High Rates Of Engagement Research Articles

A Social Media Analysis of Wellness Culture in Plastic Surgery Residency.

Burnout, "a psychological syndrome of emotional exhaustion, depersonalization, and reduced personal accomplishment", afflicts approximately one third of plastic surgery attending surgeons and residents. Burnout can be detrimental to resident training and patient outcomes. Therefore, cultivating wellness during residency is essential. In fact, the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education requires residency programs to create learning and working environments that optimize faculty and resident wellness. With increasing social media use by plastic surgery residency programs, this study aimed to analyze their posts for wellness-related content. Integrated plastic surgery residency programs were obtained from the American Council of Academic Plastic Surgeons Web site, and their associated social media accounts were identified. The authors reviewed all post images, captions, and comments made by the program's account, until July 3, 2021. Any hashtags relating to wellness were also recorded. Of 82 programs, 76 (92.7%) had active Instagram accounts, 31 (37.8%) had active Facebook accounts, and 30 (36.6%) had active Twitter accounts. Instagram had higher rates of engagement than Facebook and Twitter (P < 0.001). Across all platforms, the mean percent of total posts related to wellness was 18.87%. The most common wellness content showcased resident work-life balance (48.73%), followed by educational events incorporating wellness activities (27.61%), attention to physical health (17.71%), healthy work environments (5.29%), wellness-specific activities (3.25%), team building activities (2.40%), and images implying but not directly showing resident wellness (1.46%). Programs did not vary significantly in percentages of total posts related to wellness by geographic region, ranking, or accreditation length. In total, 1893 wellness-related hashtags were used on Instagram, 253 on Facebook, and 72 on Twitter. The most used wellness-related hashtag was #residentlife. Only 40.8% to 50.8% of posts using wellness hashtags met at least 1 wellness criterion. Despite the importance of burnout prevention during plastic surgery residency, less than a quarter of residency program social media content promote wellness. Social media can demonstrate how residency programs are incorporating wellness into their curricula, but whether residencies lack sufficient wellness initiatives or are not advertising such programming on their social media accounts remains to be studied.

Delivering Remote Measurement-Based Care in Community Addiction Treatment: Engagement and Usability Over a 6-Month Clinical Pilot.

ObjectiveMeasurement-based care (MBC) is an evidence-based practice in which patients routinely complete standardized measures throughout treatment to help monitor clinical progress and inform clinical decision-making. Despite its potential benefits, MBC is rarely used in community-based substance use disorder (SUD) treatment. In this pilot study, we evaluated the feasibility of incorporating a digital and remotely delivered MBC system into SUD treatment within a community setting by characterizing patients’ and clinicians’ engagement with and usability ratings toward the MBC system that was piloted.MethodsA pilot study was conducted with 30 patients receiving SUD treatment and eight clinicians providing SUD treatment in a large, publicly funded addiction and mental health treatment clinic. Services as usual within the clinic included individual psychotherapy, case management, group therapy, peer support, and medication management for mental health and SUD, including buprenorphine. Patients who enrolled in the pilot continued to receive services as usual and were automatically sent links to complete a 22-item questionnaire, called the weekly check-in, via text message or email weekly for 24 weeks. Results of the weekly check-in were summarized on a clinician-facing web-based dashboard. Engagement was characterized by calculating the mean number of weekly check-ins completed by patients and the mean number times clinicians logged into the MBC system. Ratings of the MBC system’s usability and clinical utility were provided by patients and clinicians.ResultsPatient participants (53.3% male, 56.7% white, 90% Medicaid enrolled) completed a mean of 20.60 weekly check-ins (i.e., 85.8% of the 24 expected per patient). All but one participating clinician with a patient enrolled in the study logged into the clinician-facing dashboard at least once, with an average of 12.20 logins per clinician. Patient and clinician ratings of usability and clinical utility were favorable: most patients agreed with statements that the weekly check-in was easy to navigate and aided self-reflection. All clinicians who completed usability questionnaires agreed with statements indicating that the dashboard was easy to navigate and that it provided meaningful information for SUD treatment.ConclusionsA digital and remotely delivered MBC system can yield high rates of patient and clinician engagement and high ratings of usability and clinical utility when added into SUD treatment as usual. The success of this clinical pilot may be attributable, in part, to the user-centered design processes that were used to develop and refine the MBC system that was piloted. Future efforts may focus on strategies to test whether MBC can be sustainably implemented and offers clinical benefits to patients in community SUD treatment settings.

