scholarly journals 47 Increase Clinic Attendance Among Adolescents and Young Adults: A novel cost-effective method

2020 ◽  
Vol 25 (Supplement_2) ◽  
pp. e20-e20
Author(s):  
Thivia Jegathesan ◽  
Megan Roth ◽  
Melissa Florence ◽  
Niraj Mistry ◽  
Herbert J Bonifacio ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Text Messaging ◽  
Text Message ◽  
Cost Effective ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Missed Appointments ◽  
Clinic Attendance ◽  
Transition Clinic ◽  
Significant Difference ◽  
The Mean ◽  
Text Message Reminder

Abstract Background Transition clinics have been introduced to address the unique needs of adolescent and young adult (AYA) populations, however clinic attendance continues to be an issue. Although poor clinic attendance among the AYA population has been well known, solutions to address this has been limited. Some factors that have been associated with missed appointments include forgetfulness, negative previous clinic experiences and clinic schedules. With widespread use of digital technologies among AYA, the application of digital solutions to increase attendance at healthcare appointments has been explored, but little is known on its effectiveness. Objectives To determine the effect of text messaging appointment reminders on uninformed no show rates in an AYA transition clinic. Uninformed no show rate was defined as an absence from clinic (not related to a medical emergency) without communication with the clinic. Design/Methods A pilot prospective cohort study with a retrospective control group was conducted in an AYA general hematology transition clinic. In order to establish the current no show rate at the clinic, a retrospective review of AYA patients who attended the clinic between April 2013-August 2015 was conducted. Thereafter, all patients who had an appointment scheduled between February 2016 and December 2017 were included in the study and received a text message reminder of their appointment 48 hours prior to their appointment. Monthly uninformed no show rates were collected, and a student’s t-test was conducted to determine if there was a significant difference in uninformed no show rates before and after the introduction of text message reminders. Results Eighty-six participants consented to participate in the study and received a text message reminder of their appointment. From April 2013- August 2015 a total of 51 clinic days with 236 appointments occurred. During this time the mean uninformed no show rate was 39.9%. SMS appointment reminders were sent from February 2016 to December 2017 for 48 clinic days for a total of 206 clinic appointments. The mean uninformed no show rate after the introduction of text message appointment reminders was 22.6%. The introduction of text messaging appointment reminders significantly (p<0.01) decreased uninformed no show rates by 17.3%. Conclusion Text message reminders are an effective low cost method in reminding AYA patients about their appointments. By using innovative, cost effective and practical strategies like text messaging reminders to increase clinic attendance, we not only improve the care of our patients but also reduce the financial and clerical burden to the system resulting from missed appointments.

Patient mobile telephone ‘text’ reminder: a novel way to reduce non-attendance at the ENT out-patient clinic

2007 ◽  
Vol 122 (3) ◽  
pp. 296-298 ◽  
Author(s):  
M Geraghty ◽  
F Glynn ◽  
M Amin ◽  
J Kinsella
Keyword(s):  
Text Message ◽  
Cost Effective ◽  
Mobile Telephone ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Reminder System ◽  
Message Service ◽  
Information And Communication ◽  
The Mean ◽  
Text Message Reminder ◽  
Intractable Problem

AbstractBackground:Non-attendance at out-patient clinics is a seemingly intractable problem, estimated to cost £65 (€97) per incident. This results in under-utilisation of resources and prolonged waiting lists. In an effort to reduce out-patient clinic non-attendance, our ENT department, in conjunction with the information and communication technology department, instigated the use of a mobile telephone short message service (‘text’) reminder, to be sent out to each patient three days prior to their out-patient clinic appointment.Objective:To audit non-attendance rates at ENT out-patient clinics following the introduction of a text reminder system.Study design:Retrospective review.Methods:Non-attendance at our institution's ENT out-patient clinics was audited, following introduction of a text message reminder system in August 2003. Rates of non-attendance were compared for the text message reminder group and a historical control group.Results:Before the introduction of the text message reminder system, the mean rate of non-attendance was 33.6 per cent. Following the introduction of the system, the mean rate of non-attendance reduced to 22 per cent.Conclusion:Sending text message reminders is a simple and cost-effective way to improve non-attendance at ENT out-patient clinics.

