-
Views
-
Cite
Cite
Alanna Santarossa, Valerie Steckle, Wid Yaseen, Dorjana Vojvoda, Michael Sgro, Tony Barozzino, Shazeen Suleman, 113 Patient navigation for improving outcomes in child and youth development and mental health: A prospective cohort study comparing patients who did and did not receive navigator services after program referral, Paediatrics & Child Health, Volume 25, Issue Supplement_2, August 2020, Page e47, https://doi.org/10.1093/pch/pxaa068.112
Close - Share Icon Share
Abstract
Mental health and developmental conditions are common among Canadian children and youth and require multiple supports in both clinical and community settings. However, many families may find it difficult to access all of the appropriate services available to them. Thus, pediatric patient navigator programs have been developed to help families connect to resources that will support their child’s diagnosis. However, little is known about what barriers may prevent families from actually connecting with the patient navigator following an appropriate referral.
The purpose of this study was to evaluate a Canadian Pediatric Patient Navigation Program (PPNP) for children with a formal or provisional mental health or developmental diagnosis. The primary objective was to determine which physician-identified barriers may prevent families from connecting with the pediatric patient navigator (PPN) once an appropriate referral has been made. Of those who did not connect, we were interested in families who booked but did not attend their appointment (i.e., no-show) and families who were unable to be contacted by administrative staff to schedule an appointment despite contact attempts (i.e., no-contact).
This prospective cohort study included patients referred to a Canadian PPNP between October 1st 2017 and October 31st 2018. Data was collected via standardized PPNP referral forms. Statistical analyses were conducted using chi-square tests of independence.
Of those who met the inclusion criteria (n=524), 78% connected with the PPN and 22% did not connect with the PPN. Of those who did not connect, 41% were classified as no-show and 40% were classified as no-contact. There were no significant differences between groups in terms of sex, diagnosis and time since diagnosis. Those who connected with the PPN were significantly more likely to have a settlement barrier identified compared to those who did not connect (29% vs. 18%, p<.05). Those who no-showed were significantly more likely to have parental mental health identified as a barrier compared to those who connected (15% vs. 5%, p<.05). Finally, families were significantly more likely to have a language/literacy barrier identified if there was no-contact compared to if they no-showed (35% vs. 15%, p<.05).
Parental mental health issues may prevent families from showing up to booked appointments, highlighting the importance of ensuring concurrent parental mental health support. Additionally, language/literacy barriers are a key factor contributing to the inability of administrative staff to contact families, highlighting the need for interpreter services to aid in booking appointments.
