The effects of telephone prompting on attendance for starting treatment and retention in treatment at a specialist alcohol clinic.
OBJECTIVE
To examine the effects of telephone prompting on attendance for the start of treatment and retention in treatment in a specialist alcohol clinic.


METHODS
The study setting was a specialist alcohol treatment clinic. Participants were 172 clients attending as out-patients. An ABABAB design was used with planned alternating conditions, respectively, with or without a telephone prompt the day before the client was due to attend, over a succession of six consecutive 4-week periods.


RESULTS
Clients who were prompted were more likely to start treatment and attend further treatment sessions than clients who were not prompted.


CONCLUSIONS
Telephone prompting is a simple and effective way to improve attendance for the start of treatment and retention in alcohol treatment.
Jackson
Katie R
KR
Institute for Health Research, Bowland Tower East, Lancaster University, Lancaster, UK.
Booth
Peter G
PG
Salmon
Peter
P
McGuire
James
J
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000437:Alcoholism / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy*; D001071:Appointments and Schedules; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010349:Patient Compliance / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D017010:Reminder Systems; D013689:Telephone; D006113:United Kingdom; D055815:Young Adult