Effects of acupressure at the P6 and LI4 points on the anxiety level of soldiers in the Iranian military

2020 ◽  
pp. jramc-2019-001332 ◽  
Author(s):  
Saeid Amini Rarani ◽  
N Rajai ◽  
S Sharififar
Keyword(s):  
Military Service ◽  
Cost Effective ◽  
Anxiety Level ◽  
Anxiety Score ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Double Blind ◽  
Stressful Environment ◽  
Significant Difference ◽  
The Mean ◽  
Army Soldiers

IntroductionMilitary service is a stressful environment. Methods to reduce stress may result in the mental health promotion of military forces. There are various methods for relieving anxiety. Acupressure is one of them. Hence, this study was carried out to explore effects of acupressure at the P6 and LI4 acupressure points on the anxiety level of army soldiers.MethodsA randomised double-blind design was undertaken. A total of 120 Iranian army soldiers were randomly assigned to three groups, namely P6, LI4 and control. The P6 and LI4 acupressure points are effective in lowering the anxiety level. In the intervention groups, acupressure was applied at the P6 and LI4 points three times for 10 min at 30 min intervals. In the control group, the thumb pad, which is not an acupressure point, was pressed. The anxiety level of the subjects was measured before the intervention and 30 min after the last intervention. The instruments included a demographics questionnaire and the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory.ResultsThere was no significant difference between the three groups with respect to the anxiety level in the preintervention phase. However, the mean anxiety score in the P6 group decreased significantly from 53.35±9.7 to 49.02±9.3 (p=0.005). The mean anxiety score in the LI4 group also decreased significantly from 53.37±8.39 to 45.47±8.16 (p<0.001). In the control group, there was no significant difference between the preintervention and postintervention phases (p=0.16). In the postintervention phase, the analysis of variance test showed a significant difference between the three groups in terms of the anxiety level (p=0.04).ConclusionsAcupressure can reduce soldiers’ anxiety at the acupressure points, especially at the LI4 point. It is recommended that this simple and cost-effective intervention be used to relieve soldiers’ anxiety in stressful situations.Trial registration number20150715023216N4.

scholarly journals The influence of text messaging on oral hygiene effectiveness

2014 ◽  
Vol 85 (4) ◽  
pp. 543-548 ◽  
Author(s):  
T. Brent Bowen ◽  
Daniel J. Rinchuse ◽  
Thomas Zullo ◽  
Mark E. DeMaria
Keyword(s):  
Oral Hygiene ◽  
Text Messaging ◽  
Text Message ◽  
Text Messages ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Controlled Clinical Trial ◽  
Randomized Controlled ◽  
Significant Difference ◽  
Orthodontic Patients ◽  
Hygiene Compliance

ABSTRACT Objective:  To investigate whether text message reminders regarding oral hygiene have an effect on plaque removal in orthodontic patients. Materials and Methods:  In this randomized, controlled clinical trial, 50 orthodontic patients were assigned to either a text message or control group. Patients in the text message group received 12 text messages over the course of 4 weeks and one text message for 8 weeks thereafter. Photos were taken at baseline (T0), at 4 weeks after baseline (T1), and at 12 weeks after baseline (T2). For each subject, photos of eight teeth were taken and then the area of the tooth and amount of plaque were measured using planimetry. Results:  There was a statistically significant difference in plaque coverage between baseline and both T1 and T2 in the text message group as measured using planimetry. This was demonstrated by comparing the average measurements of the control group and the treatment group. Conclusion:  This study demonstrated that the use of automated text message reminders sent from an orthodontic office was effective in improving oral hygiene compliance in orthodontic patients.

