Dataset Information

Understanding the Feasibility, Acceptability, and Efficacy of a Clinical Pharmacist-led Mobile Approach (BPTrack) to Hypertension Management: Mixed Methods Pilot Study.

ABSTRACT: BACKGROUND:Hypertension is a prevalent and costly burden in the United States. Clinical pharmacists within care teams provide effective management of hypertension, as does home blood pressure monitoring; however, concerns about data quality and latency are widespread. One approach to close the gap between clinical pharmacist intervention and home blood pressure monitoring is the use of mobile health (mHealth) technology. OBJECTIVE:We sought to investigate the feasibility, acceptability, and preliminary effectiveness of BPTrack, a clinical pharmacist-led intervention that incorporates patient- and clinician-facing apps to make electronically collected, patient-generated data available to providers in real time for hypertension management. The patient app also included customizable daily medication reminders and educational messages. Additionally, this study sought to understand barriers to adoption and areas for improvement identified by key stakeholders, so more widespread use of such interventions may be achieved. METHODS:We conducted a mixed methods pilot study of BPTrack, to improve blood pressure control in patients with uncontrolled hypertension through a 12-week pre-post intervention. All patients were recruited from a primary care setting where they worked with a clinical pharmacist for hypertension management. Participants completed a baseline visit, then spent 12 weeks utilizing BPTrack before returning to the clinic for follow-up. Collected data from patient participants included surveys pre- and postintervention, clinical measures (for establishing effectiveness, with the primary outcome being a change in blood pressure and the secondary outcome being a change in medication adherence), utilization of the BPTrack app, interviews at follow-up, and chart review. We also conducted interviews with key stakeholders. RESULTS:A total of 15 patient participants were included (13 remained through follow-up for an 86.7% retention rate) in a single group, pre-post assessment pilot study. Data supported the hypothesis that BPTrack was feasible and acceptable for use by patient and provider participants and was effective at reducing patient blood pressure. At the 12-week follow-up, patients exhibited significant reductions in both systolic blood pressure (baseline mean 137.3 mm Hg, SD 11.1 mm Hg; follow-up mean 131.0 mm Hg, SD 9.9 mm Hg; P=.02) and diastolic blood pressure (baseline mean 89.4 mm Hg, SD 7.7 mm Hg; follow-up mean 82.5 mm Hg, SD 8.2 mm Hg; P<.001). On average, patients uploaded at least one blood pressure measurement on 75% (SD 25%) of study days. No improvements in medication adherence were noted. Interview data revealed areas of improvement and refinement for the patient experience. Furthermore, stakeholders require integration into the electronic health record and a modified clinical workflow for BPTrack to be truly useful; however, both patients and stakeholders perceived benefits of BPTrack when used within the context of a clinical relationship. CONCLUSIONS:Results demonstrate that a pharmacist-led mHealth intervention promoting home blood pressure monitoring and clinical pharmacist management of hypertension can be effective at reducing blood pressure in primary care patients with uncontrolled hypertension. Our data also support the feasibility and acceptability of these types of interventions for patients and providers. TRIAL REGISTRATION:ClinicalTrials.gov NCT02898584; https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT02898584. INTERNATIONAL REGISTERED REPORT IDENTIFIER (IRRID):RR2-10.2196/resprot.8059.

SUBMITTER: Buis LR

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7448180 | biostudies-literature | 2020 Aug

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

ACCESS DATA

Publications

Understanding the Feasibility, Acceptability, and Efficacy of a Clinical Pharmacist-led Mobile Approach (BPTrack) to Hypertension Management: Mixed Methods Pilot Study.

Buis Lorraine R LR Roberson Dana N DN Kadri Reema R Rockey Nicole G NG Plegue Melissa A MA Danak Shivang U SU Guetterman Timothy C TC Johnson Melanie G MG Choe Hae Mi HM Richardson Caroline R CR

Journal of medical Internet research 20200811 8

<h4>Background</h4>Hypertension is a prevalent and costly burden in the United States. Clinical pharmacists within care teams provide effective management of hypertension, as does home blood pressure monitoring; however, concerns about data quality and latency are widespread. One approach to close the gap between clinical pharmacist intervention and home blood pressure monitoring is the use of mobile health (mHealth) technology.<h4>Objective</h4>We sought to investigate the feasibility, acceptab ...[more]

