Effecting dietary change

A world epidemic of diet-related chronic disease is currently being faced. In the UK incidence of obesity alone has tripled in the last 20 years and this trend is predicted to continue. Consensus exists for the urgent need for a change in diet and other lifestyle factors and for the direction and targets for this change. The evidence for how this change can be achieved is less certain. It has been established that disease processes begin in childhood. Recent evidence indicates that dietary habits too are established in childhood but that these habits are amenable to change. While establishing a healthy lifestyle in childhood is paramount, interventions have the potential to promote positive change throughout the life course. Success in reversing current trends in diet-related disease will depend on commitment from legislators, health professionals, industry and individuals, and this collaboration must seek to address not only the food choices of the individual but also the environment that influences such choices. Recent public health policy development in England, if fully supported and implemented, is a positive move towards this goal. Evidence for effective strategies to promote dietary change at the individual level is emerging and three reviews of this evidence are discussed. In addition, three recent dietary intervention studies, in three different settings and with different methods and aims, are presented to illustrate methods of effecting dietary change. Further work is required on what factors influence the eating behaviour and physical activity of individuals. There is a need for further theory-based research on which to develop more effective strategies to enable individuals to adopt healthier lifestyles.     

Missed appointments at a Swiss university outpatient clinic

OBJECTIVE: To assess the appointment conditions and characteristics of patients who miss their appointments ('no-shows'); this will aid in the formulation of intervention methods to reduce no-show rates. METHODS: During a one-month period, data on all no-shows at the general internal medicine outpatient clinic of the Geneva University Hospitals were collected. Control patients were matched for appointment time and gender. Patient and appointment characteristics were collated on 13 parameters, and these were compared between no-shows and controls. RESULTS: Two hundred and six of 1296 appointments were no-shows (15.8%). Compared with controls, no-shows were younger, born earlier in the year, more often were not Europeans, more often had a common language with the physician or translator (no communication problems), and more often had a follow-up (not first) appointment. Other parameters were not significant (appointment day of week and time of day, gender, residency status, insurance coverage, family physician, medical consequences, covert addiction). CONCLUSIONS: The no-show rate was within the range for comparable settings. Several parameters associated with no-shows reflected specifics of a hospital-based adult outpatient clinic that mainly serves middle-to-low socio-economic classes and is a referral clinic for refugees in a middle-sized European city with a high percentage of foreigners with different backgrounds and languages. Planned interventions should consider local factors.     

The family costs of attending hospital outpatient appointments via videoconference and in person

We compared the costs incurred by families attending outpatient appointments at the Royal Children's Hospital (RCH) in Brisbane with those incurred by families who had a consultation via videoconference in their regional area. In each category 200 families were interviewed. The median time spent travelling for videoconferences was 30 min compared with 80 min for face-to-face appointments. Families interviewed in the outpatient department had travelled a median distance of 70 km, while those who had a videoconference at the local hospital had travelled only 20 km. It cost these families much more to attend an appointment at the RCH than to attend a videoconference. Ninety-six per cent of families (193) reported at least one of the following types of expense: 150 families had expenses related to parking (median A 10 dollars), 156 had fuel expenses (median A 10 dollars) and 122 reported costs related to meals purchased at the RCH (median A 10 dollars). Only 21 families who had their appointment via local videoconference reported any additional costs. Specialist appointments via videoconference were a more convenient and cheaper option for families living in regional areas of Queensland than the conventional method of attending outpatient appointments at the specialist hospital in Brisbane.     

Effecting behavior change: awareness of family history

This article explores the use of family history of disease as a public health tool for risk stratification and improved disease prevention by drawing from previous research on women at moderate risk of developing breast cancer because of a positive family history. About one quarter to one third of women do not appear to be aware of the added risk a family history of breast cancer poses, and many women with a family history overestimate their risk. It is unclear whether risk perceptions are causally related to breast cancer screening in women with a family history. Exaggerated risk perceptions may not hinder breast cancer screening, unless accompanied by distress. Studies suggest that counseling women with a family history of breast cancer about their risk has a small and short-term effect on risk comprehension, a small effect on breast cancer screening, psychological benefits for some women, and unintended negative effects on screening for other women. Future research needs to consider the psychological, individual difference, and cultural variables that moderate counseling effects, recruitment biases, the prospective relationship between perceived risk and breast cancer screening, and whether risk perceptions and comprehension need to match objective risk to be an effective tool to promote screening.     

Effecting change in multicultural health promotion: a systems approach

Given the context of a rapidly changing demography and an evolving health care system, the project described in this article was designed to address the system-wide need for changes in allied health service delivery to minority populations. A multidisciplinary, multicultural, and participative model was adopted to initiate attitudinal and behavioral changes among three groups: faculty from three allied health departments, students preparing for careers in these three professions, and community health care practitioners. This paper briefly describes the major objectives, activities, and outcomes of the project as well as insight into the factors and dynamics that affected its immediate and long-range success. The idea that significant and lasting change requires strategies that incorporate the interactive dynamics of individuals and groups of the inclusive health care system was supported in the outcomes of the project.     

Predictors of failed attendances in a multi-specialty outpatient centre using electronic databases

Background  

Failure to keep outpatient medical appointments results in inefficiencies and costs. The objective of this study is to show the factors in an existing electronic database that affect failed appointments and to develop a predictive probability model to increase the effectiveness of interventions.     

