Impact of COVID-19 pandemic on access to online therapeutic education programs for children with sickle cell disease.
Alizee Sterlin, Mariane de Montalembert, Melissa Taylor and 5 others
PMID 35816905WHAT IT FOUND
Online therapeutic education for children with sickle cell disease was associated with more sessions per child, 1.2 to 1.7, mainly through individual sessions.
But participation fell from 22.4% to 4.9% in Seine Saint Denis. Access was unequal.
Key findings
01After group sessions moved online and individual sessions were offered online or face-to-face, mean TPE sessions per child increased from 1.2 to 1.7, mainly because individual sessions tripled.
02Participation in TPE dropped from 22.4% to 4.9% among families in Seine Saint Denis, while the proportion from Paris and Hauts de Seine increased.
03The study assessed feasibility of continuing therapeutic education during the pandemic, not the effectiveness of the program.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for RNs
Read the rest of this summary
You get three full summaries a month, free, and we do not ask for a card. Search, the TL;DRs and your library stay unlimited either way.
What it does not show
Single-center, small activity dataset, so it may not apply to other services or countries. It did not measure whether children learned, adhered to treatment, had fewer crises, or were satisfied. It did not collect individual socio-economic or parental education data, so the reason for the department differences is uncertain. The 2018 comparison year was chosen because 2019 had transport strikes, so the pre-pandemic baseline may not represent a normal year. No blinding or control group; it is an implementation comparison, not a trial.
Declared interests
The authors declare no relevant financial relationships.
The easy way to misread this
Do not read the rise from 18 to 35 sessions as proof that online therapeutic education improves outcomes for children with sickle cell disease. The study did not assess effectiveness. Access was also unequal. Participation fell from 22.4% to 4.9% in one deprived department.