PMID: 32780026

Similar Datasets

Project description:ObjectiveEar disease in rural and remote communities is occurring at high rates, with limited access to health services and health providers contributing to the problem. Community pharmacists are well-placed to provide expanded services to improve ear health in rural communities. We aimed to evaluate the feasibility, accessibility and acceptability of a pharmacist-led intervention for ear disease in consumers presenting to community pharmacy.DesignProspective preintervention and postintervention mixed-methods study. An ethnographic lens of rural culture was applied to the descriptive qualitative component of the study.SettingTwo rural community pharmacies in Queensland, Australia.ParticipantsPeople aged 6 months or older, who present with an ear complaint to a participating community pharmacy.InterventionLISTEN UP (Locally Integrated Screening and Testing Ear aNd aUral Programme) is a community pharmacy-based intervention to improve the management of ear health. Trained pharmacists conducted ear examinations using otoscopy and tympanometry on consumers following a LISTEN UP protocol. They made recommendations including no treatment, pharmacy only products or general practitioner (GP) referral. Consumers were contacted 7 days later for follow-up.Results55 rural consumers participated in the study. The most commonly reported complaints were 'blocked ear' and 'ear pain'. Pharmacists recommended over-the-counter products to two-thirds of the participants and referred one quarter to a GP. 90% (50/55) of the consumers were highly satisfied with the service and would recommend the service. All consumers described the service positively with particular reference to convenience, improved confidence and appreciation of the knowledge gained about their ear complaint. Pharmacists were motivated to upskill and manage workflow to incorporate the service and expected both consumers and GPs to be more accepting of future expanded services as a result of LISTEN UP. However, without funding to provide the service, during the study other remunerated pharmacy tasks took priority over providing LISTEN UP.ConclusionRural community pharmacists can provide an acceptable and accessible ear health service; however, it is not feasible without a clear funding structure to provide resources including additional pharmacists, equipment and training.Trial registration numberACTRN12620001297910.

Project description:BackgroundAlthough research continues to support task-shifting as an effective model of delivering evidence-based practices (EBPs), little scholarship has focused how to scale up and sustain task-shifting in low- and middle-income countries, including how to sustainably supervise lay counselors. Ongoing supervision is critical to ensure EBPs are delivered with fidelity; however, the resources and expertise required to provide ongoing supervision may limit the potential to scale up and sustain task shifting. Opportunities may exist to leverage mobile technology to replace or supplement in-person supervision in low-resource contexts, but contextual variables, such as network connectivity and lay counselor preferences surrounding mobile technology, must be examined and considered when designing and implementing mobile technology supervision.MethodsThis study builds from an existing randomized trial in Kenya, wherein teachers and community health volunteers have been trained to provide trauma-focused cognitive behavioral therapy as lay counselors. The study will use an iterative and mixed methods approach, with qualitative interviews and a Human-Centered Design (HCD) workshop informing a non-randomized pilot trial. Semi-structured interviews will be conducted with lay counselors and supervisors to understand how mobile technology is currently being used for supervision and determine the barriers and facilitators to mobile technology supervision. Data from these interviews will inform an HCD workshop, where lay counselors and supervisors "re-design" supervision to most effectively leverage mobile technology. Workshop participants will also participate in focus groups to gather perceptions on the use of HCD techniques. The final outcome of the workshop will be a set of refined workflows, which will be tested in a mixed method, nonrandomized pilot with newly trained lay counselors and existing supervisors. The pilot trial will evaluate the acceptability, feasibility, and usability of mobile technology supervision through self-report questionnaires as well as perceptions of effectiveness through qualitative interviews with a subset of lay counselors and all supervisors.DiscussionThis study will provide a launching point for future research on supervision and methods to engage stakeholders to design and tailor interventions and implementation supports to fit low-resourced contexts.Trial registrationThe parent trial from which this study builds was registered on ClinicalTrials.gov on August 9, 2017 ( NCT03243396 ).

Project description:BackgroundGenetic testing for pathogenic variants associated with hereditary breast and ovarian cancer risk can improve cancer outcomes through enhanced preventive care in both people with known variants and their biologic relatives. Cascade screening-the process of case-finding in relatives by notifying and inviting them to consider testing-currently relies on the patient to notify their own at-risk relatives. However, many of these relatives never learn they might be at risk. We developed and implemented a new health system-led familial genetic risk notification process where the care team offers to contact at-risk relatives directly. This protocol describes a study to assess the feasibility, acceptability, and limited efficacy of this intervention.MethodsThis feasibility study will use a single-arm, nonrandomized, mixed-methods prospective design. We will enroll two groups of participants: probands and relatives of probands. Eligible probands are currently enrolled Kaiser Permanente Washington (KPWA) members with an upcoming appointment for pre-test genetic counseling for hereditary Lynch syndrome, breast, or ovarian cancer. Eligible relatives, who do not have to be KPWA members, are first-and second-degree relatives of probands. During the appointment with the proband, the genetic counselor will determine whether the proband is appropriate for genetic testing and if so, which relatives might benefit from cascade testing. The genetic counselor then will offer to contact any or all identified relatives directly to discuss genetic risk and testing. The primary outcome of this study is the feasibility of the implemented familial notification process, which we will measure using quantitative and qualitative data on intervention reach, intervention acceptability, and limited efficacy. Analyses will be primarily descriptive and exploratory, with the intent of preparing for a future, larger trial of direct contact interventions.DiscussionOur findings will provide new, foundational evidence for the creation of US-based familial notification systems that directly address logistical and ethical challenges while prioritizing the preferences of patients and families.