Using machine learning tools to investigate factors associated with trends in ‘no-shows’ in outpatient appointments

Missed appointments are estimated to cost the UK National Health Service (NHS) approximately £1 billion annually. Research that leads to a fuller understanding of the types of factors influencing spatial and temporal patterns of these so-called “Did-Not-Attends” (DNAs) is therefore timely. This research articulates the results of a study that uses machine learning approaches to investigate whether these factors are consistent across a range of medical specialities. A predictive model was used to determine the risk-increasing and risk-mitigating factors associated with missing appointments, which were then used to assign a risk score to patients on an appointment-by-appointment basis for each speciality. Results show that the best predictors of DNAs include the patient's age, appointment history, and the deprivation rank of their area of residence. Findings have been analysed at both a geographical and medical speciality level, and the factors associated with DNAs have been shown to differ in terms of both importance and association. This research has demonstrated how machine learning techniques have real value in informing future intervention policies related to DNAs that can help reduce the burden on the NHS and improve patient care and well-being.     

Why 100 patients failed to keep an outpatient appointment-audit in a dermatology department.

Failure to keep outpatient appointments is common at all clinics and various explanations may be offered. One hundred attending patients who had failed to keep their previous dermatology clinic appointment were asked the reason for their non-attendance. Many and varied reasons were given but illness (28%), and problems related to appointments (33%) were prominent. They were also asked how they had obtained a further appointment. Stricter follow-up of non-attenders by the hospital including informing the GP, and subsequent GP action if necessary, may improve attendance figures.     

Behavior change outcomes in an outpatient cardiac rehabilitation program

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effectiveness of nutrition education within an outpatient cardiac rehabilitation program. DESIGN: Subjects were assigned, according to participation in cardiac rehabilitation programs in two community hospitals within an integrated healthcare system, to either a treatment (n=54), or a control group (n=50). SUBJECTS/SETTING: One hundred four men and women, age range 35 to 85 years, participating in a 6-week cardiac rehabilitation program. Most were men (80%) and overweight. The majority presented with the diagnosis of myocardial infarction followed by coronary artery bypass surgery or percutaneous transluminal coronary angiography procedure. INTERVENTION: Subjects in the control group received usual nonindividualized nutrition education from cardiac rehabilitation therapists. Subjects in the treatment group attended two group nutrition education classes and one individual diet counseling session, all led by the same dietitian. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Changes in fat, saturated fat, cholesterol, and carbohydrate intake, and restaurant eating habits as assessed by the Diet Habit Survey; changes in cardiac diet self-efficacy; and changes in health-related quality of life. Statistical analyses performed Group-by-time analysis of variance with repeated measures, chi2 test. RESULTS: The treatment group had greater improvement in Restaurant and Recipes scores on the Diet Habit Survey (2.6 vs 1.0) and a greater cardiac diet self-efficacy mean score (4.3) compared with the control group (3.8), with the greatest change in items related to eating in restaurants, away from home, or when alone. From entry into the program to discharge, the cholesterol-saturated fat index decreased significantly in the control group (from 57 to 48), and in the treatment group (from 51 to 42). The percent of energy from carbohydrate increased significantly in the control group (from 51% to 55%) and in the treatment group (from 53% to 57%). There were no differences between groups over the 3 time periods (baseline, 6 weeks, and 3-month follow-up) (n=39 for control group and n=47 for treatment group for all 3 time periods). APPLICATIONS/CONCLUSIONS: Nutrition education within an outpatient cardiac rehabilitation program can improve dietary choices at restaurants and boost self confidence in the ability to adhere to a lipid-lowering diet.     

Missed appointments in an outpatient clinic for adolescents, an approach to predict the risk of missing.

PURPOSE: To predict the risk of an adolescent patient to miss an appointment, based on the previous appointments and on the characteristics of the patient and the appointment. METHODS: Two thousand one hundred ninety-three (1873 females) patients aged 12 to 20 years having scheduled at least four appointments were included. We assessed the rate of missed nonexcused appointments of each patient. Second, a Markovian multilevel model was used to predict the risk of defaulting. RESULTS: Forty-five percent of the patients have not missed even once, and 14% of females and 17% of males have missed >25% of their appointments. Females show two types of behaviors (an abstract concept that groups individuals based on a combination of their appointment-keeping and their recorded type of healthcare need) depending on the diagnosis. Somatic, gynecology, violence, and counseling diagnoses are mostly grouped together. In this group, having already missed and having an appointment with a paramedical provider increases the risk of missing. In the second group (eating disorders and psychiatric diagnoses) having already missed and a longer delay between appointments influence the risk of missing, although the risk is lower for this latter group. Males only show one type of behavior regarding missed appointments. Having missed a previous appointment, being older, having cancelled the next to last appointment and the type of diagnosis explain the risk of missing. CONCLUSIONS: Patients who have already defaulted have a higher risk of defaulting again. Means of control regarding missed appointments should consequently focus on defaulters, to decrease the associated workload. Reminders could be a solution for the follow-up appointments scheduled with a long delay.     

Effectiveness of telephone reminders in improving rate of appointments kept at an outpatient clinic: a randomized controlled trial

BACKGROUND: Clinic appointments in which patients do not appear (no-show) result in loss of provider time and revenue. Previous studies have shown variable effectiveness in telephone and mailed reminders to patients. METHODS: We conducted a randomized controlled trial of telephone reminders 1 day before the scheduled appointments in an urban family practice residency clinic. Patients with appointments were randomized to be telephoned 1 day before the scheduled visit; 479 patients were telephoned and 424 patients were not telephoned. RESULTS: The proportions of patients not showing up for their appointments were 19% in the telephoned and 26% in the not-telephoned groups (P = .0065). Significantly more cancelations were made when telephoning patients before their visit, 17% compared with 9.9%. The opened scheduling slots were used for appointments for other patients. This additional revenue offset the cost of telephone intervention in our cost analysis. CONCLUSION: Reminding patients by telephone calls 1 day before their appointments yields increased cancelations that can be used to schedule other patients. Telephone reminders provide substantial net revenue, but the results may be population specific.