Male Caregivers and Engagement in a Family Strengthening Program for Child Disruptive Behavior Disorders.

Awareness and interest in involving male caregivers in child mental health treatment has grown, especially for youth with disruptive behavior disorders like oppositional defiant disorder (ODD). The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between male caregiver involvement and treatment engagement for child ODD. Children (n=122) ages 7-11 and their caregivers participated in the 4 Rs 2 Ss Strengthening Families Program for child-onset ODD. Families were compared based on male caregiver presence. Families with a male caregiver were significantly more resourced with respect to income, educational status, and food security. Additionally, they were over three times less likely to drop out of the program than those without a male caregiver. The presence of a male caregiver was associated with increased resources and higher rates of engagement in services than single, female-headed families. Future research is needed to discern the underlying mechanisms of this association.

E-cigarette brands and social media influencers on Instagram: a social network analysis

BackgroundExposure to visual posts featuring e-cigarette products on social media is associated with increased e-cigarette use among US adolescents. Instagram is the largest source of e-cigarette social media marketing, where...

Looking for the Sustainability Messages of European Universities’ Social Media Communication during the COVID-19 Pandemic

Organizations in general, and higher education institutions in particular, had to face many challenges during the pandemic in order to carry out their usual activities. Since communications and interactions between universities and students were required to take place online, the messages sent by universities on their social media platforms held greater importance. In this regard, the purpose of the paper was to identify the promotion strategies used by European universities on Facebook and Instagram in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic. Thus, we were interested in identifying differences and similarities in the types of messages European universities sent on the two social networks, regarding the way they communicated about sustainability. The method used in order to conduct the research was content analysis, while having as an instrument a content analysis grid. We analyzed the activity of 20 European universities included in the World University Rankings 2021. The results of the research revealed that universities communicated more on Facebook than on Instagram, that the most frequent messages regarding sustainability were the ones about the actions carried out by universities in order to protect the environment, and that they registered a higher engagement rate on Instagram than on Facebook.

Telerehabilitation of acute musculoskeletal multi-disorders: prospective, single-arm, interventional study

BackgroundAcute musculoskeletal (MSK) pain is very common and associated with impaired productivity and high economic burden. Access to timely and personalized, evidence-based care is key to improve outcomes while reducing healthcare expenditure. Digital interventions can facilitate access and ensure care scalability.ObjectivePresent the feasibility and results of a fully remote digital care program (DCP) for acute MSK conditions affecting several body areas.MethodsInterventional single-arm study of individuals applying for digital care programs for acute MSK pain. Primary outcome was the mean change between baseline and end-of-program in self-reported Numerical Pain Rating Scale (NPRS) score and secondary outcomes were change in analgesic consumption, intention to undergo surgery, anxiety (GAD-7), depression (PHQ-9), fear-avoidance beliefs (FABQ-PA), work productivity (WPAI-GH) and engagement.ResultsThree hundred forty-three patients started the program, of which 300 (87.5%) completed the program. Latent growth curve analysis (LGCA) revealed that changes in NPRS between baseline and end-of-program were both statistically (p < 0.001) and clinically significant: 64.3% reduction (mean − 2.9 points). Marked improvements were also noted in all secondary outcomes: 82% reduction in medication intake, 63% reduction in surgery intent, 40% in fear-avoidance beliefs, 54% in anxiety, 58% in depression and 79% recovery in overall productivity. All outcomes had steeper improvements in the first 4 weeks, which paralleled higher engagement in this period (3.6 vs 3.2 overall weekly sessions, p < 0.001). Mean patient satisfaction score was 8.7/10 (SD 1.26).Strengths and limitationsThis is the first longitudinal study demonstrating the feasibility of a DCP for patients with acute MSK conditions involving several body areas. Major strengths of this study are the large sample size, the wide range of MSK conditions studied, the breadth of outcomes measured, and the very high retention rate and adherence level. The major limitation regards to the absence of a control group.ConclusionsWe observed very high completion and engagement rates, as well as clinically relevant changes in all health-related outcomes and productivity recovery. We believe this DCP holds great potential in the delivery of effective and scalable MSK care.Trial registrationNCT, NCT04092946. Registered 17/09/2019;

