OP0340 PARE THE USE OF INTERACTIVE AUGMENTED REALITYPOSTERS AS PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT TOOLS TO ENHANCE THE EULAR ‘DON’T DELAY, CONNECT TODAY’ CAMPAIGN

Abstract

Background Musculoskeletal conditions (MSC), such as Rheumatoid arthritis (RA), place a heavy burden on society and have severe consequences for the individuals affected. In order to limit this burden of disease, early diagnosis and implementation of treatment are essential and result in a significantly increased chance of achieving long-term sustained remission. The European League Against Rheumatism (EULAR) campaign ‘Don’t Delay Connect Today’ (DDCT) was created in order to educate the general public and primary healthcare providers (such as General Practitioners) about the importance of recognising the early warning signs of MSC’s. Many countries have adopted the campaign across Europe, with groups using new and creative ways to engage local communities with this essential message. In Scotland, the Rheumatosphere team have worked to develop interesting and impactful ways of disseminating this message to the public. Augmented reality (AR) is a potential tool to enhance learning and has already been successfully used as a new and exciting tool for teaching1. However, its role in less formal educational setting, such as public engagement, is still relatively unknown. Objectives The primary objective of this study was to test a new AR modality, assessing its effectiveness in increasing knowledge pertaining to RA and the central message of the DDCT campaign. Methods An interactive AR application was designed for a lay audience, incorporating aspects of RA disease pathogenesis along with the importance of early diagnosis and treatment of disease. The modality consisted of printed posters that were enhanced by an interactive AR application accessed through a hand-held tablet device. Members of the public, visiting the Glasgow Science Centre, were asked to assess our AR application by completing a 5 point Likert scale questionnaire before and after interacting with our posters and AR application. Results In total 27 participants took part in the testing, with the majority being between the age of 25-34 years old, a key target audience for the campaign, as this demographic commonly believe that they are ‘too young’ to develop arthritis2. Overall the testing revealed that the AR application was easy to use, engaging and enjoyable. Further evaluation conducted using a 5-point Likert scale, showed that the AR application was successful in raising awareness of RA, with 81% of the participants reporting that they felt more aware about the pathogenesis, symptoms and treatment of RA after use. Moreover, 55% of the participants thought that they would inform friends and family about the causes, symptoms and treatments of RA, helping to disseminate the campaign message further, enhancing it’s overall reach from a single event. Conclusion Overall the application was well received and indicates that this tool could be used to enhance public engagement moving forward. It would therefore be worthwhile to invest in the development of similar modalities for the EULAR ‘Don’t Delay, Connect Today’ campaign.