Project description:BACKGROUND:Advances in mobile health (mHealth) technology have made it possible for patients and health care providers to monitor and track behavioral health symptoms in real time. Ideally, mHealth apps include both passive and interactive monitoring and demonstrate high levels of patient engagement. Digital phenotyping, the measurement of individual technology usage, provides insight into individual behaviors associated with mental health. OBJECTIVE:Researchers at a Veterans Affairs Medical Center and Cogito Corporation sought to explore the feasibility and acceptability of an mHealth app, the Cogito Companion. METHODS:A mixed methodological approach was used to investigate the feasibility and acceptability of the app. Veterans completed clinical interviews and self-report measures, at baseline and at a 3-month follow-up. During the data collection period, participants were provided access to the Cogito Companion smartphone app. The mobile app gathered passive and active behavioral health indicators. Data collected (eg, vocal features and digital phenotyping of everyday social signals) are analyzed in real time. Passive data collected include location via global positioning system (GPS), phone calls, and SMS text message metadata. Four primary model scores were identified as being predictive of the presence or absence of depression or posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Veterans Affairs clinicians monitored a provider dashboard and conducted clinical outreach when indicated. RESULTS:Findings suggest that use of the Cogito Companion app was feasible and acceptable. Veterans (n=83) were interested in and used the app; however, active use declined over time. Nonetheless, data were passively collected, and outreach occurred throughout the study period. On the Client Satisfaction Questionnaire-8, 79% (53/67) of the sample reported scores demonstrating acceptability of the app (mean 26.2, SD 4.3). Many veterans reported liking specific app features (day-to-day monitoring) and the sense of connection they felt with the study clinicians who conducted outreach. Only a small percentage (4/67, 6%) reported concerns regarding personal privacy. CONCLUSIONS:Feasibility and acceptability of the Cogito Corporation platform to monitor mental health symptoms, behaviors, and facilitate follow-up in a sample of veterans were supported. Clinically, platforms such as the Cogito Companion system may serve as useful methods to promote monitoring, thereby facilitating early identification of risk and mitigating negative psychiatric outcomes, such as suicide.

Project description:BackgroundThere is a need for innovative strategies to improve TB testing uptake and patient retention along the continuum of TB care early-on in treatment without burdening under-resourced health systems. We used a mixed methods approach to develop and pilot test a tuberculosis literacy and counselling intervention at an urban clinic in KwaZulu Natal, South Africa, to improve TB testing uptake and retention in tuberculosis care.MethodsWe engaged in discussions with clinic staff to plan and develop the intervention, which was delivered by senior social work students who received one-week training. The intervention included: 1) group health talks with all patients attending the primary clinic; and 2) individual counselling sessions, using motivational interviewing techniques, with newly diagnosed tuberculosis patients. We compared social work students' tuberculosis knowledge, attitudes, and practices before and after their training. We assessed the change in number of tuberculosis diagnostic tests performed after implementation via an interrupted time series analysis with a quasi-Poisson regression model. We compared pre- and post-intervention probabilities of treatment initiation and completion using regression analyses, adjusting for potential baseline confounders. We conducted focus groups with the students, as well as brief surveys and one-on-one interviews with patients, to assess acceptability, feasibility, and implementation.ResultsDuring the study period, 1226 individuals received tuberculosis diagnostic testing and 163 patients started tuberculosis treatment, of whom 84 (51.5%) received individual counselling. The number of diagnostic tuberculosis tests performed increased by 1.36 (95%CI 1.23-1.58) times post-intervention, adjusting for background calendar trend. Probabilities of TB treatment initiation and treatment completion increased by 10.1% (95%CI 1.5-21.3%) and 4.4% (95%CI -7.3-16.0%), respectively. Patients found the counselling sessions alleviated anxiety and increased treatment self-efficacy. Social work students felt the clinic staff were collaborative and highly supportive of the intervention, and that it improved patient engagement and adherence.ConclusionsEngaging clinic staff in the development of an intervention ensures buy-in and collaboration. Education and counselling before and early-on in tuberculosis treatment can increase tuberculosis testing and treatment uptake. Training junior social workers can enable task-shifting in under-resourced settings, while addressing important service gaps in tuberculosis care.

