Effect of outreach reminders on adolescent well child visits and COVID-19 vaccination rates: A randomized clinical trial

Researchers with Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center conducted a randomized clinical trial to determine the effectiveness of outreach reminders on adolescent well child visits and COVID-19 vaccination rates. Findings from the trial will be presented during the Pediatric Academic Societies (PAS) 2022 Meeting, taking place April 21-25 in Denver.

Many adolescents delayed preventative services during the COVID-19 pandemic. Outreach is a proven strategy for increasing preventative services, but it was uncertain whether this would be effective amid the pandemic.

The trial determined that outreach messages were minimally effective at re-engaging adolescents in preventative services. Efforts are needed to address widening disparities.

“We provide a primary care medical home for a low income Black population that was profoundly impacted by the pandemic,” said Mary Burkhardt, MD, MHA, associate division director of primary care at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center. “We conducted this trial to better understand the impact of reminders to adolescents about care that was overdue and the opportunity to receive the COVID-19 vaccine. We found that our interventions did promote scheduling of adolescent well care visits, but were minimally effective at improving the completion of visits. Higher intensity interventions may be needed to re-engage patients and address widening disparities.”

The trial included text and telephone outreach messages, with and without information about COVID-19 vaccine availability, on the scheduling and completion of adolescent well-care visits among adolescents due for preventative services.