BMJ Open (Aug 2022)
Watch me grow integrated (WMG-I): protocol for a cluster randomised controlled trial of a web-based surveillance approach for developmental screening in primary care settings
- Pankaj Garg,
- Susan Woolfenden,
- Raghu Lingam,
- Bin Jalaludin,
- Teresa Winata,
- Andrew Page,
- Paul B Colditz,
- Valsamma Eapen,
- Siaw-Teng Liaw,
- Clare Thomas,
- Jane Kohlhoff,
- James G Scott,
- Elisabeth Murphy,
- Margo Pritchard,
- Helen Heussler,
- K D Lawson,
- Joseph Descallar,
- Chun Wah Michael Tam,
- Kerri-Lyn Webb,
- Christa Lam-Cassettari,
- Lisa Karlov,
- Natalie Ong,
- Robyn Littlewood,
- April Deering,
- Kate Short,
- Victoria Blight,
- Kim Rodgers,
- Lucille Chalmers,
- Heidi Atkins,
- Dana Newcomb,
- Rachael Beswick,
- Catherine Marron,
- Aaron Chambers,
- Sue Scheinpflug,
- Matt Statham,
- Dimuthu Samaranayake,
- Paul Chay,
- Feroza Khan,
- Antonio Mendoza Diaz,
- Sara Cibralic
Affiliations
- Pankaj Garg
- Cardiology, Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital NHS Trust, Norwich, UK
- Susan Woolfenden
- Population Child Health Research Group, School of Women and Children’s Health, University of New South Wales - Randwick Campus, Randwick, New South Wales, Australia
- Raghu Lingam
- 1 Population Child Health Research Team, School of Women`s and Children`s Health, University of New South Wales, Randwick, New South Wales, Australia
- Bin Jalaludin
- 10 Centre for Research, Evidence Management and Surveillance, South Western Sydney Local Health District, Liverpool, New South Wales, Australia
- Teresa Winata
- 1 Australian Institute of Health Innovation, Macquarie University, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
- Andrew Page
- Translational Health Research Institute, Western Sydney University, Penrith South, New South Wales, Australia
- Paul B Colditz
- Centre for Clinical Research, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
- Valsamma Eapen
- ICAMHS, South Western Sydney Local Health District, Liverpool, New South Wales, Australia
- Siaw-Teng Liaw
- WHO Collaborating Centre for eHealth, School of Public Health and Community Medicine, University of New South Wales, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
- Clare Thomas
- Population Health Sciences, Bristol Medical School, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK
- Jane Kohlhoff
- University of New South Wales, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
- James G Scott
- Red McCombs School of Business, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas, USA
- Elisabeth Murphy
- New South Wales Health, NSW Kids and Families, North Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
- Margo Pritchard
- Centre for Clinical Research, The University of Queensland, Herston, Queensland, Australia
- Helen Heussler
- Medical Director Child and Youth Community Health Services, Medical Director Child Development Program, SMO Sleep Medicine, Children`s Health Queensland Hospital and Health Service, South Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
- K D Lawson
- Translational Health Research Institute (THRI), Western Sydney University, Penrith, New South Wales, Australia
- Joseph Descallar
- 3Ingham Institute for Applied Medical Research, Liverpool, New South Wales, Australia
- Chun Wah Michael Tam
- The Primary and Integrated Care Unit, South Western Sydney Local Health District, Liverpool, New South Wales, Australia
- Kerri-Lyn Webb
- Developmental Paediatrics, Children`s Health Queensland Hospital and Health Service, South Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
- Christa Lam-Cassettari
- Discipline of Psychiatry and Mental Health, University of New South Wales, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
- Lisa Karlov
- University of New South Wales, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
- Natalie Ong
- University of New South Wales, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
- Robyn Littlewood
- Children`s Health Queensland Hospital and Health Service, Herston, Queensland, Australia
- April Deering
- New South Wales Ministry of Health, St Leonards, New South Wales, Australia
- Kate Short
- South Western Sydney Local Health District, Liverpool, New South Wales, Australia
- Victoria Blight
- South Western Sydney Local Health District, Liverpool, New South Wales, Australia
- Kim Rodgers
- South Western Sydney Local Health District, Liverpool, New South Wales, Australia
- Lucille Chalmers
- Brisbane South PHN, Upper Mount Gravatt, Queensland, Australia
- Heidi Atkins
- Queensland Child & Youth Clinical Network, Queensland Health, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
- Dana Newcomb
- Integrated Care, Children`s Health Queensland Hospital and Health Service, South Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
- Rachael Beswick
- Queensland Child & Youth Clinical Network, Queensland Health, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
- Catherine Marron
- Queensland Child & Youth Clinical Network, Queensland Health, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
- Aaron Chambers
- Integrated Care, Children`s Health Queensland Hospital and Health Service, South Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
- Sue Scheinpflug
- Brisbane South PHN, Upper Mount Gravatt, Queensland, Australia
- Matt Statham
- Brisbane South PHN, Upper Mount Gravatt, Queensland, Australia
- Dimuthu Samaranayake
- School of Medicine, Western Sydney University, Penrith South, New South Wales, Australia
- Paul Chay
- University of New South Wales, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
- Feroza Khan
- Academic Unit of Infant, Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, University of New South Wales, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
- Antonio Mendoza Diaz
- Academic Unit of Infant, Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, University of New South Wales, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
- Sara Cibralic
- Ingham Institute for Applied Medical Research, Liverpool, New South Wales, Australia
- DOI
- https://doi.org/10.1136/bmjopen-2022-065823
- Journal volume & issue
-
Vol. 12,
no. 8
Abstract
Introduction The increasing prevalence of developmental disorders in early childhood poses a significant global health burden. Early detection of developmental problems is vital to ensure timely access to early intervention, and universal developmental surveillance is recommended best practice for identifying issues. Despite this, there is currently considerable variation in developmental surveillance and screening between Australian states and territories and low rates of developmental screening uptake by parents. This study aims to evaluate an innovative web-based developmental surveillance programme and a sustainable approach to referral and care pathways, linking primary care general practice (GP) services that fall under federal policy responsibility and state government-funded child health services.Methods and analysis The proposed study describes a longitudinal cluster randomised controlled trial (c-RCT) comparing a ‘Watch Me Grow Integrated’ (WMG-I) approach for developmental screening, to Surveillance as Usual (SaU) in GPs. Forty practices will be recruited across New South Wales and Queensland, and randomly allocated into either the (1) WMG-I or (2) SaU group. A cohort of 2000 children will be recruited during their 18-month vaccination visit or opportunistic visit to GP. At the end of the c-RCT, a qualitative study using focus groups/interviews will evaluate parent and practitioner views of the WMG-I programme and inform national and state policy recommendations.Ethics and dissemination The South Western Sydney Local Health District (2020/ETH01625), UNSW Sydney (2020/ETH01625) and University of Queensland (2021/HE000667) Human Research Ethics Committees independently reviewed and approved this study. Findings will be reported to the funding bodies, study institutes and partners; families and peer-reviewed conferences/publications.Trial registration number ANZCTR12621000680864.
