Digital interventions are effective in helping patients in primary care take the medicines they have been prescribed, according to the first UK study of whether highly tailored text and voice messages are useful as a tool to improve medication adherence. The new study, called Medication Adherence for Patient’s Support, or MAPS, proves the importance of […]
Strategies to increase postnatal physical activity should ensure group-based classes with other new mothers accessible and affordable, says new research
New mothers would be more likely to engage in physical activity (PA) if group PA classes with other new mothers were accessible, according to a study published today by Kate Ellis and colleagues in the Behavioural Science Group. After childbirth, mothers’ physical activity levels tend to decline and they are less active than women of […]
Targeting parental attitudes does not reduce adolescents’ alcohol use, according to a study of the ‘Effekt’ alcohol prevention program in Estonia
An alcohol prevention program that was implemented in Estonia to try to tackle high rates of alcohol use amongst adolescents does not appear to make any significant difference to the young people’s alcohol use, according to a randomised controlled trial amongst 985 fifth-graders and their parents. Alcohol use is very common among adolescents in Estonia […]
Many practitioners using very brief interventions with many patients may have a significant public health impact
Blog by Professor Stephen Sutton, Behavioural Science Group Large-scale problems require large-scale solutions. Tackling the ‘Big 4’ behaviours (physical inactivity, tobacco use, excessive consumption of food and alcohol) requires scalable interventions that can reach large numbers of people to achieve a significant public health impact. One promising approach is to use brief interventions delivered by […]
Tailored messages almost double the odds of medication adherence
Automated telephone and text messaging interventions almost double the odds of adherence to medication when compared to usual care, according to a systematic review of research studies, published today by Dr Kassavou and Professor Sutton. The review set out to assess how well automated telecommunications (including voice messages and text messages) can support medication adherence. […]
Patients who need to take medicine every day find tailored telephone messages helpful
Tailored voice messages in automated phone calls to patients could successfully prompt patients to take medicines as prescribed, according to a study of patients and nurses working in GP surgeries, published as ‘Reasons for non-adherence to cardiometabolic medications, and acceptability of an interactive voice response intervention in patients with hypertension and type 2 diabetes in […]