ReviewEfficacy of text messaging-based interventions for health promotion: A meta-analysis
Section snippets
Text message-based health promotion interventions
The use of text messaging in health interventions is a relatively new practice. In fact, the first formal evaluation of a health intervention using text messaging only appeared in 2002 (Neville, Greene, McLeod, Tracey, & Surie, 2002). The first randomized controlled trial (RCT) of a health promotion intervention appeared three years later (Rodgers et al., 2005). Recently, scholars have summarized the proliferation of text messaging health interventions in several systematic review articles and
The current study
Text messaging boasts mass public reach, accessibility, and low cost. Past reviews suggest text messaging-based interventions have the potential to be effective in changing health behavior. This new area of research, however, is still experiencing growing pains as researchers and public health practitioners work to determine the most efficient use of text messaging in health-related interventions. Also, as of yet, there has been no quantitative synthesis of outcomes of text messaging
Search strategy
We used a comprehensive search strategy to locate studies relevant to this meta-analysis. We did not set a date limit on the search, and we considered all applicable studies located by October 1, 2011 for inclusion.
The search strategy involved three steps. First, we conducted comprehensive searches of CINAHL, Communication & Mass Media Complete, PsycINFO, and Medline computerized databases using various keywords applicable to this topic, including text messag*, cell* phone, prevent*, short
Results
Characteristics of the individual studies are reported in Table 2 in the Appendix. The k = 19 studies took place in 13 countries (Australia, Canada, Finland, France, Germany, Israel, Malaysia, New Zealand, Norway, Scotland, Thailand, United Kingdom, United States) and had a cumulative N = 5958 (median N per study = 174, ranging from n = 58 to n = 1705). Studies were published between 2005 and 2011, with a median publication year of 2009. With the exception of one study directed toward children (
Discussion
The purpose of this meta-analysis was to examine the efficacy of text messaging-based interventions to improve health behaviors and health-related outcomes. We also sought to examine potentially important moderators of text messaging-based interventions to begin to advance our understanding of what may make such interventions efficacious. It is interesting to observe that 13 countries were represented across the studies in this meta-analysis. Such geographic and cultural diversity is highly
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References marked with an asterisk indicate studies included in the meta-analysis.