Io Chi-Yan Hui

Self-management is more than self-monitoring. Asthma self-management is far more than logging peak flow and medication use. Asthma attacks can be triggered by allergies (such as pollen) or viral infections and it is important that everyone with asthma knows what to do if their symptoms or peak flows show that their asthma is getting worse.  An action plan agreed with their GP or asthma nurse is, therefore, a particularly important component of self-management for people with asthma.

New technologies such as smart inhalers, smart peak flow meters, pollen or pollution sensors and other smart gadgets connect to the internet to collect and transfer data. When these emerging technologies work together to help people to manage their asthma, we called them ‘connected asthma’ technology or an internet-of-things (IoT) system’. Increasingly, artificial intelligence can use all this data, providing feedback and advice to help people and their healthcare advisors make the right decisions.

We aim to design and test the Connect for Asthma (C4A) system with artificial intelligence. This will be an IoT-AI system that allows people with asthma to choose which devices they connect if/when they want to share their information (for example with their doctor or nurse), and which is flexible so that new technologies can be connected later. 

Find out more about Io's project, Connected for Asthma (C4A)

Project: Connected for Asthma C4A

About me

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Io is a Research Fellow at the Asthma UK Centre for Applied Research and a Chartered Engineer (MIET). Io has expertise in digital health, intelligent system design, user adoption and adherence to technology, and interdisciplinary background in engineering and respiratory health; particularly interested in building cross-disciplinary, academic-commercial works to support asthma self-management that can be linked with primary/secondary care in a future zero-carbon smart city.

Io is also involved in the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR)-funded Global Health Research Unit on Respiratory Health (RESPIRE). She led a scoping review on mapping national IT infrastructure in low- and middle-income countries. 

RESPIRE study: Mapping national IT infrastructure in low- and middle-income countries

Publications

• Pinnock H, Hui CY, van Boven JFM. Implementation of digital home monitoring and management of respiratory disease. Curr Opin Pulm Med. 2023 Jul 1;29(4):302-312. doi: 10.1097/MCP.0000000000000965.
• Pinnock H, Noble M, Lo D, McClatchey K, Marsh V & Hui CY. Personalised management and supporting individuals to live with their asthma in a primary care setting, Expert Review of Respiratory Medicine, 17:7, 577-596, DOI: 10.1080/17476348.2023.2241357 

• Vontetsianos A, Güven DK, Betka S, Souto-Miranda S, Marillier M, Price OJ, Hui CY, Sivapalan P, Jácome C, Aliverti A, Kaltsakas G, Kolekar SB, Evans RA, Vagheggini G, Vicente C, Poberezhets V, Bayat S, Pinnock H, Franssen FME, Vogiatzis I, Chaabouni M, Gille T. ERS International Congress 2022: highlights from the Respiratory Clinical Care and Physiology Assembly. ERJ Open Research Jul 2023, 9 (4) 00194-2023; DOI: 10.1183/23120541.00194-2023

• Hui CY, Abdulla A, Ahmed Z, Goel H, Monsur Habib GM, Teck Hock T, Khandakr P, Mahmood H, Nautiyal A, Nurmansyah M, Panwar S, Patil R, Rinawan FR, Salim H, Satav A, Shah JN, Shukla A, Tanim CZH, Balharry D, Pinnock H; RESPIRE Group. Mapping national information and communication technology (ICT) infrastructure to the requirements of potential digital health interventions in low- and middle-income countries. J Glob Health. 2022 Dec 29;12:04094. doi: 10.7189/jogh.12.04094.

• Hui CY, McKinstry B, Mclean S, Buchner M, Pinnock H. Assessing the technical feasibility of a flexible, integrated Internet-of-things connected for asthma (C4A) system to support self-management: a mixed method study exploring patients and healthcare professionals perspectives. JAMIA Open, Volume 5, Issue 4, December 2022, ooac110. doi: 10.1093/jamiaopen/ooac110.

• Hui CY, McKinstry B, Fulton O, Buchner M, Pinnock H Patients' and Clinicians' Perceived Trust in Internet-of-Things Systems to Support Asthma Self-management: Qualitative Interview Study JMIR Mhealth Uhealth. 2021 Jul 16;9(7):e24127. doi: 10.2196/24127. PMID: 34269684.
• Hui CY, McKinstry B, Fulton O, Buchner M, Pinnock H Patients’ and Clinicians’ Visions of a Future Internet-of-Things System to Support Asthma Self-Management: Mixed Methods Study J Med Internet Res 2021;23(4):e22432 doi: 10.2196/22432 
• Hui, C., Walton, R., McKinstry, B., Pinnock, H Time to change the paradigm? A mixed method study of the preferred and potential features of an asthma self-management app Health Informatics Journal. doi.org/10.1177/1460458219853381
• Hui CY, McKinstry B, Walton R, Pinnock, H Strategies to promote adoption and usage of an application to support asthma self-management: a qualitative observational study BMJ Health & Care Informatics 2018;25: doi: 10.14236/jhi.v25i4.1056
• Chi Yan Hui, Robert Walton , Brian McKinstry, Hilary Pinnock What features do patients ‘want’ in a mobile asthma app?: a qualitative study European Respiratory Journal Sep 2017, 50 (suppl 61) PA3874; DOI: 10.1183/1393003.congress-2017.PA3874
• Chi Yan Hui, Robert Walton, Brian McKinstry, Tracy Jackson, Richard Parker, Hilary Pinnock  The use of mobile applications to support self-management for people with asthma: a systematic review of controlled studies to identify features associated with clinical effectiveness and adherence  Journal of the American Medical Informatics Association, Volume 24, Issue 3, May 2017, Pages 619–632, DOI: 10.1093/jamia/ocw143

Research Activity

Abstract presentations in national and international conferences (IPCRG World Conference, ERS International Congress, Informatics for Health, BCS Conference) (2015-2022). ehealth related poster session chair in the ERS International Congress and PCRS conference. 

All Io's research outputs are available on the University of Edinburgh Research Explorer.

Io Chi-Yan Hui's Research Outputs

Acknowledgements 

I thank Tactuum Ltd, Medical International Research, Smart Respiratory Products Ltd, Findair and Polar Electro (UK) Ltd and Digital Health & Care Institute (DHI) who support the A4A Connected+ project.

Follow Io 

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