Self-Management Using Text Messaging in a Homeless Population

NCT03034993 | Completed

• 2 other identifiers: H-35967catalyst grant
• Study Type: interventional
• Target: 64
• Locations: 1 country
• Sites: 1

Brief Summary

The purpose of this study is to determine if an automated text message intervention is beneficial for homeless patients in reducing their hospital visits, increasing their primary care appointments, and help them increase medication adherence.

Conditions

Chronic Disease

Keywords

Healthcare for homeless; Text messages; Primary care visits; Medication adherence; Inpatient admissions

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (1)

• Emergency Department Visits Made

  Data from BHCHP's electronic medical record (EMR) and from the Coordinated Care Hub electronic case management system in use by the Care Hub organizations, which includes admission and discharge data

  4 months

Secondary Outcomes (7)

• Inpatient admissions

  4 months

• Appointment keeping

  4 months

• Medication Adherence

  4 months

• Adult Well-Being Assessment

  4 months

• Comfort with Computers and Cell Phones

  4 months

Study Arms (2)

Text Messaging

EXPERIMENTAL

This group will receive text messages with appointment reminders, medication taking education and motivation, and for reporting of mood.

Behavioral: Text Messaging

Control

PLACEBO COMPARATOR

This group will receive simple text messages about general health promotion, such as about the importance of drinking water on hot days, using sunscreen, etc.

Behavioral: Text Messaging

Interventions

Text Messaging BEHAVIORAL

Subjects will receive text messages with reminders of their upcoming outpatient health care appointments at the Boston Health Care for the Homeless Program (BHCHP) clinic. The text message will indicate the time of the appointment and the location (e.g. "Remember appointment Friday March 15 at 10am in the Yawkey building"). Appointment reminder text messages will be sent 3 days ahead and again 1 day ahead of the appointment date. Medication related texts will be sent every other day and will be educational and motivational (e.g. "Keep taking medications that way the doctor prescribed them, even if feeling fine"). Mood related texts will also be sent every other day and ask about mood on a 1 to 5 scale. The participant will text back a response.

Control; Text Messaging

Eligibility Criteria

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

You may qualify if:

• is a patient participant in the Coordinated Care Hub Initiative
• is willing to receive text messages
• is able to understand English - spoken and read

You may not qualify if:

• has an inability to find, open, and respond to a test text message

Sponsors & Collaborators

• Boston University: lead
• Boston Health Care for the Homeless Program: collaborator

Study Sites (1)

Boston University School of Public Health

Boston, Massachusetts, 02118, United States

Location

Related Publications (24)

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MeSH Terms

Conditions

Chronic Disease; Medication Adherence

Condition Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Disease Attributes; Pathologic Processes; Pathological Conditions, Signs and Symptoms; Patient Compliance; Patient Acceptance of Health Care; Treatment Adherence and Compliance; Health Behavior; Behavior

Study Officials

• Donald K McInnes, ScD

  Boston University and Department of Veterans Affairs

  PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR

Study Design

• Study Type: interventional
• Phase: not applicable
• Allocation: RANDOMIZED
• Masking: NONE
• Purpose: HEALTH SERVICES RESEARCH
• Intervention Model: PARALLEL
• Sponsor Type: OTHER
• Responsible Party: PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
• PI Title: Research Assistant Professor, BUSPH

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: January 26, 2017
• First Posted: January 27, 2017
• Study Start: July 21, 2017
• Primary Completion: December 30, 2018
• Study Completion: April 30, 2019
• Last Updated: May 3, 2019

Record last verified: 2019-05

Data Sharing

• IPD Sharing: Will not share

Locations

US (1)