Citation

Price M, Ruggiero KJ, Ferguson PL, Patel SK, Treiber F, Couillard D, Fahkry SM. Gen. Hosp. Psychiatry 2014; 36(3): 249-254.

Affiliation

Department of Surgery, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2014, Elsevier Publishing)

DOI

10.1016/j.genhosppsych.2014.02.004

PMID

24636721

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: Monitoring posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms after a traumatic injury is beneficial for patients and providers. Text messages can be used to automatically monitor symptoms and impose minimal burden to patients and providers. The present study piloted such a strategy with traumatic injury patients.

METHOD: An automated daily text message was piloted to evaluate PTSD symptoms after discharge from the hospital. Twenty-nine patients who experienced a traumatic injury received 15 daily texts and were then followed up at 1-month and 3-months after discharge.

RESULTS: 82.8% of the sample responded at least once and the average response rate per participant was 63.1%. Response rates were correlated with PTSD symptoms at baseline but not at any other time. Patient satisfaction with this approach was high.

CONCLUSION: Text messages are a viable method to monitor PTSD symptoms after a traumatic injury. Such an approach should be evaluated on a larger scale as part of a more comprehensive early intervention for traumatic stress.

Language: en