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Testing the Effectiveness of Telephone-based Early Childhood Developmental Screening

Developing and Testing a New Model for Telephone-based Early Childhood Developmental Screening and Care Coordination in Vulnerable Populations

Status
Completed
Phases
NA
Study type
Interventional
Source
ClinicalTrials.gov
Registry ID
NCT02495025
Enrollment
152
Registered
2015-07-13
Start date
2015-02-01
Completion date
2017-02-28
Last updated
2019-10-14

For informational purposes only — not medical advice. Sourced from public registries and may not reflect the latest updates. Terms

Conditions

Ambulatory Care, Child Development, Developmental Disabilities, Screening

Brief summary

The purpose of this research study is to test the effectiveness of telephone-based early childhood developmental screening and care coordination, compared to usual care in a primary care pediatrics clinic. Investigators randomized 152 participants to one of two study arms, with the intervention families receiving developmental screening over the phone, and control families receiving usual care with their pediatricians.

Detailed description

Although the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommends universal early childhood developmental screening as part of routine well-child care, there have been many studies documenting that many pediatricians do not follow the AAP guidelines. One intervention that has the potential to improve care, especially for low-income families, is centralized, telephone-based developmental screening, and care coordination for families whose children have developmental or behavioral concerns. 2-1-1 Los Angeles developed such an intervention and this study aims to test its effectiveness, in partnership with a local community clinic, using a randomized, controlled study design. Investigators partnered with the Clinica Oscar A Romero, a federally-qualified health center in Los Angeles, serving predominantly low-income Latino families. Investigators hope to enroll up to 300 families in the study. Eligible families will have children ages 12 to 42 months of age who receive well-child care at the clinic. As investigators obtain informed consent and enroll families, they will randomize study participants into intervention and control groups. Intervention group families will be transferred to 211 Los Angeles to complete developmental screening over the phone, while control group families will go to their pediatricians for well-child care as usual.

Interventions

BEHAVIORALTelephone-based developmental screening and care coordination

Sponsors

Robert Wood Johnson Foundation
CollaboratorOTHER
University of California, Los Angeles
Lead SponsorOTHER

Study design

Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Intervention model
PARALLEL
Primary purpose
HEALTH_SERVICES_RESEARCH
Masking
NONE

Intervention model description

Participants were randomized individually at the time of enrollment, to receive either telephone-based developmental screening and care coordination, through 2-1-1 Los Angeles, in addition to usual care, or usual care alone. Primary outcomes were measured at 6 months after enrollment.

Eligibility

Sex/Gender
ALL
Age
12 Months to 42 Months
Healthy volunteers
Yes

Inclusion criteria

* child receives well-child care at the clinic * child is not already receiving intervention services for a developmental disability * parent speaks Spanish or English well enough to be interviewed

Exclusion criteria

* child is younger than 12 months or older than 42 months at time of enrollment * child is already receiving intervention services for a developmental disability * parent is unable to speak Spanish or English well enough to be interviewed

Design outcomes

Primary

MeasureTime frameDescription
Number of Participants Screened With a Validated Tool6 monthsWe will measure whether developmental screening was done using a validated instrument, as recommended by the AAP. Specific screening instruments include the Parental Evaluation of Developmental Status (PEDS), the PEDS: Developmental Milestones (PEDS:DM), the Ages and Stages Questionnaires (ASQ), and/or the Modified Checklist for Autism in Toddlers (MCHAT), Revised version.
Number of Participants That Receive Services6 monthsBased on medical record review, parent report, and 211 data, we will measure whether children are receiving intervention services, including Early Intervention or Special Education.

Secondary

MeasureTime frameDescription
Number of Participants Referred for Evaluation/Services (Early Intervention or Early Childhood Special Education)6 monthsBased on medical record review, parent report, and 211 data, we measured whether any referrals were made for children with developmental or behavioral concerns, for evaluation or services.
Primary Care Experiences: Percent of Anticipatory Guidance Topics Discussed & Percentage of Family-Centered Care Items That Participants Report as Usually or AlwaysBaseline and 6 monthsBased on parent interviews we will assess family experiences with primary care including receipt of recommended well-child care, using recommended anticipatory guidance and family-centered care items from the Promoting Healthy Development Survey (PHDS)

Countries

United States

Participant flow

Participants by arm

ArmCount
Telephone-based Screening
Families randomized to the intervention arm will be connected with 211 Los Angeles for completion of developmental screening over the phone. Screening will consist of three structured, validated, parent-report tools: the Parental Evaluation of Developmental Status (PEDS), the PEDS Developmental Milestones (PEDS:DM), and the Modified Checklist for Autism in Toddlers (M-CHAT). If any developmental or behavioral concerns are present, the care coordinator at 211 Los Angeles will make appropriate referrals for developmental evaluation and intervention services. A copy of the care plan generated from 211 will be sent to the child's primary care provider and included in the medical record. Telephone-based developmental screening and care coordination
77
Usual Care
Children randomized to the control group will report for their well-child care visits as scheduled, and will receive clinic-based developmental screening and care coordination. Any developmental or behavioral concerns will be directed to the child's pediatrician, as is the current clinical recommendation.
75
Total152

Withdrawals & dropouts

PeriodReasonFG000FG001
Overall StudyLost to Follow-up2114
Overall StudyWithdrawal by Subject50

