Cancer is the second leading cause of death in the United States. Cancer prevent and control should be an integral part of primary health care. Studies confirm, however, that too many patients do not receive cancer screening at appropriate intervals. There are many reasons for this lack of adherence to cancer screening recommendations. The investigators have designed this project to study two interventions which have the prospect of significantly increasing patient compliance with cancer screening guidelines.
The aim of this research project is to implement and evaluate a Phase III controlled trial designed to increase compliance with three cancer screening and three other health promotion measures. The interventions are: (1) to use the computer to generate reminders to physicians and to track the provision of three cancer screening and three other health promotion services to individual patients. (2) to use computer-generated personal reminder letters to inform patients about the cancer screening and other health promotion measure that are recommended at the present time. The evaluation will test the following hypothesis: The compliance of patients in a primary care practice with specific cancer screening and other health promotion recommendations will be significantly better when physicians and patients receive reminders about the measures that are needed. This research project will be a controlled clinical trial in four cohorts of adults 18 years of age and older. The site will be the Family Medicine Center at the Medical University of South Carolina. The variables to be evaluated are three cancer screening recommendations (fecal occult blood testing, Pap smears, mammography) and three other health promotion recommendations (serum cholesterol levels, tetanus and influenza immunizations). Following a baseline assessment, a one year intervention program will occur. One of four practice groups will serve as the control. The remaining three practice groups will receive either computerized reminders for physicians, personalized patient reminder letters, or both physician and patient reminders. A follow-up assessment of the percentage of patients among the four groups who are up to date with the recommendations for the six health promotion items will be made at the completion of the study. The investigators will analyze the data to determine the most effective interventions(s). If the results of the project confirm the efficacy of these two interventions, the researchers are confident these approaches can be readily utilized in residency training programs and in the offices of practicing primary care physicians throughout the United States.
| Ornstein, S M; Garr, D R; Jenkins, R G et al. (1991) Computer-generated physician and patient reminders. Tools to improve population adherence to selected preventive services. J Fam Pract 32:82-90 |
| Ornstein, S M; Garr, D R; Jenkins, R G et al. (1989) Compliance with five health promotion recommendations in a university-based family practice. J Fam Pract 29:163-8 |