scholarly journals The Impact of Text-Messaging on EFL Freshmen's Vocabulary Learning

2011 ◽  
Vol 19 ◽  
pp. 47
Author(s):  
Ali Derakhshan
Keyword(s):  
Text Messaging ◽  
Vocabulary Learning ◽  
Text Message ◽  
Vocabulary Knowledge ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Efl Learners ◽  
Original Sentence ◽  
Significant Difference ◽  
Post Test ◽  
The Impact

<p>The present research investigates the effectiveness of text-message vocabulary learning on EFL freshmen. The results of the pretreatment interview with EFL learners showed that many of them have difficulty learning vocabulary through the traditional paperand-pencil way; therefore, text-message vocabulary learning was hypothesized to be a potential way to help EFL learners consolidate their vocabulary knowledge. To this end, 43 participants from among 85 freshmen studying in Torbat-e-Heydarieh Azad University participated in the study. The participants were divided into two groups of 21 and 22 on the basis of their proficiency. The book Check Your Vocabulary for Academic English by David Porter (2001) was taught to both groups, and they were told to make some sentences in the class to become familiar with these words; they were requested to work cooperatively in small groups of 3 or 4 in order to have the opportunity to talk more about these words. Fifteen to 20 words were introduced and taught to these students on each session. Then, the participants in the experimental group sent the researcher one text-message containing an original sentence for each word covered in the class. They were also asked to send a text-message containing a sentence to their three predetermined partners. The participants in the control group wrote one sentence using each covered word, and they were also asked to write one sentence to exchange with their three partners and bring their assignments to the class next session. The results of independent samples t-test for the post-test and the delayed post-test showed that there was no statistically significant difference between the initial vocabulary learning and the retention of the vocabulary between the two groups.</p>

scholarly journals Fatigue, Stigma, and Mood in Patients with Multiple Sclerosis: Effectiveness of Guided Imagery

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mina Beitollahi ◽  
Mansooreh Azizzadeh Forouzi ◽  
Batool Tirgari ◽  
Yunes Jahani
Keyword(s):  
Multiple Sclerosis ◽  
Guided Imagery ◽  
Intervention Group ◽  
Cost Effective ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Double Blind Study ◽  
Double Blind ◽  
Cost Effective Method ◽  
Significant Difference ◽  
The Mean

Abstract Background and objectives : The present study aimed to assess the effectiveness of guided imagery on fatigue, stigma, and mood in patients with multiple sclerosis. Methods This clinical trial is a double-blind study that was conducted on 60 patients with multiple sclerosis referred to the largest center for special diseases in the southeast of Iran in 2020. The convenience sampling method was used to select the participants who were later divided into two groups of intervention (n=30) and control (n=30) using block randomization method. The intervention group listened to the guided imagery audio file at home for 25 minutes. The control group did not receive any intervention. Data were collected by demographic information questionnaires, Fatigue Severity Scale (FSS), Reece Stigma Scale for Multiple Sclerosis (RSS-MS), and the Profile of Mood States (POMS) before and one month after the intervention. Results According to the results, there was no significant difference between the two groups before the intervention in terms of the score of fatigue (P<0.0=67), stigma (P<0.64), and mood (P<0.17). However, after the intervention, a significant differences was observed in this regard (P<0.0001). In the intervention group, the mean score of fatigue decreased from 59.72±18.32 to 35.8±16.15, and the mean score of stigma decreased from 17.31±15.62 to 5.09±8.06, showing a significant reduction in the levels of fatigue (P<0.0001) and stigma (P<0.0001) compared to before intervention. Also, the mean score of mood decreased from 36.90±12.21 to 28.55±11.87, indicating an improvement in the mood of samples in the intervention group (P<0.0001). Conclusions The results indicated that guided imagery, as a cost-effective method, can decrease the fatigue and stigma, and enhance the mood of patients with MS. Therefore, nursing staff can use this method to improve MS patients’ mood and decrease their fatigue and stigma.

