A review of the use of mobile phone text messaging in clinical and healthy behaviour interventions

Abstract

We reviewed the literature on the use of text messaging for clinical and healthy behaviour interventions. Electronic databases were searched in December 2009 using keywords related to text messaging and health interventions. The final review included 24 articles. Of those, seven covered medication adherence, eight discussed clinical management and nine reported on health-related behaviour modification. Sixteen were randomized controlled trials (RCT), five were non-controlled pre-post comparison studies and three were feasibility pilots not reporting a behavioural outcome. The frequency of messaging ranged from multiple messages daily to one message per month. Among the 16 RCTs, 10 reported significant improvement with interventions and six reported differences suggesting positive trends. Text messaging received good acceptance and showed early efficacy in most studies. However, the evidence base is compromised by methodological limitations and is not yet conclusive.

Impacts of e-health on the outcomes of care in low- and middle-income countries: where do we go from here?

“…[7][8][9][10] In a review of seven intervention studies, including four randomized trials, text messaging showed significant promise for improving adherence rates. 7 Controlled evaluations of SMS-based appointment reminders implemented in several countries, including Australia, Brazil, China and the United Kingdom, gave mixed results.…”

“…[7][8][9][10] In a review of seven intervention studies, including four randomized trials, text messaging showed significant promise for improving adherence rates. 7 Controlled evaluations of SMS-based appointment reminders implemented in several countries, including Australia, Brazil, China and the United Kingdom, gave mixed results. 9 In a recent randomized trial, both text-message reminders and live telephone calls improved attendance rates for chronic disease follow-up among patients in Malaysia, with no statistically significant differences in impact between the two communication methods.…”

Alcohol and disadvantaged men: A feasibility trial of an intervention delivered by mobile phone

“…An emerging literature is beginning to provide a solid theoretical and empirical basis for intervention design 24. A variety of techniques have been used: tailoring of text messages to the target group, making texts interactive, information giving, individually tailored advice, self‐monitoring of the behaviour to be changed and goal setting 13, 25, 26, 27, 28. An important recommendation is to vary the number and timing of text messages to fit the target behaviour.…”

Does a text messaging intervention improve knowledge, attitudes and practice regarding iodine deficiency and iodized salt consumption?

“…A few systematic reviews have reported positive behavioural trends through SMS-based interventions (14)(15)(16)29) ; however, the evidence documented is inconclusive due to methodological limitations and variations in study designs, settings, populations, length of intervention, SMS delivery intensity, sample size and outcome measures. Text messaging demonstrated only early efficacy in most studies and its long-term efficacy remains to be determined.…”