BACKGROUND:
Patients
at increased risk of sexually transmitted infections (STIs)/HIV acquisition are
advised to reattend for retesting. A previous study showed that 'generic' text
reminders did not improve reattendance.
AIM:
To assess
if a personalised text message with increased contact information would
increase reattendance rates of at-risk patients.
METHODS:
Patients
who are at risk of future STIs, defined by having a current acute STI,
attending for emergency contraception, commercial sex workers (CSWs) or men who
have sex with men (MSM), were sent a text reminder to reattend for retesting
6 weeks after initial visit. Reattendance rates were measured for September to
December 2012 (control group who received a generic text message) and February
to May 2014 (intervention 'personalised message' group who received a text
message containing their first name and ways to contact the clinic).
Reattendance was counted within 4 months of the end of the initial episode of
care.
RESULTS:
The
reattendance rate was significantly higher for the intervention group: 149/266
(56%) than the control group: 90/273 (33%) (p=0.0001) and was also
significantly higher in the intervention group than the control group in
patients with the following risks: recent chlamydia (64/123 (52%) vs 43/121
(36%)) (p=0.03), recent gonorrhoea (41/64 (64%) vs 4/21 (19%)) (p=0.0003) and
MSM (26/45 (58%) vs 3/18 (16%)) (p=0.006). New STI rates in the reattending
intervention group and controls were 26/ 149 (17%) and 13/90 (14%) (n.s),
respectively.
CONCLUSIONS:
Sending
a personalised text message with increased contact information as a reminder
for retesting increased reattendance rates by 23% in patients who are at higher
risk of STIs.
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1Patrick Clements Clinic, Department of Sexual Health and HIV, London North West Healthcare NHS Trust, Central Middlesex Hospital, London, UK
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