Community Support + Text Reminders for Eye Disease

Overseen By Krisianne Aromin

Age: 18+

Sex: Any

Trial Phase: Academic

Sponsor: University of California, San Francisco

Disqualifiers: Unreliable mobile connectivity

No Placebo Group All trial participants will receive the active study treatment (no placebo)

Compensation: Varies

Number of Visits: 1

3000 Participants Needed

Trial Summary

Will I have to stop taking my current medications?

The trial information does not specify whether you need to stop taking your current medications.

What data supports the effectiveness of the treatment Community Health Volunteer Visit, Text Message Reminder for eye disease?

Research shows that text message reminders significantly improve follow-up adherence in medical treatments, including pediatric cataract care, and increase attendance at health appointments. This suggests that using text reminders can help patients with eye diseases remember and attend their follow-up visits, potentially improving their treatment outcomes. ^{1 2 3 4 5}

Is it safe to use text message reminders for health-related purposes?

Research shows that using text message reminders for health-related purposes is generally safe, with no reports of adverse events like misreading or privacy issues. Text messages are effective for improving appointment attendance and self-management without causing harm. ^{2 6 7 8 9}

How does the treatment of community support and text reminders for eye disease differ from other treatments?

This treatment is unique because it combines community support with text message reminders to improve patient adherence to follow-up appointments, which is crucial for managing chronic eye diseases. Unlike traditional treatments that focus solely on medical interventions, this approach leverages technology to enhance patient engagement and ensure consistent care. ^{1 2 3 10 11}

What is the purpose of this trial?

The goal of this randomized, parallel-group, controlled trial is to compare methods of enhancing linkage-to-care for participants in the Village Integrated Eye Worker II (VIEW II) trial who are referred to the eye hospital following eye disease screening. Participants who are referred to the hospital at an eye screening visit will be randomized to three different linkage-to-care interventions: (1) text message reminders, (2) reminders from community health workers, or (3) no intervention. The primary outcome of the trial will be whether or not the participant presented to the eye hospital for a referral visit by 21 days following screening.

Research Team

Jeremy Keenan, MD, MPH

Principal Investigator

University of California, San Francisco

Eligibility Criteria

This trial is for individuals who were referred to an eye hospital after being screened for eye diseases like glaucoma, diabetic retinopathy, or age-related macular degeneration in the VIEW II trial. Specific eligibility criteria are not provided.

Inclusion Criteria

Participant of the VIEW II study referred to the eye hospital at their eye screening visit

Exclusion Criteria

Residence in a community without reliable mobile connectivity

Timeline

Screening

Participants are screened for eligibility to participate in the trial

1 day

1 visit (in-person)

Intervention

Participants are randomized to receive either text message reminders, reminders from community health workers, or no intervention to enhance linkage-to-care

21 days

Follow-up

Participants are monitored for attendance at the referral visit to the eye hospital

21 days

Treatment Details

Interventions

• Community Health Volunteer Visit
• Text Message Reminder

Trial Overview The study tests if text message reminders or follow-ups by community health workers can help people visit the eye hospital after they've been referred due to potential eye disease. It's a randomized trial with three groups: one gets texts, another gets personal reminders, and the last group doesn't get any extra help.

Participant Groups

Group I: Text Message Reminders Experimental Treatment 1 Intervention

Group II: Health Worker Experimental Treatment 1 Intervention

Group III: No Intervention Active Control 1 Intervention

Who Is Running the Clinical Trial?

University of California, San Francisco

Lead Sponsor

Trials

2,636

Recruited

19,080,000+

National Eye Institute (NEI)

Collaborator

Trials

572

Recruited

1,320,000+

Bharatpur Eye Hospital

Collaborator

Trials

7

Recruited

301,000+

Seva Foundation

Collaborator

Trials

9

Recruited

302,000+

Findings from Research

This study aims to evaluate the effectiveness of different reminder methods (text messages, reminder calls, or both) in increasing the use of service referrals among 300 participants from community outreach programs.

The research will help determine how mobile phone-based interventions can enhance community engagement and service utilization, potentially guiding future reminder protocols for similar programs across the country.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

A Research Protocol to Test the Effectiveness of Text Messaging and Reminder Calls to Increase Service Use Referrals in a Community Engagement Program. Varma, DS., Hart, M., McIntyre, DS., et al.[2020]

A systematic review of 12 studies involving text messaging interventions for behavior change found that 8 out of 9 sufficiently powered studies supported its effectiveness in promoting health behavior changes over periods ranging from 3 to 12 months.

The review highlighted the need for more research in developing countries, as most studies were conducted in developed nations, despite the potential for text messaging to be a low-cost health intervention globally.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Text messaging as a tool for behavior change in disease prevention and management. Cole-Lewis, H., Kershaw, T.[2022]

A text messaging program (TMP) significantly improved glucose control and retinopathy screening rates in a study of 20 patients with uncontrolled type 2 diabetes over 3 months.

More than 70% of participants reported positive changes in their self-care behaviors, suggesting that using technology can effectively support diabetes management, especially for those with limited access to healthcare education.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Text Messaging in the Patient-Centered Medical Home to Improve Glucose Control and Retinopathy Screening. Miller, JM., Phalen, AG., Crawford, A., et al.[2020]

References

1. United States pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Intervention strategies for improving patient adherence to follow-up in the era of mobile information technology: a systematic review and meta-analysis. [2023]

2. United States pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Mobile health intervention for promotion of eye health literacy. [2023]

3. Australia pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

SMS text messaging improves outpatient attendance. [2019]

4. Canada pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Improving the Follow-up Rate for Pediatric Patients (0-16 years) of an Eye Hospital in Nepal: Protocol for a Public Health Intervention Study. [2021]

5. China pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Comparison of an SMS text messaging and phone reminder to improve attendance at a health promotion center: a randomized controlled trial. [2022]

6. Canada pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

A Research Protocol to Test the Effectiveness of Text Messaging and Reminder Calls to Increase Service Use Referrals in a Community Engagement Program. [2020]

7. United States pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

An Integrative Review of Text Message Reminders for Medical Surveillance Examinations. [2022]

8. United States pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Text messaging as a tool for behavior change in disease prevention and management. [2022]

9. United States pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Text Messaging in the Patient-Centered Medical Home to Improve Glucose Control and Retinopathy Screening. [2020]

10. United States pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Potential Limitations of E-mail and Text Messaging in Improving Adherence in Glaucoma and Ocular Hypertension. [2022]

11. England pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Patient preferences and access to text messaging for health care reminders in a safety-net setting. [2022]