title: The effectiveness of a mail reminder system for depot medroxyprogesterone injections.
abstract: To determine if a mail reminder system leads to an increase in the percentage of depot medroxyprogesterone acetate (Depo-Provera) injections administered on time, the charts of 184 women were reviewed. The reminder postcard included the due dates of both the next medroxyprogesterone injection and the next Papanicolaou test. Timeliness of injections improved with the reminder system from 64% administered on time to 76% (P < .02). Injections given late despite the reminders were late a mean of 8 days. Injections given late before the reminder system began were late a mean of 20 days (P < .05). If injections given during the injection's 14-day "grace" period are included, the on-time rate improved from 87% to 96% with the reminder system (P < .005). The reminder system was not effective in ensuring annual Papanicolaou testing. Vigilance is needed to ensure that women receiving medroxyprogesterone injections also receive timely Papanicolaou testing.
authors.affiliation: Department of Family and Community Medicine, St Paul Ramsey Medical Center, Minn, USA.
authors.forename: D J
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Madlon-Kay
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D003268:Contraception Behavior; D003271:Contraceptive Agents, Female / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D003692:Delayed-Action Preparations / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D017258:Medroxyprogesterone Acetate / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D065006:Papanicolaou Test; D017010:Reminder Systems; D013997:Time Factors; D014626:Vaginal Smears
chemical_list: D003271:Contraceptive Agents, Female; D003692:Delayed-Action Preparations; D017258:Medroxyprogesterone Acetate