Baseline characteristics

CharacteristicUsual CareTotalTelephone-based Screening
Age, Continuous23.3 months
STANDARD_DEVIATION 7.9
24.5 months
STANDARD_DEVIATION 8.8
25.7 months
STANDARD_DEVIATION 9.5
Race/Ethnicity, Customized
Race/ethnicity
Black of African-American
0 Participants3 Participants3 Participants
Race/Ethnicity, Customized
Race/ethnicity
Latino or Hispanic
71 Participants143 Participants72 Participants
Race/Ethnicity, Customized
Race/ethnicity
Other
1 Participants1 Participants0 Participants
Race/Ethnicity, Customized
Race/ethnicity
Unknown
3 Participants4 Participants1 Participants
Race/Ethnicity, Customized
Race/ethnicity
White, non-Hispanic
0 Participants1 Participants1 Participants
Sex: Female, Male
Female
43 Participants76 Participants33 Participants
Sex: Female, Male
Male
32 Participants76 Participants44 Participants

Adverse events

Event typeEG000
affected / at risk
EG001
affected / at risk
deaths
Total, all-cause mortality
0 / 770 / 75
other
Total, other adverse events
0 / 770 / 75
serious
Total, serious adverse events
0 / 770 / 75

Outcome results

Primary

Number of Participants Screened With a Validated Tool

We will measure whether developmental screening was done using a validated instrument, as recommended by the AAP. Specific screening instruments include the Parental Evaluation of Developmental Status (PEDS), the PEDS: Developmental Milestones (PEDS:DM), the Ages and Stages Questionnaires (ASQ), and/or the Modified Checklist for Autism in Toddlers (MCHAT), Revised version.

Time frame: 6 months

ArmMeasureValue (COUNT_OF_PARTICIPANTS)
Telephone-based ScreeningNumber of Participants Screened With a Validated Tool57 Participants
Usual CareNumber of Participants Screened With a Validated Tool0 Participants
Primary

Number of Participants That Receive Services

Based on medical record review, parent report, and 211 data, we will measure whether children are receiving intervention services, including Early Intervention or Special Education.

Time frame: 6 months

ArmMeasureValue (COUNT_OF_PARTICIPANTS)
Telephone-based ScreeningNumber of Participants That Receive Services12 Participants
Usual CareNumber of Participants That Receive Services1 Participants
Secondary

Number of Participants Referred for Evaluation/Services (Early Intervention or Early Childhood Special Education)

Based on medical record review, parent report, and 211 data, we measured whether any referrals were made for children with developmental or behavioral concerns, for evaluation or services.

Time frame: 6 months

ArmMeasureValue (COUNT_OF_PARTICIPANTS)
Telephone-based ScreeningNumber of Participants Referred for Evaluation/Services (Early Intervention or Early Childhood Special Education)25 Participants
Usual CareNumber of Participants Referred for Evaluation/Services (Early Intervention or Early Childhood Special Education)7 Participants
Secondary

Primary Care Experiences: Percent of Anticipatory Guidance Topics Discussed & Percentage of Family-Centered Care Items That Participants Report as Usually or Always

Based on parent interviews we will assess family experiences with primary care including receipt of recommended well-child care, using recommended anticipatory guidance and family-centered care items from the Promoting Healthy Development Survey (PHDS)

Time frame: Baseline and 6 months

Population: Restricted to participants with parent interview at both baseline and 6-month follow-up.

ArmMeasureGroupValue (MEAN)Dispersion
Telephone-based ScreeningPrimary Care Experiences: Percent of Anticipatory Guidance Topics Discussed & Percentage of Family-Centered Care Items That Participants Report as Usually or AlwaysBaseline% recommended anticipatory guidance topics61.0 percentage of itemsStandard Deviation 29.7
Telephone-based ScreeningPrimary Care Experiences: Percent of Anticipatory Guidance Topics Discussed & Percentage of Family-Centered Care Items That Participants Report as Usually or AlwaysBaseline% family-centered care (usually/always)87.2 percentage of itemsStandard Deviation 24.5
Telephone-based ScreeningPrimary Care Experiences: Percent of Anticipatory Guidance Topics Discussed & Percentage of Family-Centered Care Items That Participants Report as Usually or Always6-months% recommended anticipatory guidance topics68.1 percentage of itemsStandard Deviation 26.4
Telephone-based ScreeningPrimary Care Experiences: Percent of Anticipatory Guidance Topics Discussed & Percentage of Family-Centered Care Items That Participants Report as Usually or Always6-months% family-centered care (usually/always)84.9 percentage of itemsStandard Deviation 28.3
Usual CarePrimary Care Experiences: Percent of Anticipatory Guidance Topics Discussed & Percentage of Family-Centered Care Items That Participants Report as Usually or Always6-months% family-centered care (usually/always)83.1 percentage of itemsStandard Deviation 31.1
Usual CarePrimary Care Experiences: Percent of Anticipatory Guidance Topics Discussed & Percentage of Family-Centered Care Items That Participants Report as Usually or AlwaysBaseline% recommended anticipatory guidance topics55.1 percentage of itemsStandard Deviation 29.1
Usual CarePrimary Care Experiences: Percent of Anticipatory Guidance Topics Discussed & Percentage of Family-Centered Care Items That Participants Report as Usually or Always6-months% recommended anticipatory guidance topics54.6 percentage of itemsStandard Deviation 32.8
Usual CarePrimary Care Experiences: Percent of Anticipatory Guidance Topics Discussed & Percentage of Family-Centered Care Items That Participants Report as Usually or AlwaysBaseline% family-centered care (usually/always)89.2 percentage of itemsStandard Deviation 20.5

Source: ClinicalTrials.gov · Data processed: Feb 4, 2026