Project description:BACKGROUND:Mobile interventions hold promise as an intervention modality to engage children in improving diabetes self-management education, attitudes, and behaviors. OBJECTIVE:This pilot study aimed to explore the usability, acceptability, and feasibility of delivering a mobile diabetes educational tool to parent-child pairs in a clinical setting. METHODS:This mixed methods pilot study comprised two concurrent phases with differing study participants. Phase 1 used user testing interviews to collect qualitative data on the usability and acceptability of the tool. Phase 2 used a single-arm pre- and poststudy design to quantitatively evaluate the feasibility and preliminary efficacy of the intervention. Study participants (English-speaking families with youth aged 5-14 years with insulin-dependent diabetes) were recruited from an urban hospital in Massachusetts, United States. In phase 1, parent-child pairs were invited to complete the intervention together and participate in 90-min user testing interviews assessing the tool's usability and acceptability. Interview transcripts were analyzed using a directed content analysis approach. In phase 2, parent-child pairs were invited to complete the intervention together in the clinical setting. Measures included parental and child knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors related to diabetes management (self-report surveys) and child hemoglobin A1c levels (medical record extractions); data were collected at baseline and 1-month follow-up. Pre- and postoutcomes were compared using paired t tests and the Fisher exact test. RESULTS:A total of 11 parent-child pairs (N=22) participated in phase 1 of the study, and 10 parent-child pairs (N=20) participated in phase 2 of the study. Participants viewed the mobile educational tool as acceptable (high engagement and satisfaction with the layout, activities, and videos) and identified the areas of improvement for tool usability (duration, directions, and animation). CONCLUSIONS:The findings from this pilot study suggest that the mobile educational tool is an informative, engaging, and feasible way to deliver diabetes self-management education to parents and children in an urban hospital setting. Data will inform future iterations of this mobile diabetes educational intervention to improve usability and test intervention efficacy.

Project description:PurposeTo assess the feasibility and acceptability of a health literacy-psychosocial support intervention - ADHERE and explore changes in glycemic values and medication adherence.Patients and methodsThirty-one participants with hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) ≥ 8% were randomly allocated to control (usual care) or intervention groups (receiving usual care plus a 6-session pharmacist-led intervention focusing on the modifiable psychosocial factors that may influence medication adherence). Feasibility metrics evaluated recruitment, retention, and intervention adherence. Questionnaires were administered to collect psychosocial factors and self-reported medication adherence at baseline, the end of the intervention, 3 months, and 6 months post intervention. HbA1c values were extracted from electronic medical records. Repeated measures analysis of variance was used to compare differences in mean outcomes between the control and intervention groups. To assess intervention acceptability, eleven individuals participated in semi-structured interviews about their intervention experiences. Qualitative content analysis was used for analyzing the interviews.ResultsThirty participants completed the study. Overall, the findings support the feasibility of the intervention. There were significant differences in HbA1c values. Participants in the intervention group had lower A1C (8.3 ± 1.4) than in the control group (9.2 ± 1.3) at the time of 6-month follow-up (p = 0.003). In addition, the participants in the intervention group showed improved HbA1c at 6-month follow-up (8.3 ± 1.4), compared to baseline (9.4 ± 1.5, p = 0.011) and after 6-session intervention (8.9 ± 1.6, p = 0.046). However, there were no significant differences in medication adherence between groups over time. Qualitative themes suggest participants liked the intervention and perceived the additional support from the pharmacist as beneficial.ConclusionA pharmacist-led intervention to provide additional health literacy-psychosocial support may contribute to long-term improvements in HbA1c. Equipping pharmacists with patient-specific diabetes medication adherence information and building in additional follow-up support for patients may improve patient health outcomes.

Dataset Information

Understanding the Feasibility, Acceptability, and Efficacy of a Clinical Pharmacist-led Mobile Approach (BPTrack) to Hypertension Management: Mixed Methods Pilot Study.

Publications

Understanding the Feasibility, Acceptability, and Efficacy of a Clinical Pharmacist-led Mobile Approach (BPTrack) to Hypertension Management: Mixed Methods Pilot Study.

Similar Datasets

OmicsDI is part of the ELIXIR infrastructure

Tweets