OBJECTIVES: Sponsors and study teams have raised general concerns such as ‘how will older users manage electronic Clinical Outcome assessments (eCOA)?’ Along with specific concerns relating to eyesight, hearing, confidence, recall, fatigue, dexterity, mobility and concomitant disorders. I undertook research in 2017 to identify potential challenges, opportunities and best practice for eCOA and older people. The research objectives were:

1. What, if any, reluctance is there to using electronic and touch-screen media?
2. How remote consultations might be undertaken effectively?
3. What formal aspects of a learning experience tend to make the learning process more difficult or easier?

METHODS: I undertook scripted user interviews and completed a study of compliance data. Ten people were interviewed between the ages of 65 and 83.

RESULTS: The findings from these interviews can be grouped into the following themes: 1.General 2.Technology 3.Engagement and motivation 4.Learning. A study of compliance data shows that studies with an Infant population or an older population have higher compliance than other age groups. Infant Population - 93.2%, Older Users - 88.0%, general population - 81.4%.

CONCLUSIONS: Sponsors and trial sites sometimes raise concerns about older populations using eCOA. However, eCOA offers a large number of natural, configurable and design solutions which can be benefit the subject, the quality of data collected as well as the smooth running of the trial. Concerns such as lack of confidence with technology are specific to eCOA but many of them apply equally or perhaps more significantly to paper. Research and feedback from older users tells us that if the correct training and modifications are made to their mobile devices and to the trial design and delivery then these subjects are more than capable of managing eCOA.