Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) are common chronic diseases that heavily impact European healthcare. Despite research advancements, there are still no effective tools for predicting and preventing these diseases. PerPrev-CID aims to address this by developing new methods for early molecular diagnosis and risk assessment.
Innovative approaches
Dr Anna Wagner, Assistant Professor of Health Communication at the Centre for Language Studies (CLS) at Radboud University, explained, "The project is carried out by a large multidisciplinary consortium involving leading medical experts, computational biology analysists, nutrition scientists, public health experts and two patient organizations. The overall goal is to improve risk assessment, early disease detection, and personalized prevention of chronic inflammatory diseases. We specifically focus on inflammatory bowel disease and rheumatoid arthritis."
The biomedical team is developing new tools to improve the early detection and prevention of these diseases. "They are working on identifying specific markers in the body that can indicate whether someone will develop these diseases, and how they will progress. They also use and create digital health technologies such as wearables and apps to monitor patient health and well-being," Dr Wagner noted.
Patient-centered perspective
A unique aspect of the PerPrev-CID project is its patient-centered perspective. This is particularly visible in the research cluster jointly led by Radboud and the UCSC Milano that focuses on ethical, legal, economic, and communicative consequences of the diseases . Dr Wagner emphasized, "Throughout the project, and especially within our cluster, we focus on engaging patients and involving them in the whole process. This includes researching their communication and information needs, and examining how we can adequately inform them about innovative medical tools."
The project collaborates with two European patient organizations for IBD and rheumatoid arthritis and will establish a Patient Advisory Board. "At Radboud, we will first conduct interviews with patients to understand their communication needs and barriers and involve health professionals in a truly patient-centered approach . Later on, we will also develop communication materials together with them and research their effectiveness," Dr Wagner explained.
Public outreach and acceptance
Effective communication is vital for public outreach, risk assessment and prevention, and acceptance of new technologies. Dr Wagner noted, "Around 10% of Europeans will be affected by chronic inflammatory diseases by 2030. It's essential to communicate research findings well to ensure patients understand and accept medical advancements and new technologies. This project aims to make a significant difference in patients' lives by involving them in the process and helping them make informed decisions about their personal health."