Text message-based health interventions
Program basics
- Provide patients with reminders, education, or self-management assistance
- Can be used with a broad spectrum of health conditions
- Most frequently a component of broader health promotion efforts or for individual management of chronic disease
Strength of evidence
Evidence level: Proven (highest tier)
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Proven (highest tier)
Ranked as having the highest level of evidence by County Health Rankings and Roadmaps
Target population
Community-wide
Program cost
Not available
Implementation locations
- Nationwide
Dates active
Not available
Outcomes and impact
- Improved health and weight outcomes and increases in healthy behaviors
- Improved health outcomes for adolescents with chronic conditions
- Increased vaccinations
- Can increase medication adherence
Keys to successful implementation
- Note: This content is under review
- Community engagement is necessary to accurately assess the needs of target populations and create successful messaging strategies.
- Text messages are often more effective when they prioritize a specific goal, like providing information, creating referrals, reminding patients of appointments, etc.
- Program staff should have the capacity to maintain contact information and address follow-ups or answer questions from the community to maintain trust and fidelity throughout the program.
- Text messages that apply to broader populations, like addressing vaccination, childcare, and sexual health programs, should be available in different languages.
- Similar to mobile health applications, data privacy of participants should be a top priority in order to gain trust and increase participation.