dr. Annemiek Linn

  • Faculty of Social and Behavioural Sciences: Persuasive Communication
  • Nieuwe Achtergracht 166
    1018 WV Amsterdam
  • a.j.linn @uva.nl

Naam: Dr. Annemiek Linn
PhD: 2013, University of Amsterdam
Promotor: Prof. Edith Smith
Co-promotor(s): Prof. Julia van Weert and Prof. Liset van Dijk
MSc: 2009, University of Amsterdam
Onderzoek: tailored health communication, internet, technology, patient-provider Communication, convergence

Onderzoek: Annemiek Linn studied Communication Science at the University of Amsterdam. In 2013 she successfully defended her thesis “The value of tailored communication in promoting medication intake behavior”. After obtaining her PhD, she continued to work at the University of Amsterdam as an assistant professor Health Communication. In this position, she wants to gain more insight into how the two primary sources of health information for patients – the Internet and information provided by their provider – can be successfully combined. In 2018, she started working one day a week as a postdoc and project leader for the Amsterdam UMC, location AMC on the project: Fall-risk increasing drugs: implementing a computerized clinical decision support system for effective withdrawal. In addition, Annemiek is a member of the International Communication Association, the Center for Adherence Research Netherlands, NeSCoR, NeFCA, Patient Provider-Interaction network, and she sits on the scientific committee of the European Society for Patient COMpliance and Persistance on the advisory board of the MAKE IT consortium.

Projecten: Below is a list of the research projects in which Annemiek is or has been involved in as a researcher and / or supervisor

  • Dr Google in the consultation room – how does cancer patients’ internet use affect patient-clinician communication and patients’ well-being?

In this project we aim to examine the characteristics of patients using online information (i.e., their sociodemographical, medical, personality characteristics), how, when and for which reasons they use online information, and how this information affects their information processing and wellbeing. We will also explore to what extent and how online information is discussed during oncology consultations, which patient and clinician characteristics affect this discussion and whether and how this affects patients’ information processing, relationship with their clinician and their wellbeing. Cancer patients increasingly seek information on the internet to reduce emotions resulting from the uncertain nature of the illness, including complex treatments, unpredictable symptoms and the possibility of cancer recurrence. Online information may indeed lead patients to feel less uncertain and anxious. Additionally, online information may help them prepare for, participate during, and process information provided during consultations. Yet, online information may be of low quality, difficult to understand, irrelevant to the patients’ specific situation, cause information overload or not align with the information provided by their clinician. All of this may increase rather than reduce uncertainty and anxiety. Also, it may negatively impact the patient-clinician relationship. Older patients and those with limited health literacy, may be particularly susceptible to these negative effects. Adequate patient-clinician communication about online information is vital for reducing any detrimental effects. It is therefore of paramount importance to understand whether and how online information is discussed during consultations and the implications thereof.

  • Promovendus: Pascale Kwakman
  • Co-promotoren: dr. Marij Hillen en dr. Annemiek Linn
  • Promotoren: Prof. Julia van Weert en Prof. Ellen Smets
  • Status: started September 2020

 

  • Alerting on adverse Drug reactions: Falls prevention Improvement through developing a Computerized clinical support system: Effectiveness of Individualized medicaTion
    withdrawal (ADFICE_IT)

In seniors, falls are the leading cause of injuries and often an adverse drug reaction is involved. By lowering drug-related fall risk, loss of QoL, institutionalization and death can be prevented. For optimal drug withdrawal in clinical practice, better understanding and prediction of drug-related fall risk is essential. In this project, a personalized strategy in older fallers using a clinical decision support system (CDSS) and patient portal will be developed that assist patients and providers to engage in joint medication management. The personalized strategy will be based on several prediction and explorative models for falls in older persons using fall-risk increasing drugs (FRID). The development and evaluation of the CDSS/portal will follow the 4 phases of the Medical Research Council guideline for complex interventions. The CDSS/portal will be implemented in the existing EMR and physicians will be trained. A multi-center RCT will be performed to test the effectiveness of the intervention on injurious falls.

  • Promovendus: Kimberly Ploegmakers
  • Co-promotoren: Ace Medlock en Annemiek Linn
  • Promotoren: Prof. Julia van Weert en Prof. Nathalie van der Velde
  • Status: Started April 2018
  • Promovendus: Kelly de Wildt
  • Co-promotoren: dr. Natasja van Schoor en dr. Annemiek Linn
  • Promotoren: Prof. Julia van Weert en Prof. Nathalie van der Velde
  • Status: started September 2020

 

  • On TRACk: a blended intervention incorporating TRaining, prepAration and Counseling to improve inhalation technique and medication adherence in patients with a lung disease.

Approximately 70% of patients do not use their inhaler medication correctly, leading to reduced disease control, reduced quality of life, higher risk of exacerbations, higher healthcare use and higher healthcare costs. An incorrect inhaler technique and poor adherence are key factors that negatively impact disease control. This project tests the (cost) effectiveness of on TRACk, a blended intervention in which two innovative and proven successful elements are combined into one and applied to improve inhaler medication adherence and inhaler technique in patients with asthma/COPD to obtain better health outcomes. The on TRACk-intervention includes a TRain, prepAre, Communicate strategy, comprising 1) online training of PTs to improve their inhaler medication counseling (both content and communication style), 2) preparing patients for these counseling moments in which inhaler technique is evaluated and medication use is discussed based on topics chosen by patients. After pilot-testing on TRACk, a cluster randomized controlled trial will be conducted.

