Helping families keep their child's health appointments

Comparing Technological and Relational Approaches to Support Families After a Missed Well Child Visit

['FUNDING_R21'] · WAKE FOREST UNIVERSITY HEALTH SCIENCES · NIH-11057950

This study is looking at how to help families, especially those from minority and low-income backgrounds, who might miss important health check-ups for their kids, by comparing the use of text messages and community health workers to see which method works better to encourage them to attend these visits.

Quick facts

Phase['FUNDING_R21']
Study typeNih_funding
SexAll
SponsorWAKE FOREST UNIVERSITY HEALTH SCIENCES (nih funded)
Locations1 site (WINSTON-SALEM, UNITED STATES)
Trial IDNIH-11057950 on ClinicalTrials.gov

What this research studies

This research investigates ways to support families who miss well-child visits, which are crucial for children's health and development. It compares two approaches: using technology, like text messaging, and employing community health workers to engage families. The goal is to find effective and cost-efficient methods to encourage families, particularly from minority and low-income backgrounds, to attend these important health appointments. By analyzing the impact of these strategies over a year, the research aims to reduce disparities in healthcare access and improve children's health outcomes.

Who could benefit from this research

Good fit: Ideal candidates for this research are families with children aged 0-11 who have missed scheduled well-child visits, particularly those from minority or low-income backgrounds.

Not a fit: Patients who consistently attend their well-child visits or do not have barriers to accessing healthcare may not benefit from this research.

Why it matters

Potential benefit: If successful, this research could lead to improved attendance at well-child visits, enhancing children's health and reducing healthcare costs for families and the system.

How similar studies have performed: Previous pilot studies have shown that text messaging can improve attendance at well-child visits, indicating potential success for this research approach.

Where this research is happening

WINSTON-SALEM, UNITED STATES

Researchers

About this research

  1. This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
  2. Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
  3. For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.

View on NIH RePORTER →

Last reviewed 2026-05-15 by the Find a Trial editorial team. Information on this page is for educational purposes and is not medical advice. Always consult qualified healthcare professionals about clinical trial participation.