Evaluation of Interactive Voice Response (IVR) and postal survey in follow-up of children and adolescents discharged from psychiatric outpatient treatment: a randomized controlled trial

Claes Andersson,Gunilla Silfverberg-Dymling,Björn Axel Johansson,Susanne Danielsson,Gunnel Löndahl

doi:10.1186/2193-1801-3-77

Claes Andersson, Gunilla Silfverberg-Dymling + Show 3 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.1186/2193-1801-3-77

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Abstract

Systematic evaluation of child and adolescent psychiatric outpatient treatment is important but time-consuming. The aim of this paper was to study whether Interactive Voice Response (IVR) is a more effective method than a questionnaire sent by post when following up outpatient treatment in child and adolescent psychiatry. Eighty patients were recruited from a child and adolescent psychiatric outpatient unit in Sweden. One parent of each of the patients was randomized to complete the BCFPI follow-up form, using either IVR (n = 40) or postal survey (n = 40) one month after discharge. The response rate for complete answers was 65% in the IVR group and 38% in the postal survey group (p = 0.014). There was less need for reminders in the IVR group (p = 0.000). IVR is a promising and cost-effective method for evaluating evidence-based treatment in child and adolescent psychiatric care.

Highlights

15% of all children and adolescents have a mental disorder that requires treatment (Blakemore 2008)
The concept of evidence-based psychiatry does include the treatment: it emphasises the importance of continuous and systematic evaluation of the treatment options to decide whether improvements are needed (Akobeng 2005)
In a limited number of studies, Interactive Voice Response (IVR) has been used to follow up adolescents in psychiatric inpatient and outpatient care (Johansson et al 2013), but there are no previous studies comparing IVR and postal surveys when following up outpatient treatment in child and adolescent psychiatry

Summary

Introduction

15% of all children and adolescents have a mental disorder that requires treatment (Blakemore 2008). Evidence-based treatment options are available for children and adolescents with psychiatric disorders (The Cochrane Collaboration 2013). The concept of evidence-based psychiatry does include the treatment: it emphasises the importance of continuous and systematic evaluation of the treatment options to decide whether improvements are needed (Akobeng 2005). In child and adolescent psychiatry there are a number on the keypad. In a limited number of studies, IVR has been used to follow up adolescents in psychiatric inpatient and outpatient care (Johansson et al 2013), but there are no previous studies comparing IVR and postal surveys when following up outpatient treatment in child and adolescent psychiatry

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