Mobile applications for the management of chronic physical conditions: a systematic review.

Chronic physical conditions (CPC) decrease the quality of life of millions of people. In the absence of curative treatments, maintaining healthy lifestyle habits is one of the main pillars in their clinical management. Mobile-based interventions may help patients take care of their health and follow medical recommendations. The purpose of this review is to summarise the latest evidence about mobile telephone applications (apps) for the management of CPC. We performed a systematic search of the PubMed and EMBASE databases to identify articles that explored apps for the management of CPC, testing the apps empirically and providing clear outputs on effectiveness and/or feasibility. A total of 3528 articles were identified in the initial search. Following screening and selection process, 20 articles were included in the final review. Mobile apps for CPC are very heterogeneous. The condition with the greater number of apps available was diabetes, followed by cardiovascular diseases. Results of feasibility were generally positive, with high rates of study completion and user engagement. Some studies used incentives, monetary of otherwise. Some of the apps have been tested in randomised controlled trials showing effectiveness in improving symptoms and/or controlling analytical parameters. Mobile apps are promising tools for the management of CPC. Some apps have been sufficiently tested to propose their implementation in clinical practice. However, several barriers exist that can slow down the routine use of new technologies in healthcare settings.

Asynchronous and Tailored Digital Rehabilitation of Chronic Shoulder Pain: A Prospective Longitudinal Cohort Study.

BackgroundChronic shoulder pain (SP) is responsible for significant morbidity, decreased quality of life and impaired work ability, resulting in high socioeconomic burden. Successful SP management is dependent on adherence and compliance with effective evidence-based interventions. Digital solutions may improve accessibility to such treatments, increasing convenience, while reducing healthcare-related costs.PurposePresent the results of a fully remote digital care program (DCP) for chronic SP.Patients and MethodsInterventional, single-arm, cohort study of individuals with chronic SP applying for a digital care program. Primary outcome was the mean change between baseline and 12 weeks on the Quick Disabilities of the Arm, Shoulder and Hand (QuickDASH) questionnaire. Secondary outcomes were change in pain (NPRS), analgesic consumption, intention to undergo surgery, anxiety (GAD-7), depression (PHQ-9), fear-avoidance beliefs (FABQ-PA), work productivity (WPAI) and engagement.ResultsFrom 296 patients at program start, 234 (79.1%) completed the intervention. Changes in QuickDASH between baseline and end-of-program were both statistically (p < 0.001) and clinically significant, with a mean reduction of 51.6% (mean −13.45 points, 95% CI: 11.99; 14.92). Marked reductions were also observed in all secondary outcomes: 54.8% in NPRS, 44.1% ceased analgesics consumption, 55.5% in surgery intent, 37.7% in FABQ-PA, 50.3% in anxiety, 63.6% in depression and 66.5% in WPAI overall. Higher engagement was associated with higher improvements in disability. Mean patient satisfaction score was 8.7/10.0 (SD 1.6).ConclusionThis is the first real-world cohort study reporting the results of a multimodal remote digital approach for chronic SP rehabilitation. High completion and engagement rates were observed, which were associated with clinically significant improvement in all health-related outcomes, as well as marked productivity recovery. These promising results support the potential of digital modalities to address the global burden of chronic musculoskeletal pain.

