Can the stages of change model be used as a postal screening tool?
AIMS: We have previously shown that although a postal questionnaire based on the stages of change model (SCQ) failed to distinguish outpatients most likely to lose weight, it appeared to influence attendance rates. We therefore audited attendance upon receiving a pre-appointment SCQ in the post and compared this to previous standard practice in 1996. METHODOLOGY AND RESULTS: Seventy-eight obese outpatients (BMI 36.7 +/- 6.7 kg m-2, age 43 +/- 15 years) (mean +/- SD) were included. Twenty-nine per cent of patients failed to return an SCQ and were not sent an appointment and therefore did not block dietetic time. Eleven per cent returned an SCQ but did not attend (DNA) visit 1, whilst 21% attended visit 1 but DNA visit 2. Thirty-nine per cent attended both appointments and lost a significant amount of weight (105 +/- 23 vs. 103.2 +/- 23 kg, P < 0.0001) in 4 weeks. There was no difference in SCQ results between groups. Overall attendance rate at initial and follow-up appointments increase
