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A6.4 Delivering Laboratory Results by Text Message and E-Mail: A Survey of Factors Associated with Conceptual Acceptability Among STD Clinic Attendees in the Southern US

Tuesday, March 13, 2012: 10:45 AM
Greenway Ballroom D/E
Avnish Tripathi, MD, MPH, Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, University of South Carolina, Arnold School of Public Health, Columbia, SC, Wayne A. Duffus, MD, PhD, STD/HIV Division, SC Department of Health and Environmental Control, Columbia, SC, Patricia Kissinger, PhD, School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine, Department of Epidemiology, Tulane University, New Orleans, LA, Timothy J. Brown, MPH, Mississippi State Department of Health, Jackson, MS, Jerry Gibson, MD, MPH, SC Department of Health and Environmental Control, Columbia, SC and Leandro A. Mena, MD, MPH, Division of Infectious Diseases, University of Mississippi Medical Center and Mississippi State Department of Health, Jackson, MS

     

Background: Reporting STD laboratory results electronically could potentially save time and resources at clinics.

Objectives: To assess utilization pattern and acceptability of receiving STD laboratory results by text message and e-mail.

Methods: An anonymous self-administered survey conducted with a convenience sample of STD clinic attendees in South Carolina and Mississippi in 2009-2010. The survey items addressed access and use patterns for Internet and cell phones, and willingness to receive STD screening tests results by text message and e-mail.

Results: 2,790 individuals with median age of 26 years (IQR: 21-32) completed the survey. More than 70% had Internet access at home or on smart phones and 80% reported using text messaging daily. Participants preferred receiving laboratory results by text message compared to e-mail (50.2% vs. 42.3%; p-value < 0.001). Acceptability of receiving laboratory results by text message was higher with younger age (aOR 1.13; 95% CI 1.10-1.26), daily use of text message (aOR 1.30; 95% CI 1.14-1.49) and reporting cell phone or text message as preferred means of contact (aOR 2.31; 95% CI 1.50-3.58); and was significantly lower in female (aOR 0.89; 95% CI 0.81-0.98) and those with college level education (aOR 0.88; 95% CI 0.77-0.99) compared to less than high school. Internet access at home (aOR 1.25; 95% CI 1.07-1.47) and preferred means of contact as e-mail (aOR 1.91; 95% CI 1.36-2.69) were associated with higher acceptability, whereas female gender (aOR 0.89; 95% CI 0.81-0.98) was associated with lower acceptability of receiving laboratory results by e-mail.

Conclusions: Majority of STD clinic attendees have access to cell phones and the Internet, and showed conceptual acceptability for receiving STD laboratory results by text message and e-mail.

Implications for Programs, Policy, and Research: Future studies are needed to access the feasibility and cost-effectiveness of delivering laboratory results to STD clinic attendees.

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