Researchers tested a new way for doctors’ offices to learn about patients’ eating habits using a computer tool called ASA24. This tool asks people to remember everything they ate in the past 24 hours. The study involved 66 people at community health clinics and found that 88% of them successfully completed the food diary, with 61% doing it completely on their own without help. The researchers discovered that providing a training video, easy login access, and staff support when needed made it much easier for people to use the tool. This suggests that clinics can use this technology to help patients improve their nutrition and health.

The Quick Take

  • What they studied: Can patients at community health clinics successfully use a computer tool (ASA24) to record what they eat over 24 hours, and what kind of help do they need to complete it?
  • Who participated: 66 people who visited community health center clinics agreed to participate. The study looked at whether age, education, and other personal factors affected whether people could use the tool on their own.
  • Key finding: 88% of participants completed the food diary tool, and 61% did it completely by themselves without needing staff help. Age didn’t significantly affect success rates, showing that people of different ages could use the tool with proper support.
  • What it means for you: If your doctor’s office uses this tool to help you track your eating, you’ll likely be able to complete it on your own with a training video and easy login. If you need help, staff members are available to assist you. This could help your doctor give you better nutrition advice.

The Research Details

Researchers conducted a practical study at community health clinics where they tested a computer-based food diary tool called ASA24. They enrolled 66 people and tracked how many could complete the tool on their own versus how many needed help from clinic staff. The researchers compared different groups of people (by age, education level, and other characteristics) to see if certain groups had more difficulty using the tool.

They also carefully documented what kind of help staff members provided to people who needed it, measuring how much time each type of assistance took. This helped them understand what support strategies worked best. The study used basic statistical tests to compare groups and identify patterns in the data.

Understanding how to successfully use technology in real clinic settings is important because it shows whether these tools can actually work in everyday healthcare. Many nutrition tools are tested in research labs but fail when used in actual clinics with real patients who have different abilities and comfort levels with technology. This study bridges that gap by testing the tool where it would actually be used.

This study has several strengths: it was conducted in real community health clinics (not a research lab), it had a high completion rate (88%), and it carefully documented what types of help people needed. However, the study was relatively small with only 66 participants, which means the findings may not apply to all populations. The study didn’t have a comparison group, so we can’t say whether this approach is better than other methods of tracking food intake. The results are most relevant to community health clinic settings.

What the Results Show

Of the 66 people who agreed to participate, 58 (88%) successfully completed the ASA24 food diary tool. This is a very high completion rate, suggesting the tool works well in clinic settings. Among those who completed it, 61% did so completely independently without any staff assistance, meaning they could use the computer tool on their own from start to finish.

The researchers found that older adults were slightly less likely to complete the tool independently (average age 45.7 years) compared to those who did complete it independently (average age 52.3 years), but this difference was not statistically significant. This means age alone didn’t determine whether someone could use the tool successfully.

The study identified five different types of staff assistance that people needed, ranging from simple help like explaining how to log in, to more involved support like helping someone remember what they ate. Some people needed just a few minutes of help, while others needed more time. The researchers found that having a training video before using the tool, a simple single sign-on system, and staff available to help when needed were the key factors that made the tool successful.

The researchers found no statistically significant differences in sociodemographic factors (like education level, income, or race) between people who could complete the tool independently and those who needed help. This suggests that the tool’s success wasn’t limited to any particular group of people. The variety of staff assistance types showed that different people needed different kinds of support, indicating that a one-size-fits-all approach wouldn’t work as well as having flexible, available assistance.

Previous research has shown that getting accurate food intake information from patients is challenging in clinical settings. This study adds to that body of knowledge by showing that with proper technological supports and staff assistance, a computerized food diary tool can achieve high completion rates in community clinics. The 88% completion rate is notably higher than many traditional paper-based food diaries, suggesting that technology, when properly implemented, can improve patient engagement.

The study was relatively small with only 66 participants, so the findings may not apply to all populations or clinic settings. The study didn’t compare this approach to other methods of collecting food information, so we can’t say definitively that this is the best method. The study was conducted at specific community health centers, so results might differ in other types of clinics or healthcare settings. The study didn’t follow participants over time to see if they could continue using the tool successfully for weeks or months.

The Bottom Line

If you’re a patient at a community health clinic, you can likely use the ASA24 tool to track your food intake with confidence (high confidence based on this study). The tool works best when you: (1) watch the training video before starting, (2) use the simple login system, and (3) ask staff for help if you get stuck. If you’re a clinic administrator, this study suggests it’s worth implementing this tool because most patients can use it successfully with proper support (moderate to high confidence).

This research is most relevant to: (1) patients at community health clinics who want to improve their nutrition, (2) healthcare providers who want better information about what their patients eat, (3) clinic administrators deciding whether to use technology for nutrition tracking, and (4) people interested in how technology can improve healthcare. This may be less relevant to people with severe vision or cognitive impairments, though the study doesn’t specifically address these populations.

You could complete the ASA24 tool in one clinic visit (typically 15-30 minutes depending on whether you need help). If your doctor uses this information to give you nutrition advice, you might start seeing benefits to your health within weeks to months, depending on how much you change your eating habits. The tool itself provides immediate feedback about your food choices.

Want to Apply This Research?

  • Track your ASA24 completion rate and the types of support you needed (none, login help, recall help, etc.) to monitor your comfort level with the tool over time. Set a goal to complete it independently after your first few attempts.
  • Use the app to set a weekly reminder to complete your 24-hour food recall. After completing it, review the nutrition summary provided and identify one small change you could make to your eating habits based on what you see.
  • Over the next 2-3 months, complete the ASA24 tool monthly and track whether you need less staff assistance each time. Compare your food choices across months to see if you’re making progress toward your nutrition goals. Share results with your healthcare provider to adjust recommendations as needed.

This research shows that ASA24 can be used successfully in community health clinics with proper support, but it is not a substitute for professional medical or nutritional advice. The findings are based on a relatively small study conducted at specific clinic locations and may not apply to all healthcare settings or populations. If you have specific health concerns or dietary needs, please consult with your healthcare provider or a registered dietitian. This study does not provide medical treatment recommendations, only information about how a nutrition tracking tool can be implemented in clinical settings.