Evidence mapPaperPMID 34667010Full record

Trial reportBMJ open2021

Feasibility of a multifaceted implementation intervention to improve attendance at diabetic retinopathy screening in primary care in Ireland: a cluster randomised pilot trial.

Fiona Riordan, Aileen Murphy, Christina Dillon, John Browne, Patricia M Kearney, Susan M Smith, Sheena M McHugh

Registry-linked trialOpen access · goldAbstract readRandomized Controlled Trial
In one paragraph

Trial report in BMJ open, 2021. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. It is linked to trial NCT03901898 (Feasibility of an Implementation Intervention to Increase Attendance at Diabetic Retinopathy Screening), which is not on this map. Cited by 3 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
3citing papers in PubMed, 1 pooled it
2.3field-weighted citation impact, top 11% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

NCT03901898 nacompletednot on this map

Feasibility of an Implementation Intervention to Increase Attendance at Diabetic Retinopathy Screening: Protocol for a Cluster Randomised Pilot Trial

TypeinterventionalSponsorUniversity College CorkRan2019 to 2020Enrolled8ConditionsDiabetes, RetinopathyArmsTraining, audit, and reminders, Intervention after 6 months (wait list)
3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

3 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it, 12 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Audit and feedback: effects on professional practice.The Cochrane database of systematic reviews · 2025
    Pooled it
  2. Article
  3. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

7 authors at 2 institutions in 1 country.

Fiona RiordanSchool of Public Health, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland fiona.riordan@ucc.ie.ORCID 0000-0003-2572-4729
Aileen MurphyDepartment of Economics, Cork University Business School, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland.ORCID 0000-0003-3062-0692
Christina DillonSchool of Public Health, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland.
John BrowneSchool of Public Health, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland.
Patricia M KearneySchool of Public Health, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland.ORCID 0000-0001-9599-3540
Susan M SmithDepartment of General Practice, Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland, Dublin, Ireland.ORCID 0000-0001-6027-2727
Sheena M McHughSchool of Public Health, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland.
University College Cork · IERoyal College of Surgeons in Ireland · IE

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

objectivesDiabetic retinopathy screening (DRS) uptake is suboptimal in many countries with limited evidence available on interventions to enhance DRS uptake in primary care. We investigated the feasibility and preliminary effects of an intervention to improve uptake of Ireland's national DRS programme, Diabetic RetinaScreen, among patients with type 1 or type 2 diabetes. DESIGN/

settingWe conducted a cluster randomised pilot trial, embedded process evaluation and cost analysis in general practice, July 2019 to January 2020.

participantsEight practices participated in the trial. For the process evaluation, surveys were conducted with 25 staff at intervention practices. Interviews were conducted with nine staff at intervention practices, and 10 patients who received the intervention.

interventionsThe intervention comprised practice reimbursement, an audit of attendance, electronic prompts targeting professionals, General Practice-endorsed patient reminders and a patient information leaflet. Practices were randomly allocated to intervention (n=4) or wait-list control (n=4) (usual care). OUTCOMES: Staff and patient interviews explored their perspectives on the intervention. Patient registration and attendance, including intention to attend, were measured at baseline and 6 months. Microcosting was used to estimate intervention delivery cost.

resultsThe process evaluation identified that enablers of feasibility included practice culture and capacity to protect time, systems to organise care, and staff skills, and workarounds to improve intervention 'fit'. At 6 months, 22/71 (31%) of baseline non-attenders in intervention practices subsequently attended screening compared with 15/87 (17%) in control practices. The total delivery cost across intervention practices (patients=363) was €2509, averaging €627 per practice and €6.91 per audited patient. Continuation criteria supported proceeding to a definitive trial.

conclusionsThe Improving Diabetes Eye screening Attendance intervention is feasible in primary care; however, consideration should be given to how best to facilitate local tailoring. A definitive trial of clinical and cost-effectiveness is required with preliminary results suggesting a positive effect on uptake. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER: NCT03901898.

Indexed as

Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2Diabetic RetinopathyFeasibility StudiesHumansIrelandPilot ProjectsPrimary Health Carediabetes & endocrinologydiabetic retinopathyprimary care

Identifiers

PMID34667010
PMCPMC8527153
OpenAlexW3207506343

What Socratic holds

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LicenceCC BY-NC
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the Socratic graph.