Text Reminders Improve Influenza Vaccination among Text4baby Participants
Press Release July 29, 2015
Text Reminders Improve Influenza Vaccination among Text4baby Participants
WASHINGTON, DC (July 29, 2015) – A new randomized evaluation published in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine found that a text-based reminder increased self-reported influenza vaccination among Text4baby participants who planned to be vaccinated. The evaluation approach implemented by Text4baby, the nation’s largest digital health intervention for pregnant women and mothers of infants under one with more than 900,000 participants enrolled since launch, serves as a model for assessment and continuous improvement of mobile health programs.
Text4baby, in partnership with University of South Florida College of Nursing and Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, conducted a program evaluation to assess enhancements to messages encouraging influenza vaccination of pregnant women and mothers of infants. The evaluation examined whether either a text-based reminder or a tailored education message that responded to identified concerns about vaccination improved self-reported influenza vaccination and continued intent to get vaccinated among participants.
“In this randomized evaluation, Text4baby mothers who received a reminder were twice as likely to report they were vaccinated and the odds of vaccination were increased among all participants who reported their status,” said lead author Elizabeth Jordan, DNSc, Associate Professor of University of South Florida, College of Nursing. “Also, Text4baby mothers who initially reported they were not planning to be vaccinated due to cost were nearly twice as likely to report vaccination at follow-up after receiving a single text on how to access free and low-cost influenza vaccines.”
The goals of this program evaluation were to inform future Text4baby influenza vaccination messaging by using an innovative, randomized, text-based survey methodology to assess the effect of enhanced content versus standard messaging and to provide additional evidence of the efficacy of the Text4baby program. Based on the results of this evaluation, all Text4baby participants now receive a message with information on free and low-cost influenza vaccinations and a separate influenza vaccination reminder during influenza season.
“Influenza vaccination was identified as a critical issue to target at the inception of Text4baby. Based on these results we are confident that the majority of participants enrolled in Text4baby will receive timely influenza vaccination this upcoming season,” said Dr. Pamela Johnson, a study co-author and Voxiva’s Chief Health Officer.
“These findings provide evidence that Text4baby can be used as a tool to improve this important health behavior and further demonstrate the commitment of Text4baby to data-driven programming,” said Matthew Melmed, Executive Director of ZERO TO THREE. “We look forward to applying this approach to other health behaviors and outcomes targeted by Text4baby.”
Read the publication abstract here. For more information on Text4baby, visit www.text4baby.org. To subscribe, text BABY (BEBE for Spanish) to 511411.
Contact: Emilia Guasconi, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
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About Text4baby
Text4baby, the nation’s only free mobile information service designed to promote maternal and child health through text messaging, has enrolled over 900,000 pregnant women and new mothers. A free service of Voxiva and ZERO TO THREE, Text4baby is made possible through a broad public-private partnership including The Wireless Foundation, Grey Healthcare Group, the US Department of Health and Humana Services and over 1,300 national, state and local organizations. Text4baby messages are free thanks to the generous support of AT&T, Bluegrass Cellular, Boost Mobile, Cricket Wireless, MetroPCS, Sprint Nextel, T-Mobile, U.S. Cellular, Verizon Wireless and Virgin Mobile U.S.A. To learn more, visit www.text4baby.org.