Online intervention can reduce unnecessary visits to primary care

(HealthDay) – An online intervention can be effective in reducing the mother's intention of bringing her child to a primary care center for the treatment of low-risk pediatric respiratory infections, according to a report. study published in the May-June issue of Annals of Family Medicine.

Annegret Schneider, Ph.D., of University College London, and her colleagues evaluated an evidence-based, parent-focused online intervention that combines locally enhanced microbiological syndromic surveillance data with information on the duration of symptoms and home care counseling to reduce attendance in primary care. Pediatric ITRs at low risk. The authors randomly badigned 806 mothers to receive interventional material before (after intervention) or after (witness) to answer questions about their intention to visit a clinic for an RTI disease scenario.

The researchers found that the participants in the intervention had lower attendance intentions than the control participants. This effect persisted after controlling for demographic and clinical characteristics. The effect of the intervention was essentially indirect and induced by the knowledge of infections and antibiotics, the severity of symptoms and the perception of social norms in terms of attendance. The most important intervention component was information on the timing of the visit (evaluated 227 times), followed by symptoms (186 times), while information on circulating viruses was considered less important (274 times). .

"The intervention has been effective in reducing the intentions of attending primary care by increasing knowledge, motivation in attendance and the need for additional resources," write the authors.

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