  • Promovendus: Roland te Paske
  • Co-promotoren: dr. Marcia Vervloet, dr. Job van Boven and dr. Annemiek Linn
  • Promotor: Prof. Liset van Dijk
  • Status: Started September 2020

 

  • The pros and cons of using online health information: Unraveling underlying mechanisms of synergy effects in health communication

An increasing amount of cancer patients visit the Internet for medical information and use online communities. However, robust evidence is lacking on how these online activities affect patient-provider communication during consultations. Beneficial synergy effects are expected when online health information usage is combined with congruent patient-provider communication resulting in positive patient outcomes. Receiving contradictory information may cause adverse effects (i.e., boomerang effects). By using innovative methods, such as big data analytics and role-play, this project offers a new perspective on synergy and boomerang effects of combining online health information and patient-provider communication.

  • Promovendus: Remco Sanders
  • Co-promotor: dr. Annemiek Linn
  • Promotoren: Prof. Julia van Weert and Prof. Rens Vliegenthart
  • Status: Started September 2016

 

  • The use of a chatbot in providing medication-related information

Many patients lack adequate knowledge about their treatment. Especially at the beginning of the treatment, patients experience an information overload. This overload can be overwhelming and leads to poor information recall. This leads to an incorrect intake and storage of medication and preventable drug-related hospital admissions. Ideally, patients should be able to fulfill their information needs at the moment these occur. However, pharmacists and pharmacist technicians are limited in their time and have restrict office hours. Technology can overcome these barriers and has the potential to provide 24/7 counseling to patients in need for information and support. This project explores the possibility to provide 24/7 direct care and counseling to patients to fulfill their information and support needs and consequently improve adherence. To this end, the potential of a chatbot, avatar and use of social media will be investigated in this project.

  • Projectleader: Bart van den Bemt
  • Researchers: Victor Huiskes, dr. Nadine Bol, Chris van der Lee and dr. Annemiek Linn
  • Status: Started March 2020

 

  • Het FAMICOM project

End of life decisions are made on a daily basis in neonatal, pediatric and adult intensive care units. Critically ill patients are often no longer able to decide on their own treatment. It is their spouses who must decide on their behalf. Open and equal conversations, in which doctors and family members share their knowledge, experiences, concerns and preferences, contribute to a well-considered decision in which the patient’s quality of life is central and – if there is no other option – a dignified death. With this project we want to contribute to concrete improvements in the consultation and decision-making process with spouses within the intensive care unit. Based on the research results, the following interventions will be developed: 1) training modules for neonatologists, pediatric intensivists and trainee intensivists and a supervised peer review tool for staff members; 2) podcast series consisting of 10 episodes; 3) flowchart for the consultation and decision-making process.

  • Projectleader: Mirjam de Vos
  • Researchers: Prof. Ellen Smets, Aranka Akkermans, Amber Spijkers, Milou Zwarteveen, Sanne Prins and dr. Annemiek Linn
  • Status: Started January 2017

 

    • Communicating about concerns in oncology
        Cancer is a life-threatening disease that evokes many concerns. When these concerns accumulate, they can lead to psychological distress. This can influence patients’ suffering and overall well-being. Optimal communication between a patient and a provider is a good way to prevent this accumulation of concerns. A crucial element for achieving optimal communication between patients and providers, is that the patient clearly expresses his/her concerns during a consultation. However, this does not always happen as patients might express their concerns as indirect cues or hints. These cues and hints are more difficult for a provider to detect and to respond to than clear expressed concerns. Patients may benefit greatly from communication interventions that aim to improve their concern expression. To determine how concern expression can be improved, it is important to consider which factors explain and support concern expression. The aim of this project was to investigate how concern expression can be improved by examining what explains and supports concern expression.

        • Promovendus: Kim Brandes
        • Co-promotor: dr. Annemiek Linn
        • Promotoren: Prof. Edith Smit and Prof. Julia van Weert
        • Status: Finished 2017

 

        • The value of tailored communication in promoting medication intake behavior

Many patients, especially those with chronic illnesses, experience difficulty with taking their medication as prescribed. Therefore, it is not surprising that the average successful medication intake rates for long-term treatment are low. One of the proposed strategies for improving medication intake behavior is tailoring. This project aimed to develop a theoretical and evidence-based tailored multimedia intervention to improve medication intake behavior. In addressing this aim, this project gained insight into patient barriers to successful medication intake behavior and investigates the various methods and types of media (i.e., eHealth, mHealth and interpersonal communication) that can promote successful medication intake behavior. A theoretical evidence-based tailored multimedia intervention aimed at reducing or removing barriers to successful medication intake behavior was developed. The intervention includes three different components: 1) an online preparatory assessment (OPA) including a Question Prompt List (QPL); 2) tailored interpersonal feedback and; 3) tailored text messaging

      • Promovendus: Annemiek Linn
      • Co-promotoren: Prof. Julia van Weert and Prof. Liset van Dijk
      • Promotor: Prof. Edith Smit
      • Status: Finished 2013