Interactive voice response - an automated follow-up technique for adolescents discharged from acute psychiatric inpatient care: a randomised controlled trial

Björn Axel Johansson,Claes Andersson,Susanne Remvall,Anna Lindgren,Rasmus Malgerud

doi:10.1186/2193-1801-2-146

Abstract

Follow-up methods must be easy for young people to handle. We examine Interactive Voice Response (IVR) as a method for collecting self-reported data. Sixty inpatients were recruited from a child and adolescent psychiatric emergency unit in Malmö, Sweden and called every second (N = 30) or every fourth (N = 30) day from discharge until first visit in outpatient care. A pre-recorded voice asked them to evaluate their current mood using their mobile phones. Average response rate was 91%, and 71% had a 100% response rate. Gender, age and length of inpatient treatment did not affect response rate, nor did randomisation. Boys estimated their current mood on average as 3.52 units higher than girls, CI = (2.65, 4.48). Automated IVR is a feasible method of collecting follow-up data among adolescents discharged from a psychiatric emergency unit.

Highlights

It is estimated that about 15% of all adolescents suffer from a mental disorder that requires treatment (Blakemore 2008)
Aim The primary aim of this study was to investigate whether automated Interactive Voice Response (IVR) is a feasible method of collecting self-reported data on current mood among adolescents discharged from a child and adolescent psychiatric emergency unit, and secondly to evaluate differences in response-rate between groups with different follow-up frequencies
Our major finding was that automated IVR works as a self-reporting follow-up technique on current mood in adolescents discharged from emergency psychiatric inpatient care

Summary

Introduction

It is estimated that about 15% of all adolescents suffer from a mental disorder that requires treatment (Blakemore 2008). For the most severely ill adolescents inpatient treatment is often required, at least for a short period of time. For adolescents discharged from US community hospitals between 1990 and 2000 the average length of stay declined from 12 to 4 days (Case et al 2007). The outcome of this development, including comparisons between different inpatient treatment periods, is insufficiently analysed. In order to improve treatment outcome, especially in outpatient care (Ginsburg 2006), it is essential to develop new follow-up methods that are easy to administer and offer high response rates

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Discussion

Conclusion