Smith 2004.
Methods | STUDY DESIGN: Parallel group randomised controlled trial
LOCATION, NUMBER OF CENTRES: Urban ED in USA
DURATION OF STUDY: 6 months Outcome assessors were blinded |
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Participants | N SCREENED: 702 N RANDOMISED: 543 (of which 527 enrolled) N COMPLETED: 302 M = 349 F = 178 MEAN AGE: 6.4 years BASELINE DETAILS: 92% African American; 92% Medicaid; INCLUSION CRITERIA: 2 to 12 years; Medicaid or no medical insurance EXCLUSION CRITERIA: Admission to hospital during index ED visit; chronic illness other than asthma; no working telephone in the home; participation in another asthma study; no primary care physician; parents unable to communicate effectively in English | |
Interventions | EDUCATION GROUP: 2 follow‐up phone calls and monetary incentive delivered by health educator. Call on day 2 (2‐day call) and the other on day 5 (5‐day call) post‐index ED visit. Coach reinforced importance of PCP follow up and discussed advantages of seeking follow‐up care with child's PCP. Strategies to overcome barriers to follow‐up care mentioned by the parents also discussed. Setting: Home CONTROL GROUP: Usual care TREATMENT PERIOD: 5 days FOLLOW‐UP PERIOD: 6 months |
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Outcomes | ED visit; scheduled attendance with primary care provider | |
Notes | ||
Risk of bias | ||
Bias | Authors' judgement | Support for judgement |
Adequate sequence generation? | Unclear risk | Information not available |
Allocation concealment? | Low risk | Information not available |
Incomplete outcome data addressed? All outcomes | Low risk | All participants analysed from audit checks |