A Mixed-Methods Evaluation of the Feasibility of a Medical Management-Based Text Messaging Intervention Combined With Buprenorphine in Primary Care.

Background:Mobile health (mHealth) tools offer an effective and personalized approach to enhance chronic disease management and may partially offset provider-level barriers to increasing buprenorphine prescribing in primary care. This study assessed the feasibility of integrating a text messaging-based medical management tool (TeMeS) in primary care among patients initiating buprenorphine.Methods:TeMeS messages are categorized per the medical management model, programed in a HIPAA-compliant texting software (Apptoto©), and delivered in a tiered fashion over 8-weeks to patients. This mixed-methods evaluation of TeMeS utilized key stakeholder feedback (patients, physicians, administrators, nursing), text messaging software process measures, thematic analysis of patient participant text message content, and electronic administrative data (eg, appointment adherence, treatment retention) at 2-months.Results:The study team approached 65 patients and n = 14 (21%) were ineligible or declined to participate in the study. Most eligible participants owned a smartphone (90%), responded to at least one text query (88%) over an average of 24 days, and few requested to stop receiving texts (6%). Participant text replies included responses to cognitive behavioral therapy-based queries (13.8%), confirming or rescheduling appointments (6.1%), and insurance, pharmacy, or clinical issues pertaining to buprenorphine dispensation or dosing (2%). Suggestions for design modifications included personalizing message content and adjusting message frequency per patient risk of illicit opioid reuse, use of video-based informational content, and real-time provider and staff support for emergent issues.Conclusion:Our findings highlight the acceptability, feasibility, and high rates of engagement of utilizing text messaging to enhance self-management among patients initiating buprenorphine treatment.

Impact of dual diagnosis on healthcare and criminal justice costs after release from Queensland prisons: a prospective cohort study.

People released from prison have poorer health than the general public, with a particularly high prevalence of mental illness and harmful substance use. High-frequency use of hospital-based services is costly, and greater investment in transitional support and primary care services to improve the health of people leaving prison may therefore be cost-effective. A prospective cohort study of 1303 men and women released from prisons in Queensland, Australia, between 2008 and 2010, using linked data was performed. We calculated healthcare costs and the cost of re-incarceration. We compared healthcare costs to the general public, and assessed the impact of past mental illness, substance use disorder, and dual diagnosis on both healthcare and criminal justice costs. Healthcare costs among the cohort were 2.1-fold higher than expected based on costs among the public. Dual diagnosis was associated with 3.5-fold higher healthcare costs (95% CI 2.6-4.6) and 2.8-fold higher re-incarceration costs (95% CI 1.6-5.0), compared with no past diagnosis of either mental illness or substance use disorder. People released from prison incur high healthcare costs, primarily due to high rates of engagement with emergency health services and hospital admissions. Comorbid mental illness and substance use disorders are associated with high health and criminal justice costs among people recently released from prison.

Associations between State-Level Obesity Rates, Engagement with Food Brands on Social Media, and Hashtag Usage.

Food advertisement exposure is associated with increased caloric intake, but little is known about food/beverage placements in the digital media environment. We aimed to examine the correlation between the number of people who follow food and beverage brand social media accounts (i.e., user engagement) and state-level obesity rates; quantify social media followers’ use of “healthy” vs. “unhealthy” hashtags; and analyze the relationship between user engagement and hashtag usage. We identified the 26 fast-food and beverage brands with the highest advertising expenditures and used Demographics Pro to determine the characteristics of social media users amongst the 26 brands. A series of regression analyses were conducted that related the mean percentage of brand followers and state-level obesity rates. We then identified 733 hashtags on Instagram and 703 hashtags on Twitter, coding them as “healthy”, “unhealthy”, “neutral”, or “unrelated to health”. Intercoder reliability was established using ReCal2, which indicated a 90% agreement between coders. Finally, we conducted ANCOVA to examine the relationship between the mean percentage of brand followers and their hashtag usage. There was a significant, positive correlation between the state-level obesity rate and the mean percentage of followers of sugary drink or fast-food brands on Instagram and Twitter, but such a correlation between obesity and low-calorie drink brand followers was only found on Twitter. Our findings illustrate the relationship between the social media food environment and obesity rates in the United States. Given the high rates of engagement with food brands on social media, policies should limit digital advertisements featuring fast-food, sugary drink, and low-calorie drink brands.

