None listed
Conditions
Brief summary
This research study tests whether people, who are feeling unwell with an influenza-like illness, find swabbing themselves at home to be an acceptable method of detecting influenza and other viruses. Patients experiencing cough, fever, and fatigue will be provided with a home-swab kit by their GPs. After they swab themselves at home, patients will return the swab by post to the pathology provider, and answer survey questions about their experience.
Interventions
The iSwab study tests the feasibility and acceptability of community (home)-based self-swabbing for patients experiencing influenza-like-illness (ILI) (self-reported fever, cough, and fatigue).
Participating GPs will invite eligible patients to take an iSwab (self-swab) kit home, swab themselves, and return the swab, consent materials, and surveys about their experience by post. Participants will receive a $50 Prezzee gift card for completing the surveys and returning the swab.
The iSwab kit is
The iSwab study tests the feasibility and acceptability of community (home)-based self-swabbing for patients experiencing influenza-like-illness (ILI) (self-reported fever, cough, and fatigue). Participating GPs will invite eligible patients to take an iSwab (self-swab) kit home, swab themselves, and return the swab, consent materials, and surveys about their experience by post. Participants will receive a $50 Prezzee gift card for completing the surveys and returning the swab. The iSwab kit is a complete self-swab kit for patients to review and complete research material, conduct a deep nasal swab on themselves, place the swab in viral transport media, and return the swab to the pathology lab by Express post. The iSwab kit contains: - Participant informed consent information containing information about the study - Consent form to complete to participate - Written instructions for how to self-swab and return the swab via post - Personal protective equipment (PPE) (gloves), a nasal swab, viral transport media tube to place the swab inside, and safe postal packaging - Two surveys to complete to assess the feasibility and acceptability of the process - Reply paid envelopes for the surveys and consent, and pre-paid express post envelopes the swab. Reading the information, conducting the swab, and completing the surveys is expected to take 30 minutes, Participants are asked to complete the swab and study materials as soon as possible after receiving them. The swab can be returned up to two weeks after being taken (if the envelope is stored in the fridge). Travel time to the nearest Australia Post Express post box will depend on the participant's location. Pathology results will be collected by the study team but will not be used to monitor adherence. Identifiable participant details will be collected only to send remuneration ($50 gift card).
Sponsors
Nigel Stocks
Study design
Allocation
Non-randomised trial
Intervention model
Single group
Primary purpose
Prevention
Masking
Open (masking not used)
Eligibility
Sex/Gender
All
Age
16 Years to No maximum
Healthy volunteers
No
Inclusion criteria
Patients over 16 years who: 1. are able to give informed consent, read and understand written instructions and deemed able to take a respiratory swab on themselves by their general practitioner. AND 2. are identified as fitting the Australian Sentinel Practices Research Network (ASPREN) ILI case definition (cough, fever (self-reported) and fatigue with onset in the last 7 days) or World Health Organisation (WHO) ILI case definition (acute respiratory infection with a fever of greater than or equal to 38 C°, cough and onset within the last 10 days)
Exclusion criteria
Children and patients who the general practitioner considers should not take part in the research study.
Outcome results
None listed