711 - Feasibility, User Experiences, and Preliminary Effect of Conversation Cards for Adolescents© for Behaviour Change and Collaborative Goal Setting in Primary Care: A Pilot Randomized Controlled Trial

Publication Number: 711.4579

Maryam Kebbe, University of New Brunswick, Fredericton, NB, Canada; Maryam Kebbe, University of New Brunswick, Fredericton, NB, Canada; Andrea Eaton, University of Alberta, Spruce Grove, AB, Canada; Michele Dyson, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada; Shannon Scott, Faculty of Nursing University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada; Tara-Leigh McHugh, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada; Maryna Yaskina, University of Alberta Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, Edmonton, AB, Canada; Tehseen S. Ladha, University of Alberta Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, Edmonton, AB, Canada; Bonnieca F. Islam, University of Alberta Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, Edmonton, AB, Canada; Kiran K. Talwar, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada; James Leigh L. Wincott, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada; Geoff Ball, University of Alberta Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, Edmonton, AB, Canada

Background: Lifestyle behaviours track from adolescence to adulthood and contribute to the development of several chronic preventable diseases including obesity, type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and psychological illnesses. Many adolescents do not meet minimum recommendations for nutrition, physical and sedentary activities, and sleep behaviours. Best practices in behavioural management recommend health care providers (HCPs) use evidence-based, educational resources with patients and families. However, HCPs have identified a lack of tools and resources to support families in changing behaviours. Our team developed Conversation Cards for Adolescents© (CCAs), a novel, patient-centered tool to help adolescents and HCPs communicate and collaboratively set behaviour change goals.

Objective: The objectives of this pilot randomized controlled trial were to test the feasibility, user experience, and preliminary effect of using CCAs with adolescents in primary care, focusing on behaviour change and collaborative goal setting among adolescents.

Design/Methods: From March 2019 to September 2022 (COVID-19 pandemic years), adolescents (13-17-year-olds with no intellectual impairment) were recruited within a primary care setting in Alberta, Canada. Adolescents were randomized (1:1) to one of two groups: CCA + goal setting (experimental group) or goal setting alone (control group). Data on user experiences were collected from the experimental group using validated questionnaires at baseline. Data on behavior change and collaborative goal setting were collected from both groups using validated questionnaires at baseline and three weeks post-baseline. SPSS was used to compute descriptive statistics, and independent samples t-tests were employed to examine between-group differences for collaborative goal setting and behaviour change (p < 0.05 considered significant).

Results: In total, 31 adolescents completed the trial, providing a 95% confidence interval margin of error of ±13%. The study demonstrated high practicality. Adolescents reported positive user experiences with CCAs, citing attractiveness, clarity, efficiency, and dependability. No group differences were detected for behaviour change at 3-weeks post-baseline (p>0.05), although adolescents in the experimental group qualitatively described improved rapport and communication with HCPs.

Conclusion(s): CCAs can be used practically in a primary health care setting to facilitate communication and rapport with adolescents; however, their effect in enabling behaviour change should be investigated in a multi-site, larger-scale trial.

Figure 1
Example cards per category in Conversation Cards for Adolescents©

Figure 1
Example cards per category in Conversation Cards for Adolescents©