A longitudinal analysis on Instagram characteristics of Olympic champions

This study examines Olympic champions’ characteristics on Instagram to first understand how age and gender affect the characteristics and their interrelations and second to see if the future changes in those characteristics are predictable. We crawled Instagram data of individual gold medalists in the Rio2016 Olympics for four months and utilized a content analytic method to analyze their photograph posts. The cross-sectional analysis shows that as the champions age, the follower engagement rate decreases in both genders. However, men increase their pure self-presentation posts while women extend their circle of followings. In its approval, the longitudinal analysis shows that when a higher engagement rate is achieved, men and women champions lose their tendency to increase self-presenting posts and the number of followings, respectively. In the light of relative theories and the previous literature, these findings contribute to a better understanding of athletes’ cyber behavior in social media. Moreover, the findings serve as a guide for sport researchers seeking to grasp the ways that aid athletes to better interact with their followers and build the personal brand, which involves sponsorship and other promotional opportunities.

Multisystemic Therapy - Building Stronger Families (MST-BSF): Substance misuse, child neglect, and parenting outcomes from an 18-month randomized effectiveness trial

BackgroundParental substance misuse impacts millions of children globally and is a major determinant of repeat maltreatment and out-of-home placement. There is little published research on family-based, comprehensive treatment models that simultaneously address parental substance misuse and child maltreatment. ObjectiveThis study reports outcomes from a randomized clinical trial examining the effectiveness of the Multisystemic Therapy – Building Stronger Families (MST-BSF) treatment model with families involved with Child Protective Services due to physical abuse and/or neglect plus parental substance misuse. Participants and settingNinety-eight families who had an open case with Child Protective Services in two areas of the state of Connecticut participated. MethodFamilies referred by the Connecticut Department of Children and Families were randomly assigned to MST-BSF or Comprehensive Community Treatment (CCT). Both interventions were delivered by community-based therapists. Outcomes were measured across 5 assessments extending 18 months post-baseline. ResultsIntent-to-treat analyses showed that MST-BSF was significantly more effective than CCT in reducing parent self-reported alcohol and opiate use and in improving child-reported neglectful parenting. Although means were in predicted directions, new incidents of abuse across 18 months did not differ between groups. The study features high recruitment and engagement rates for a population experiencing multiple involvements with child protection. ConclusionThe outcomes of this study support the effectiveness of MST-BSF, an intensive family- and ecologically- based treatment, for significantly reducing parental alcohol and opiate misuse and child neglect. These findings help in our understanding of how best to address the understudied issue of interventions for child neglect.

Beauty Influencers and Instagram Usage

Instagram has become a popular platform for beauty influencers. It’s a versatile and user-friendly platform. Beauty influencers use their profiles in a variety of ways that can impact social media users. Social media users perceive social media influencers and their profiles in different ways, affecting engagement rate. 5 macro-influencers and 5 micro-influencers were used in this study. Researchers coded 285 Instagram posts according to the content type used. Follower counts, overall likes, and overall comments were collected. Instagram engagement rate was calculated for each post. Macro-influencers had a higher engagement rate than micro-influencers. Micro-influencers used more hashtags than macro-influencers. Both macro￾influencers and micro-influencers used entertaining content and brand information than relational content and field information.

