By Elizabeth Murray1, FRCGP, PhD; Zarnie Khadjesari1, MSc; Ian R White2,
MSc; Eleftheria Kalaitzaki3, MSc; Christine Godfrey4, BA; Jim McCambridge5,
PhD; Simon G Thompson2, DSc; Paul Wallace1, FRCGP
1E-health Unit, University College London, Archway Campus, Highgate Hill,
London, UK
2Medical Research Council Biostatistics Unit, Cambridge, UK
3Medical Research Council General Practice Research Framework, London, UK
4Department of Health Sciences, University of York, York, UK
5London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, UK
Corresponding Author:
Elizabeth Murray, FRCGP, PhD
University College London
Director, E-health Unit
Archway Campus, Highgate Hill
London N19 5LW
UK
Phone: +44 (0) 20 7288 3475
Fax: + 44 (0) 20 7281 8004
Email: Elizabeth.murray [at] pcps.ucl.ac.uk
ABSTRACT
Health care and health care services are increasingly being delivered over
the Internet. There is a strong argument that interventions delivered online
should also be evaluated online to maximize the trial’s external validity.
Conducting a trial online can help reduce research costs and improve some
aspects of internal validity. To date, there are relatively few trials of health
interventions that have been conducted entirely online. In this paper we
describe the major methodological issues that arise in trials (recruitment,
randomization, fidelity of the intervention, retention, and data quality), consider
how the online context affects these issues, and use our experience of one
online trial evaluating an intervention to help hazardous drinkers drink less
(DownYourDrink) to illustrate potential solutions. Further work is needed to
develop online trial methodology.
(J Med Internet Res 2009;11(1):e9)
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