HOW CAN NEW TECHNOLOGIES HELP REDUCE ABSENTEEISM IN PEDIATRIC CONSULTATION?

Area of Science:

• Pediatrics
• Infectious Diseases
• Public Health

Background:

• Childhood tuberculosis presents significant public health challenges, including high rates of absenteeism from medical consultations.
• Effective interventions are needed to improve treatment adherence and outcomes in pediatric tuberculosis patients.

Purpose of the Study:

• To determine the most effective communication method for reducing appointment absenteeism in children with suspected or confirmed pulmonary tuberculosis.
• To evaluate the impact of different reminder strategies on patient attendance.

Main Methods:

• A randomized clinical trial involving 78 children diagnosed with or suspected of having tuberculosis.
• Patients were randomized into three groups: telephone reminders, SMS/WhatsApp reminders, or no reminders.
• Data on absenteeism and treatment abandonment were collected prospectively.

Main Results:

• The overall absenteeism rate was 24.0%, and the treatment abandonment rate was 16.7%.
• Appointment reminders, particularly via WhatsApp, were statistically associated with reduced absenteeism (p=0.032).
• No significant association was found between reminders and treatment abandonment.

Conclusions:

• Utilizing modern communication tools like WhatsApp to remind guardians of appointments is an effective strategy to decrease absenteeism in pediatric tuberculosis care.
• Reducing absenteeism has the potential to improve treatment adherence and overall treatment outcomes for children with tuberculosis.