Youth engagement in internet begging and national development in Nigeria

The study is on youth engagement in Internet begging and national development. It was designed to examine how internet begging by youths influences the development of our nation Nigeria. The rationale for the study stemmed out of the high rate of youths engagement in internet begging and the fear of the detrimental effect it might have in the development of the nation. The study adopted the survey design. The study was guided by three research questions. Sample was 150 respondents drawn from Jos metropolis. Data were collected by means of a researcher made questionnaire titled Internet Begging and National Development Questionnaire (INBENDEQ) with reliability index of 0.78. Personal contact method was adopted in data collection. Simple percentage was used for data analysis with 50% as bench mark for all the research questions. Results revealed that poverty, displacement from homes and loss of jobs are the main reasons for internet begging by youths. Also it was gathered that internet begging makes youths lazy, and less responsible. The study found that internet begging affects national development due to propensity of leading to poverty and indebtedness among others. The author recommended that the government should empower youths to reduce poverty. Also situations that cause displacement and unemployment like crises, wars should be addressed so that people can go about their businesses well and earn their living.

A Preliminary Evaluation of a Digital Token Economy to Increase Student Engagement during Group Teletherapy

Shortly following the temporary nationwide school dismissal amid COVID-19, the current exploratory case-study evaluated the feasibility of two engagement strategies delivered during group teletherapy: Class Dojo and opportunities to respond (OTR). Three elementary students with emotional and behavioral difficulties participated. An A-B-A design was used to evaluate the effects of Class Dojo on student engagement with therapist-delivered OTRs. Due to one student’s poor response to the contingency, an A-B-C design was used to evaluate the additive effect of student-delivered OTRs on his engagement. Results indicated moderate to high rates of student attendance, and consistently high rates of engagement for two students. When students delivered OTRs, the student who initially struggled to engage demonstrated an increase in engagement. Practical issues are discussed and recommendations are considered for future research on increasing student engagement during online settings.

Is Social Media Killing Local News? An Examination of Engagement and Ownership Patterns in U.S. Community News on Facebook

This article focuses on two forces linked to declines in coverage of genuinely local civic affairs: (a) the impact of increasing corporate consolidation in ownership among news providers, and (b) the degree to which the economic incentives and logics of digital platforms may also drive editorial decision-making at news organizations away from coverage of local news. Using a unique dataset of 2.4 million Facebook posts published by local news organizations in three U.S. states between 2018 and 2019, we find evidence that both factors matter. Long-running trends towards conglomeration in the industry have a demonstrable impact on how much and what kinds of local news gets posted on the site, but we also find that the platform itself may incentivize certain types of coverage over others. Specifically, we find organizations owned by chains are more likely to post duplicative, repurposed content that receive fewer interactions per post—evidence of quantity being valued over quality—as well as higher rates of engagement with national, hard news stories over unique content about local affairs. Findings shed light on how Facebook—combined with media ownership structures—may hinder the task of serving local communities with original news that satisfies important civic needs.

Shifting to Primary Prevention for an Aging Population: A Scoping Review of Health Promotion Initiatives for Community-Dwelling Older Adults in Canada.

Older adults are healthier and living independently within our communities for longer. This demonstrates the need to build capacity in geriatric preventative services, with the potential to utilize health promotion to encourage successful aging. This scoping review examines the availability and potential of health promotion initiatives for community-dwelling older adults in Canada. Two research databases were searched for empirical articles published in Canada, in English, since 2000. A total of 17 articles met our inclusion criteria. The empirical literature demonstrates successful implementation of different primary prevention programs, with various facilitation methods used to address several health issues in late life. Most programs targeted falls prevention, often using education or exercise programming. Participants reported positive results in various biopsychosocial aspects of aging. Reported positive health outcomes and high engagement rates across examined programs may represent the ability for health promotion to successfully address the needs of older adults in the community, as well as meet the existing desire for participation in such initiatives. Further implementation and investment into health promotion for older adults can increase the accessibility of these programs across Canada, address new needs amongst this population, and alleviate the future healthcare burden posed by the growing aging demographic. The need for preventative services in gerontology is universal, thus the success seen in health promotion programs and policy, and the need for expansion, in Canada may also be relevant in countries with similar demographics.