scholarly journals The Reflection of Vocabulary Implementation Through Educational Texting on EFL Learner’s Reading Skill

2021 ◽  
Vol 15 (01) ◽  
pp. 88
Author(s):  
Behnam Behforouz ◽  
Anca Daniela Frumuselu
Keyword(s):  
Text Messaging ◽  
Reading Scores ◽  
Placement Test ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Short Message ◽  
Efl Learners ◽  
Significant Difference ◽  
Meaningful Context ◽  
The Mean ◽  
Experimental Group

This paper investigates the efficiency of using text messaging<strong> </strong>in the EFL reading classroom at the Islamic Azad University-South Tehran Branch, Iran. After the administration of an Oxford Placement Test (OPT), 74 participants who scored one standard deviation above and below the mean were selected. Participants were randomly assigned into two groups, an experimental and a control, each including 37 individuals. The reading part of the Preliminary English Test (PET) was administered as a pretest. The experimental group received 108 words via short messages during 18 sessions. During each session, they received 6 sentences with 6 words in a meaningful context. In contrast, the participants of the control group received traditional instruction. They were given the same structural points through inductive and deductive instruction in the classroom and the words were presented while teaching each unit. After the treatment, the participants in both groups were assigned to do a reading posttest. The results of the ANCOVA revealed no statistically significant difference between the control and the experimental groups regarding their reading scores. Thus, the vocabulary learning via short message did not have any significant effect on Iranian EFL learners' ability to comprehend pre-intermediate level texts.

Improving Communication With Low-Income Women Using Today’s Technology

2012 ◽  
Vol 17 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Nancy Cibulka ◽  
Harry Fischer ◽  
Anna Fischer
Keyword(s):  
Inner City ◽  
Low Income ◽  
Text Messaging ◽  
Text Message ◽  
Mobile Technologies ◽  
Missed Appointments ◽  
Low Income Women ◽  
Text Message Reminder ◽  
Almost All ◽  
Study Participants

The authors of this article examine reasons for missed appointments and preferences for appointment reminders among inner city obstetrics and gynecology clinic patients having a high missed-appointment rate. Sixty low-income women, including African Americans, Caucasians, and members of other ethnic groups, with a mean age of 27 years, were interviewed by telephone. The most frequently cited reason for missed appointments was forgetfulness. Almost all study participants indicated that they would like a text message reminder of upcoming appointments along with telephone and/or postal letter reminders. In this article the authors review the literature addressing both missed appointments and trends in mobile technologies, report their study of missed appointments, and conclude that text messaging appointment reminders can decrease missed appointments among young, low-income women.

Determination some Immunological Aspects in Pulmonary Tuberculosis Patients in Qadisiyah Province

2018 ◽  
Vol 9 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Syoof Khowman Alramahy ◽  
Akram Hadi Hamza
Keyword(s):  
Mycobacterium Tuberculosis ◽  
Pulmonary Tuberculosis ◽  
Statistical Difference ◽  
Positive Culture ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Tuberculosis Patients ◽  
Significant Difference ◽  
Lowenstein Jensen ◽  
The Mean ◽  
Igg Level

This study was carried out to study of some immunological aspects among the pulmonary Tuberculosis patients infected with causative agent, Mycobacterium tuberculosis. A Total of 200 sputum samples were collected from patients attending the consultant Clinic for Chest and Respiratory disease center, Diwaniya. Control group (No=15) also included. According to acid fast stain of sputum, the patients were classified as positive (No=91,45.5%) and negative (No=109,54.5, Lowenstein Jensen medium used for the cultivation of samples, on which 70% of sputum samples where positive culture for this microorganism. The grown microorganism were identified as M. tuberculosis, based on positive A.F.B, Niacin producers ,negative for catlase at 68c. The mean IgG level was l184.053±76.684 mg/100 ml in tuberculosis group compared with 1016.533 ± 44.882 mg/100ml in control group, rendering the statistical difference significant. For IgA and IgM levels, they were at mean of 315.880±38.552 mg/100 ml and 119.527±8.464 mg/100 ml in control group compared with 396.358±38.776 mg/100 ml and 134.207±11.696 mg/100 ml in patients group respectively with significant difference

scholarly journals Effect of leg wrapping technique on prevention of spinal induced hypotension and fetal acidosis during cesarean section: Randomized controlled trial

