Routine collection of patient-reported outcomes in an HIV clinic setting: the first 100 patients.
BACKGROUND
Information from patient-reported outcomes (PROs) can enhance patient-provider communication and facilitate clinical research. However, there are barriers to collecting PROs within a clinic. Recent technological advances may help overcome these barriers. We examined the feasibility of using a web-based application on tablet PCs with touch screens to collect PROs in a busy, multi-provider, outpatient HIV clinical care setting.


METHODS
Patients presenting for routine care were asked to complete a touch-screen-based assessment containing 62 to 111 items depending on patient responses. The assessment included instruments measuring body morphology abnormalities, depression, symptom burden, medication adherence, drug/alcohol/tobacco use, and health-related quality of life.


RESULTS
Of 136 patients approached to participate in the study, 106 patients (78%) completed the assessment, 6 (4%) started but did not complete it, and 24 (18%) refused. Of those who completed the assessment, the mean age was 48 years, and 29% reported a history of injection drug use. The median time to complete the assessment was 12 minutes. The prevalence of lipoatrophy was 51%, the prevalence of lipohypertrophy was 69%, and the prevalence of moderate or severe depression was 51%. We found that 25% of those receiving highly active antiretroviral therapy noted missing a dose of their antiretroviral medications in the prior 4 days.


CONCLUSIONS
Collection of PROs using touch-screen-based, internet technology was feasible in a busy HIV clinic. We found a high prevalence of body morphology abnormalities, depression, and poor adherence. Touch-screen-based collection of PROs is a promising tool to facilitate research and clinical care.
Crane
Heidi M
HM
The Department of Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA. hcrane@u.washington.edu
Lober
William
W
Webster
Eric
E
Harrington
Robert D
RD
Crane
Paul K
PK
Davis
Thomas E
TE
Kitahata
Mari M
MM
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D018791:CD4 Lymphocyte Count; D005260:Female; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000276:immunology / Q000523:psychology; D006304:Health Status; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010349:Patient Compliance; D011788:Quality of Life; D016896:Treatment Outcome