Text Message Intervention to Reduce Repeat Self-harm

NCT01823120 | Terminated DMC

• 1 other identifier: 13/18
• Study Type: interventional
• Target: 10
• Locations: 1 country
• Sites: 1

Brief Summary

Between 6% and 30% of people who harm themselves repeat this self-harm within the following 12 months. The investigators know that people who harm themselves are much more likely to commit suicide, but the investigators have no clear evidence about the best way to reduce the likelihood of someone harming themselves again. Text messaging is now a common form of communication. Previous research has shown us that the investigators can use text messages for different types of health care interventions. Examples of this include reminding patients of medical appointments, delivering test results, to check patient side effects following treatment and to reduce depressive symptoms in patients with depression and alcohol problems. The Samaritans have introduced interactive text messages (where you can have a conversation by text with their service) and have noted an increasing use of this contact with their service. This research study is taking place to find out if using supportive and interactive text messages can reduce further episodes of self-harm in patients who present to the Emergency Department (ED) with self-harm. The investigators hypothesize that supportive, informative and interactive text messages delivered to patients discharged from an ED after an episode of self-harm will significantly reduce the frequency and intensity of thoughts of self-harm and self-harming behaviour in patients compared with those receiving only follow-up treatment as usual. A secondary hypothesis is that patients receiving the text messages will report a favourable experience and an overall satisfaction with the system.

Conditions

Self-Injurious Behavior

Keywords

Self harm; Emergency Department; Repetition; Supportive Text messages; Interactive

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (2)

• Repetition of self-harm

  Proportion of patients repeating self-harm

  Three months

• Change scores on the Suicide Behaviors Questionnaire from baseline

  The change scores on the Suicide Behaviors Questionnaire from baseline

  Baseline and three months

Secondary Outcomes (5)

• Repeat episodes of self-harm per person

  Three months

• Change scores in the Modified Scale for Suicide Ideation from baseline

  Baseline anf three months

• Change scores on the Positive and Negative Suicide Ideation Inventory from baseline

  Baseline and three months

• Change scores on the Beck Hopelessness Scale from baseline

  Baseline and three months

• Change scores on the Global Assessment of Functioning Scale from baseline

  Baseline and three months

Other Outcomes (3)

• Utilisation of the services provided by the Samaritans Ireland

  Three months

• Patient satisfaction with treatment

  Three months

• Feedback about patients' experiences, expectations and satisfaction with the communication system

  Three months

Study Arms (2)

No text messages

NO INTERVENTION

Patients in the non-intervention group will not receive any text messages. However, they will also receive the routine outpatient follow-up arrangements associated with attendance at an ED with self-harm including the provision of a contact phone number for the Samaritans.

Supportive and interactive text messages

EXPERIMENTAL

We will deliver daily supportive and informative text messages for one month followed by one supportive and informative text message every other day the second month and then one weekly text message the third month to patients in the intervention group after they have been discharged from the ED following an episode of self-harm. Supportive text messages will mainly target relieving the patients of mood symptoms and providing them with strategies for dealing with suicidal thoughts while the informative ones will provide patients with a dedicated mobile phone number through which they can receive interactive support from the Samaritans. The text messages will encourage participants to text the Samaritans in times of crisis. Please see appendix I for examples of the relevant text messages.

Other: Supportive and interactive text messages

Interventions

Supportive and interactive text messages OTHER

Supportive and interactive text messages

Eligibility Criteria

• Age: 18 Years+
• Sex: all
• Healthy Volunteers: No
• Age Groups: Adult (18-64), Older Adult (65+)

You may qualify if:

• All patients 18 years and over, presenting to the ED with self-harm.
• All patients should have a mobile phone, be familiar with text messaging technology and be willing to take part in the study.

You may not qualify if:

• Patients who do not consent to take part in the study.
• Patients who do not have a mobile phone or are unable to use the mobile text message technology.
• Patients who are admitted as a psychiatric inpatient following the assessment in the ED or those who require admission to a medical ward for longer than 48 hours.
• Patients who would be unavailable for follow-up during the study period.

Sponsors & Collaborators

• University of Dublin, Trinity College: lead
• Beaumont Hospital: collaborator
• Royal College of Surgeons, Ireland: collaborator

Study Sites (1)

Beaumont Hospital

Dublin, Co Dublin, Dublin 9, Ireland

Location

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MeSH Terms

Conditions

Self-Injurious Behavior; Emergencies

Interventions

Palliative Care

Condition Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Behavioral Symptoms; Behavior; Disease Attributes; Pathologic Processes; Pathological Conditions, Signs and Symptoms

Intervention Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Patient Care; Therapeutics; Health Services; Health Care Facilities Workforce and Services

Study Officials

• Vincent IO Agyapong, MRCPsych MD

  University of Dublin, Trinity College Dublin

  PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR

• Siobhan MacHale, FRCPsych

  Beaumont Hospital Dublin

  STUDY CHAIR

Study Design

• Study Type: interventional
• Phase: not applicable
• Allocation: RANDOMIZED
• Masking: SINGLE
• Who Masked: OUTCOMES ASSESSOR
• Purpose: PREVENTION
• Intervention Model: PARALLEL
• Sponsor Type: OTHER
• Responsible Party: PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
• PI Title: Dr

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: March 26, 2013
• First Posted: April 4, 2013
• Study Start: March 1, 2015
• Primary Completion: December 1, 2015
• Study Completion: December 1, 2015
• Last Updated: September 11, 2014

Record last verified: 2014-09

Locations

IE (1)