Table 3
Overview of the Eight Studies that Did Not Meet the Randomization Criteria but Did Meet the Three Other Inclusion Criteria
| Study | No. in Study | Length of Study | Study Design | Age of Patients (yr) | Disease or Event and Intervention/Control | Main Process Effect Measured | Features of System |
| Campbell et al., 1997 | 579, selected by staff | 6 mo | Randomized controlled trial with two groups | 18–70 | Cervical cancer. Touch screen survey in waiting room generates PEM vs. use of touch screen system without PEM | Uptake of Papanicolaou screening tests | Touchscreen system located in waiting room, patients given a printed summary of their responses. |
| Graham et al., 2000 | 875, self-selected | 9 mo | Randomized controlled trial with two groups | 30 (mean) | Prenatal tests. Touch screen information system plus information leaflet vs. leaflet only | Uptake of prenatal tests | Touch screen system with video clips and voice-overs. system located in waiting area. Privacy enhanced by the availability of microphone headsets. |
| Homer et al., 2000 | 137, self selected (by parents) | 1 yr | Randomized controlled trial with two groups | 3–12 | Asthma. Educational asthma-specific computer game vs. printed materials | Emergency department | Video game that incorporated visits and acute office information on the management of visits for asthma.asthma. |
| Jones et al., 1999 | 525, self-selected | 3 mo | Randomized controlled trial with three groups | Range not given | Cancer. Computer-generated PEM that was general, personalized, or both vs. information booklet | Cost of providing information | Touch screen system in two selected variants, personalized and general. Personalized system linked to electronic medical record. Navigation system similar to that used on Web pages. Patients were sent printed summaries of information they had viewed. |
| Liaw et al., 1996 | 364, 261 recruited by mail, 103 by opportunistic contact at clinic | 6 mo | Randomized controlled trial with four groups | 25–65 | General health promotion. Four interventions—HEA personal health record (PHR), summary of computer-based medical record (CMR), both PHR and CMR, or neither. | Attendance at a health check | Used health promotion template on recruited by mail, 103 by opportunistic contact at clinic a standard electronic medical record system. Patients given a printed summary of their medical record. |
| Morgan et al., 2000 | 240, self-selected | 6 mo | Randomized controlled trial with two groups | 60 (mean) | Ischemic heart disease. interactive video disk decision aid plus brochure vs. current practice | Uptake of revascularization procedures | Interactive video system providing risk and benefit information regarding three treatment alternatives. Information tailored to patient's medical and personal circumstances. Included film clips of patients who took the various treatment alternatives. |
| Osman et al. 1994 | 801, selected by staff | 1 yr | Pragmatic randomized | ?16 | Asthma. Four computer-generated PEM booklets plus normal verbal advice vs. normal verbal advice alone. | Number of hospital admissions, consultations with general practitioner for asthma and prescrip-tion of bronchodilators and inhaled steroids | Used simple spreadsheet and mail merge software to generate personalized information for patients. |
| Rubin et al., 1986 | 65, self-selected (by parents) | 1 yr | Randomized controlled trial with two groups | 7–12 | Asthma. Educational asthma-specific computer game vs. normal computer game. | Number of acute visits | Video game that incorporated information on the management of asthma. |
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Abbreviations: PEM indicates patient education materials; HEA, Health Education Authority.
