309 - Supporting Parents to Choose Wisely: A Randomized Trial and Qualitative Study

Publication Number: 309.6567

Sarah A. Elliott, Alberta Research Centre for Health Evidence, Edmonton, AB, Canada; Lisa Hartling, University of Alberta Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, Edmonton, AB, Canada; Shannon Scott, Faculty of Nursing University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada; Samantha Cyrkot, University of Alberta Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, Edmonton, AB, Canada

Background: Connecting parents to research evidence has the power to improve decision-making and reduce health system costs. Parent-informed and parent-mediated knowledge mobilization (KM) strategies can increase knowledge and influence decision-making and expectations regarding healthcare seeking and interventions; in turn, expectations can impact the care delivered by healthcare professionals (e.g. prescriptions).

Objective: To assess the effectiveness of a KM strategy (blogshots; an online image and text based tool) to increase parent awareness and knowledge, and manage their expectations with respect to six Choosing Wisely Canada (CWC) recommendations about common acute childhood conditions.

Design/Methods: We co-designed a multimethod study (randomized trial, qualitative interviews) with parents (NCT06005337). Blogshots, corresponding to six CWC recommendations, were developed. Parents of children under 5 years across Canada were recruited online and randomized to two groups. Each group received a blogshot on a different recommendation each week (Group A: pharyngitis [diagnosis], common cold, asthma; Group B: pharyngitis [treatment], bronchiolitis, otitis media). Demographics (e.g., gender, ethnicity, education, income), baseline, and follow-up (week 5, month 3, month 6) questionnaires assessed parental knowledge, intentions, and actions. Usability of the blogshots was assessed. Differences were evaluated using independent t-tests. One-on-one interviews (n=11) explored parent perceptions and contextualized results data using thematic analysis.

Results: 167 participants (80% mothers) were included in the final analysis. Baseline knowledge levels were similar across groups. At follow-up 1, participants who received a blogshot scored significantly higher on the knowledge questionnaires (p < 0.001) compared to those who did not. Parents reported various intentions to use the blogshots (e.g.,sharing them with friends and physicians), and actions (e.g., adopting a wait-and-watch approach vs. seeking immediate healthcare), and engaging in shared decision-making to manage their child’s condition. Qualitative data from interviews (n=11) indicated that parents found the blogshots aesthetically pleasing, with relevant information that was easy to read and understand.

Conclusion(s): Blogshots are an effective tool for disseminating child health information to parents. Increasing parent knowledge and influencing decision-making could have measurable impacts on health service utilization and costs. Due to the nature of online dissemination, this approach could be scaled to a national level, and applied to different conditions.

Choosing Wisely Canada Recommendations and Blogshots
Six pediatric specific Choosing Wisely Canada recommendations and the corresponding co-developed blogshots

Choosing Wisely Canada Recommendations and Blogshots
Six pediatric specific Choosing Wisely Canada recommendations and the corresponding co-developed blogshots