Acne Care Online (ACO): feasibility and full scale randomised controlled trials of a digital behaviour change intervention to improve acne-related quality of life amongst 13-25 year olds
Acne vulgaris
In both the feasibility and full scale trials, recruited participants will be randomised using the LifeGuide software hosting the digital intervention into one of two groups: Intervention arm (immediate access to Acne Care Online): 1. Sign-up, consent, screening, baseline measures and randomisation (all completed online) – approx. 15-20 mins 2. Use of Acne Care Online – duration completed self-determined by participant – participant is able to use as much or as little as preferred within the 12 month study period 3. Follow-up measures at 4 subsequent time points: 12 weeks, 24 weeks, 36 weeks and 52 weeks – approx. 10-15 mins each time Usual care arm (Access to standard care, sign-posting to NHS Acne advice, access to Acne Care Online after 12 month study period): 1. Sign-up, consent, screening, baseline measures and randomisation (all completed online) – approx. 15-20 mins 2. Access NHS Acne advice (optional) – duration self-determined by participant 3. Follow-up measures at 4 subsequent time points: 12 weeks, 24 weeks, 36 weeks and 52 weeks – approx. 10-15 mins each time Randomisation will be completed by the LifeGuide software that will be hosting Acne Care Online. Acne Care Online is a digital behaviour change intervention including advice, support and interactive tools to support effective self-management of acne.
1. Aged 13-25 years with self-defined acne with current active lesions (i.e. mild or worse on self-assessment scale) 2. Have internet access For primary care recruitment GPs will invite potential participants via database searches that will identify patients aged 13 to 25 years who either: 1. Have been prescribed a topical treatment for acne or co-cyprindiol in the previous 12 months or 2. Have a diagnostic code for acne on their electronic record over the previous 12 months either with or without having been prescribed an oral tetracycline or erythromycin in that period.
1. Their acne is currently clear or almost clear, i.e. if they answer ‘no’ to the following question asked online at baseline screening: “Do you have spots or acne on your face at the moment? This could include whiteheads or more red spots or bumps.” 2. They are unable to give informed consent or their parent does not provide consent (for participants aged 13-15 recruited via community or social media advertising) 3. They are unable to read and write English as the intervention content and outcome measures are in English 4. They are currently taking oral isotretinoin or have taken it within the previous 3 months, as advice about topical acne treatments may be inappropriate in this case 5. They took part in interviews as part of Acne Care Online intervention development. (Qualitative interviewees who did not view intervention materials will NOT be excluded) 6. Only one person per household will be able to take part in the study. If someone from that household has already joined the study then they will be excluded from the study 7. If the feasibility trial remains separate to the full scale trial, participants in the feasibility trial will be excluded from the full-scale trial