Use of Text Messages to Improve Care For Children Following an ED Visit for Asthma
| Status: | Recruiting |
|---|---|
| Conditions: | Asthma |
| Therapuetic Areas: | Pulmonary / Respiratory Diseases |
| Healthy: | No |
| Age Range: | 4 - 17 |
| Updated: | 11/24/2017 |
| Start Date: | October 2014 |
| End Date: | December 2018 |
| Contact: | Heidi Vander Velden |
| Email: | heidi.vandervelden@childrensmn.org |
| Phone: | 6128137892 |
BACKGROUND Asthma is a prevalent and troublesome pediatric condition. In 2013, Emergency
Department (ED) providers treated over 3,500 cases of asthma-related complaints at Children's
Hospitals and Clinics of Minnesota. Pediatric ED visits for asthma exceeds billions of
dollars annually when including direct cost and lost productivity. Many of these visits and
resultant costs are avoidable. Patients with well-controlled asthma do not typically exhibit
these patterns, while patients with poorly controlled asthma show patterns of increased
utilization of healthcare resources and lower quality of life. Evidence suggests that a text
message reminder and educational program might positively influence pediatric asthma care
practices.
RESEARCH QUESTION Does a targeted ED based text message intervention program improve
outpatient follow-up and routine preventive care in pediatric asthma patients?
METHODS Study subjects will be block randomized based on age and insurance group. The
experimental group will receive text messages with guidance towards follow-up care with their
PCP and the importance of the flu vaccine for children with asthma. The control group will
receive a series of educational self-care and health based text messages unrelated to asthma
or the flu vaccine. Some self-report of behaviors will be captured via text message response.
ANALYSIS Primary outcomes for the educational versus targeted text message groups will be
compared use Chi-square tests. Additional adjustments may be applied for missing data or if,
despite randomization, there is substantial imbalance between group in key covariates (eg
race/ethnicity, insurance type or asthma severity.)
Department (ED) providers treated over 3,500 cases of asthma-related complaints at Children's
Hospitals and Clinics of Minnesota. Pediatric ED visits for asthma exceeds billions of
dollars annually when including direct cost and lost productivity. Many of these visits and
resultant costs are avoidable. Patients with well-controlled asthma do not typically exhibit
these patterns, while patients with poorly controlled asthma show patterns of increased
utilization of healthcare resources and lower quality of life. Evidence suggests that a text
message reminder and educational program might positively influence pediatric asthma care
practices.
RESEARCH QUESTION Does a targeted ED based text message intervention program improve
outpatient follow-up and routine preventive care in pediatric asthma patients?
METHODS Study subjects will be block randomized based on age and insurance group. The
experimental group will receive text messages with guidance towards follow-up care with their
PCP and the importance of the flu vaccine for children with asthma. The control group will
receive a series of educational self-care and health based text messages unrelated to asthma
or the flu vaccine. Some self-report of behaviors will be captured via text message response.
ANALYSIS Primary outcomes for the educational versus targeted text message groups will be
compared use Chi-square tests. Additional adjustments may be applied for missing data or if,
despite randomization, there is substantial imbalance between group in key covariates (eg
race/ethnicity, insurance type or asthma severity.)
Inclusion Criteria:
- Caregivers of patients aged 4 - 17 years (inclusive) will be eligible for study
participation if they meet the following criteria:
1. Presentation to the ED with a chief complaint related to an asthma exacerbation
such as shortness of breath, respiratory distress, wheezing, etc…
2. Receive an albuterol treatment in the ED
3. Previous history of asthma as represented in the medical record or by parental
report
4. Have a cell phone that is able to receive text messages
5. Able to communicate and provide consent in English or Spanish
Exclusion Criteria:
- Caregivers of patients will be excluded from this study for the following reasons:
1. First episode of wheezing
2. Admitted to the hospital
3. Co-morbid respiratory disease:
1. Cystic fibrosis
2. Bronchiectasis
3. Pulmonary hypertension
4. Other chronic lung disease
4. Current cancer diagnosis
5. Previous cardiovascular surgery
6. Inflammatory bowel disease
7. Sickle Cell disease
We found this trial at
2
sites
2525 Chicago Avenue
Minneapolis, Minnesota 55404
Minneapolis, Minnesota 55404
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