IRVINE — Researchers from the University of California, Irvine have developed an electronic assessment platform that aims to make language less of a barrier in healthcare.
The questionnaire comes in multiple languages and allows patients to digitally record their health data at each visit with the goal of catching any side effects early on for better quality of life.
The platform is the result of a two-year study focused on early-cancer minority patients who often struggle to communicate their side effects due to language barriers and limited health literacy.
Recently published in JCO Oncology Practice, the study enrolled 250 patients of diverse backgrounds and found that Hispanic and Asian patients reported higher levels of side effects from chemotherapy compared to their white counterparts.
“We have a lot of ethnic minorities in Orange County,” Alexandre Chan, professor of clinical pharmacy, told the Business Journal. “With this platform, physicians and pharmacists can act on symptoms immediately and intervene.”
Chan led the study along with a team of undergraduate students, graduate students and oncology pharmacists at the Chao Family Comprehensive Cancer Center in Orange, which opened a second outpatient cancer care facility in Irvine on July 16. It’s the most recent addition to the $1.3 billion UCI Health—Irvine medical complex.
The study received an undisclosed amount of funding from the Hematology/Oncology Pharmacy Association.
Side Effects
Patients undergoing chemotherapy can experience a slew of side effects from fatigue to memory impairment, according to Chan.
Unlike other health questionnaires often taken before a regular check-up, UCI’s patient-reported outcome platform is specific to these chemotherapy-related health issues.
The School of Pharmacy & Pharmaceutical Sciences was founded in 2020, marking the first public pharmacy school in the Los Angeles-Orange County region, according to officials.
