RecruitingNAINTERVENTIONAL

Evaluating the Feasibility of elleFA App Implementation

This study is looking at a new smartphone app called elleFA, designed specifically for women with endometriosis. Endometriosis is a condition where tissue similar to the lining of the womb grows elsewhere, causing pain and other problems. Often, it takes a long time for women to get diagnosed and find treatments that work. The elleFA app aims to help women track their symptoms, lifestyle, and treatments. It's also designed to make it easier for patients to talk to their doctors about their condition. For six months, women taking part will use the app and complete short questionnaires. Researchers will then check how often the app was used and if it helped improve communication with healthcare teams.

At a glance

Status

Recruiting

Phase

Sponsor

McGill University Health Centre/Research Institute of the McGill University Health Centre

Enrolment target

Start

16 Dec 2025

Estimated completion

01 Nov 2026

Endometriosis

What is this study about?

Endometriosis is a common condition where tissue similar to the lining of the womb grows outside of it. This can cause a lot of pain, especially during periods, and other issues like difficulty getting pregnant, constipation, and bloating. These symptoms can really affect a woman's daily life. It often takes many years for women to get a diagnosis, and even then, finding the right treatment can be a long process of trial and error. Sometimes, it's hard for women and their doctors to fully understand and talk about all the symptoms.

Many women like using smartphone apps to keep an eye on their health and treatments. While there are apps for tracking pain or periods, there isn't one specifically for endometriosis that covers all the different symptoms, how they affect quality of life, and, importantly, how to improve communication with doctors. This is where the new elleFA app comes in. It's meant to be a personal tracking app for endometriosis that helps women and their doctors have clearer, more effective conversations about their health journey.

This study will involve women aged 18 or over who have endometriosis and are not yet past menopause. They will use the elleFA app on their smartphone for six months. Each month, they'll be asked to fill out two short questionnaires through the app. They can also choose to track their daily symptoms, lifestyle, and treatments each week. The main goal is to see how regularly women use the app over the six months. We also want to know if they find the app helpful and if it makes it easier to talk to their healthcare team.

Key takeaways

The study tests a new app (elleFA) for endometriosis.
It aims to help track symptoms and improve doctor-patient communication.
Participation involves using the app for six months.
Monthly questionnaires are required; daily tracking is optional.
The study looks at app usage and user satisfaction.
It focuses on women 18+ with endometriosis who are not menopausal or pregnant.

Who may be eligible?

This study is looking for women who are 18 years old or older and have been diagnosed with endometriosis, or are suspected to have it. You should also be receiving treatment for your endometriosis at the McGill University Health Centre (MUHC) in Canada and be able to understand and sign consent forms in either English or French.

Unfortunately, you cannot take part if you have already gone through menopause, are currently pregnant, or are trying to get pregnant. The study is specifically for women who are still having their periods and are not pregnant. These rules help make sure the study focuses on the right group of people to properly test the app.

Could this study suit you?

Answer these quick questions to see if you may be eligible. This is a guide only — the research team makes the final call.

Are you 18 years old or older?
Have you been diagnosed with endometriosis or do you suspect you have it?
Are you currently receiving medical care for your endometriosis at the MUHC?
Are you able to speak and understand English or French?
Have you *not* gone through menopause?
Are you *not* pregnant or trying to get pregnant?

Answer every question to see your result.

What does participation involve?

If you join this study, you will be asked to download the elleFA app onto your own smartphone. You will then use the app for a period of six months. During this time, you will need to complete two short questionnaires through the app every month. You can also choose to track your daily symptoms, lifestyle, and treatments weekly within the app, but this part is optional.

There are no clinic visits specifically for this study, as all interactions will be through the app. You will not be given any new medications as part of this study, as it focuses on the app itself. The total duration of your participation will be six months.

Potential risks and benefits

A potential benefit of joining this study is that the elleFA app might help you track your symptoms more effectively and improve how you communicate with your healthcare team about your endometriosis. This could lead to a better understanding of your condition and potentially more tailored management. The main risk is the time commitment required to use the app and complete the monthly questionnaires. There is also a small risk of data privacy concerns, although all reasonable steps are taken to protect your information. You are free to stop participating in the study at any time, for any reason, without it affecting your medical care.

Locations (1)

McGill University Health Center
Verified postcode
Montreal, Canada· Recruiting

Common questions

What is the elleFA app?

It's a new smartphone app designed to help women with endometriosis track their symptoms, lifestyle, and treatments, and improve their communication with doctors.

How long will I need to use the app?

You will use the app for six months as part of this study.

Do I have to track my daily symptoms?

Tracking daily symptoms, lifestyle, and treatments weekly is optional, but completing two monthly questionnaires is required.

Will I have to go to clinic appointments for this study?

No, all participation is done through your smartphone using the app; there are no extra clinic visits.

Who can take part in this study?

Women aged 18 or older with endometriosis, who are not menopausal, pregnant, or trying to get pregnant, and who are receiving care at the MUHC.

How to find out more

Andrew Zakhari, MD

andrew.zakhari@mcgill.ca 514-934-1934 Official trial record

Always speak to your GP or specialist before deciding to take part in a study.