New mobile Health (mHealth) technology creates an opportunity to approach travel medicine research in a different way, revolutionising our understanding of risks to travellers. Using mHealth technology, the Epidemiology, Biostatistics and Prevention Institute (EBPI), University of Zurich (UZH), developed a TRAVEL app in collaboration with the Eidgnössische Technische Hochschule (ETH) Zurich. By using this new technology, an extensive collection of data (prospective collection of individual travel behaviour and experienced health events, mapping the travel itinerary via global positioning system (GPS), linking to publicly available local weather data and data on disease endemicity) can be combined and an unprecedented abundance of information on travel behaviour and experienced risks can be obtained. These data will allow a much better understanding of travel risk profiles using cluster analysis. By simultaneously recording health outcomes, the relationship between travel risk profiles and health events can be assessed. In this study, the investigators will address several major shortcomings in travel health in tropical and subtropical destinations by improving the understanding of poorly assessed and potentially underestimated health threats (e.g. risk of accidents and injury, mental health disorders), and travel risks specific to elderly travellers and travellers with chronic conditions. These findings will directly feed back into individual travel advice given by practitioners in Switzerland and finally world-wide.

Trial Health

87
On Track

Trial Health Score

Automated assessment based on enrollment pace, timeline, and geographic reach

Enrollment
793

participants targeted

Target at P75+ for all trials

Timeline
Completed

Started Sep 2017

Typical duration for all trials

Geographic Reach
1 country

2 active sites

Status
completed

Health score is calculated from publicly available data and should be used for screening purposes only.

Trial Relationships

Click on a node to explore related trials.

Study Timeline

Key milestones and dates

First Submitted

Initial submission to the registry

August 16, 2017

Completed
9 days until next milestone

First Posted

Study publicly available on registry

August 25, 2017

Completed
24 days until next milestone

Study Start

First participant enrolled

September 18, 2017

Completed
1.5 years until next milestone

Primary Completion

Last participant's last visit for primary outcome

March 31, 2019

Completed
2 years until next milestone

Study Completion

Last participant's last visit for all outcomes

March 31, 2021

Completed
Last Updated

April 29, 2021

Status Verified

October 1, 2017

Enrollment Period

1.5 years

First QC Date

August 16, 2017

Last Update Submit

April 27, 2021

Conditions

Travel HealthMobile Health Technology (mHealth)Elderly TravelersChronic Diseased TravelersRisk Behavior

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (1)

  • Self-reported risk behaviors

    The study participant will report on daily risk behaviors prior to, during and after travel in a daily app-based questionnaire

    for a maximum of 4 weeks during travel

Secondary Outcomes (1)

  • Self-reported symptoms

    for a maximum of 4 weeks during travel

Study Arms (3)

Elderly Travelers

approximately 135 travelers with an age \>= 60 years will be enrolled

Other: none, this is an observational study

Chronic diseased travelers

approximately 225 travelers with a chronic disease will be enrolled

Other: none, this is an observational study

Healthy travelers

approximately 640 healthy travelers with be enrolled

Other: none, this is an observational study

Interventions

none, this is an observational studyOTHER

none, this is an observational study

Chronic diseased travelersElderly TravelersHealthy travelers

Eligibility Criteria

Age18 Years+
Sexall
Age GroupsAdult (18-64), Older Adult (65+)
Sampling MethodNon-Probability Sample
Study Population

Study recruitment will be conducted at the University of Zurich Travel Clinic and the Travel Clinic at the Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute. That means that individuals seeking pre-travel advice at one of the two Travel Clinics will be asked to participate based inclusion criteria defined above. Furthermore, patients with chronic diseases will be referred to the Travel Clinics by various specialized clinics at the University Hospitals of Zurich and Basel (Gastroenterology, Rheumatology, Pneumology, Cardiology)

You may qualify if:

  • Informed Consent
  • Traveler to Thailand, China, India, Brazil, Peru or Tanzania
  • German-speaking (level 3 or higher)
  • Literate (able to read and write in German - level 3 or higher)
  • Capable of operating Smartphone application for data collection
  • Traveling to Thailand, China, India, Brazil, Peru or Tanzania for ≤ 4 weeks

Contact the study team to confirm eligibility.

Sponsors & Collaborators

Study Sites (2)

Andreas Neumayr

Basel, Canton of Basel-City, 4051, Switzerland

Location

University of Zurich, Epidemiology, Biostatistics and Prevention Institute, Travel Clinic

Zurich, 8001, Switzerland

Location

Related Publications (1)

  • Farnham A, Blanke U, Stone E, Puhan MA, Hatz C. Travel medicine and mHealth technology: a study using smartphones to collect health data during travel. J Travel Med. 2016 Sep 4;23(6):taw056. doi: 10.1093/jtm/taw056. Print 2016 Jun.

    PMID: 27592821BACKGROUND

MeSH Terms

Conditions

Risk-Taking

Condition Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Behavior

Study Officials

  • Silja Bühler, Dr.

    University of Zurich

    PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR

Study Design

Study Type
observational
Observational Model
COHORT
Time Perspective
PROSPECTIVE
Sponsor Type
OTHER
Responsible Party
SPONSOR

Study Record Dates

First Submitted

August 16, 2017

First Posted

August 25, 2017

Study Start

September 18, 2017

Primary Completion

March 31, 2019

Study Completion

March 31, 2021

Last Updated

April 29, 2021

Record last verified: 2017-10

Data Sharing

IPD Sharing
Will not share

Locations

CH(2)