2019 ◽  
Vol 10 (2) ◽  
pp. 70
Author(s):  
Samah Nasser Abd El-Aziz El-Shora ◽  
Amina Mohamed Rashad El-Nemer
Keyword(s):  
Randomized Controlled Trial ◽  
Cesarean Section ◽  
Controlled Trial ◽  
Intervention Group ◽  
Cost Effective ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Induced Hypotension ◽  
Randomized Controlled ◽  
Significant Difference ◽  
Wrapping Technique

Background and aim: Hypotension during cesarean section (CS) under spinal anesthesia has been a subject of scientific study for more than 50 years and the search for the most effective strategy to achieve hemodynamic stability remains challenging. Aim: The study was carried out to apply leg wrapping technique for the prevention of spinal-induced hypotension (SIH) during CS.Methods: Randomized Controlled Trial design was utilized at cesarean delivery operating room Mansoura General Hospital in El-Mansoura City during the period from May 2018 to November 2018. A purposive sample of 88 pregnant women, assigned randomly to an intervention group (n = 44) in which their legs wrapped with elastic crepe bandage and control group (n = 44) in which no wrapping was done. Data collected for maternal, neonatal hemodynamic and signs of hypotension, the feasibility of application and cost analysis.Results: There was a statistically significant difference in the incidence of SIH and Ephedrine use among both groups (18.20% in leg wrapping group whereas 75% in control group). In addition, neonatal acidosis and NICU admission were less among leg wrapping group (11.40%, 9.10% respectively). Economically, leg wrapping technique was cost effective compared to the cost of the hospital regimen for treating SIH and admission to (NICU).Conclusion and recommendations: Leg wrapping technique was cost effective and an efficient method for decreasing SIH, neonatal acidosis and Ephedrine administration. It is recommended to apply leg wrapping technique in maternal hospitals' protocol of care for decreasing SIH during CS.

The Baby Shark (Songs Heard Affecting Resuscitation Kinetics) study

2020 ◽  
pp. bmjstel-2020-000657
Author(s):  
Rebecca Singer ◽  
Grace Leo ◽  
Tessa Davis ◽  
Ben Lawton ◽  
Henry Goldstein ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Control Group ◽  
Control Groups ◽  
Target Zone ◽  
Compression Depth ◽  
Significant Difference ◽  
Overall Performance ◽  
The Mean ◽  
Training Exercises ◽  
And Control ◽  
Musical Cues

Previous research has examined the utilisation of musical cues to improve the performance of cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) delivered in training environments. We postulated a musical cue that is both contemporary and transcends cultures may improve CPR performance. Our aim was to establish whether chest compressions are performed with improved rate and depth if a song of a fixed beat (PinkFong’s ‘Baby Shark’ with a tempo of 115 beats per minute (bpm) and 15 beats in each verse) is played to a healthcare professional immediately before undertaking CPR compared to whale noises (a non-metronomic rhythm). 58 Participants of a paediatric conference (majority doctors) were randomly assigned to listen to a minute of Baby Shark (28) or whale song (30) and then undertake a minute of CPR. There was no significant difference in the mean compression rate between the Baby Shark and control groups, with the groups achieving 121 and 125 bpm, respectively (p=0.18). In relation to compression depth within the target zone, the Baby Shark group had more compressions completed within the target zone (55%) than the control group (39%) although this difference was not significant (p=0.08). Listening to Baby Shark prior to undertaking simulated CPR does not improve overall performance, but there is a potential tendency to improve adequate compression depth which may be beneficial in training exercises.

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