Abstract 17: Adaptation and Assessment of a Text Message Cessation Intervention for Tobacco Users in Viet Nam

Abstract Purpose: Text message (i.e., short message service, SMS) smoking cessation interventions have demonstrated efficacy, but most evaluations were conducted in high-income countries. We assessed the feasibility, acceptability and preliminary efficacy of a smoking cessation SMS intervention adapted to the sociocultural context, language and communication styles of Vietnamese smokers. Methods: Participants were current adult cigarette-only or dual cigarette and waterpipe users. We adapted a message library from two SMS smoking cessation programs with proven efficacy in increasing quit rates in the US. The iterative adaptation process included focus groups with 58 smokers to provide data on culturally relevant patterns of tobacco use and to assess message preferences. We then pilot tested (n=40) a 6-week SMS intervention using brief text surveys to obtain real time feedback on messages and conducted post-test interviews (n=10) to inform further adaptation. Finally, we randomized 100 smokers to the SMS intervention (including bidirectional messages and key words to generate additional support) vs. weekly text assessments of tobacco use. Surveys assessed engagement and acceptability at 6 weeks, cessation at 6 and 12 weeks. Results: Significant modifications were made in terms of content (e.g. preference for negative framing of health risks, and focus on enhancing refusal skills) and tone (e.g., preferences for action-oriented advice for craving management). We found high rates of engagement (e.g. 82% usually or always read messages) and satisfaction with the SMS program (e.g. 70% satisfied, 24% very satisfied). Conclusion: Intervention participants suggested enhancing the program with additional telephone support, extending the length of the program, and adding images and more interactive content. This pilot study provided support for the feasibility and acceptability of culturally-adapted SMS smoking cessation treatment among smokers in Viet Nam. It also showed promising early efficacy in promoting abstinence. Future studies are needed to assess whether, with additional modifications, the program is associated with long-term abstinence. Citation Format: Donna Shelley, Nan Jiang, Charles Cleland, Trang Nguyen, Lorien Abroms, Nam Nguyen. Adaptation and Assessment of a Text Message Cessation Intervention for Tobacco Users in Viet Nam [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 9th Annual Symposium on Global Cancer Research; Global Cancer Research and Control: Looking Back and Charting a Path Forward; 2021 Mar 10-11. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev 2021;30(7 Suppl):Abstract nr 17.

Remote Home Monitoring of Patients With Cancer During the COVID Pandemic: A Pilot Study.

PURPOSE:The COVID-19 pandemic has posed significant challenges in the care of patients with cancer, including how to manage outpatients who are COVID-positive but do not require hospitalization. We explored the use of a remote patient monitoring (RPM) program to care for such outpatients.METHODS:Consecutive patients who were tested for COVID-19 because of symptom onset but were clinically stable were offered enrollment into a pilot RPM program. Patients were provided equipment for vital sign measurements and a computer tablet to enter results three times per day. The results were monitored centrally by clinical staff. The goal was to closely monitor patients and escalate care as warranted.RESULTS:Between March and June of 2020, 29 patients were approached and 26 were enrolled. The mean age was 57 years old (range, 30-88), 14 were women, and patients remained in the program for an average of 16 days (range, 2-63). Twenty-four patients (83%) were on active anticancer therapy. During that time period, only one patient was admitted to the hospital for worsening respiratory symptoms. The percentage of days during which at least one set of data and all three sets of data were entered was 97.2% and 65.7%, respectively. There was no association between the demographic factors of age, sex, or the reason for being monitored with the level of engagement (P > .05).CONCLUSION:In this pilot study, patients with cancer were readily enrolled in a remote home monitoring program. Monitoring was feasible, and there was a high rate of engagement with the program. The role of RPM should be further tested as the COVID pandemic continues.