scholarly journals Reducing Missed Appointments for Probation and Parole Supervision: a Randomized Experiment with Text Message Reminders

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Charise Hastings ◽  
Chris Thomas ◽  
Michael Ostermann ◽  
Jordan M. Hyatt ◽  
Steve Payne
Keyword(s):  
Treatment Group ◽  
Research Question ◽  
Text Message ◽  
Test Sample ◽  
Text Messages ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Community Supervision ◽  
Missed Appointments ◽  
Appointment Attendance ◽  
Technical Violations

Abstract Research Question Can text message reminders reduce missed appointments with probation or parole officers by clients under community supervision? Data In collaboration with Arkansas Community Corrections (ACC), 4,000 clients under community supervision were selected and tracked for attendance at scheduled supervision meetings from October 1, 2018, through April 15, 2019, with a test sample of 3,470 clients scheduled to attend 14,135 appointments assigned at random to different conditions of appointment reminders. Methods Marquis Software, under contract to ACC, randomly assigned the test sample to one of four conditions of text messages generated by company software: control (no text messages before appointments), early text (2 days before the appointment), late text (1 day before the appointment), and two texts (both 1 day and 4 days before the appointment). Marquis then abstracted the records of appointment attendance by treatment group, for analysis by the academic co-authors. Findings During the 6-month experiment, the best attendance was found in the treatment group assigned to late text reminders 1 day before the appointment. That group had 29% fewer no-shows and 21% fewer cancelled appointments than the control group during the experiment. In a subsequent rollout of the late text treatment to all of the clients still under supervision, the entire remaining group had 30% fewer missed appointments compared to the control group during the experiment. Conclusions Text messages reminding clients to attend parole and probation officer meetings can reduce missed appointments, with potentially substantial reductions in imprisonment due to technical violations of community supervision conditions.

scholarly journals Results from 2016 Illinois Text Message Experiment

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Joshua Kalla
Keyword(s):  
Treatment Group ◽  
Voter Turnout ◽  
Text Message ◽  
Peer To Peer ◽  
Text Messages ◽  
General Election ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Percentage Points ◽  
Pre Treatment ◽  
To Receive

During the 2016 general election, NextGen Climate conducted an experiment to assess whether peer-to-peer texting is effective at increasing voter turnout. NextGen Climate randomly assigned 94,257 individuals to receive a text message encouraging them to vote and 94,229 to a control group that received no outreach from NextGen Climate through Relay, the program they used for peer-to-peer texting. Individuals targeted were under 40 years old (average of 25) and had an average partisanship score of 81 (SE=15). The text messages were sent on November 5th, three days before Election Day. Overall, we find that 32.50% of the treatment group voted while 32.26% of the control group did. After adjusting for pre-treatment covariates, we find that the peer-to-peer text message increased turnout by 0.25 percentage points (p=0.20; SE=0.20).

scholarly journals Piloting the Effectiveness of a Text Messaging and Fitness Tracking Intervention within Older Black Women

2021 ◽  
Vol 5 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. 787-787
Author(s):  
Olivio Clay ◽  
Veronica Mixon ◽  
William Opoku-Agyeman ◽  
Meneka Johnson Nicholson ◽  
Pamela Bowen
Keyword(s):  
Physical Activity ◽  
Black Women ◽  
Treatment Group ◽  
Text Messaging ◽  
Text Message ◽  
College Education ◽  
Text Messages ◽  
Medium Effect ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Group Reduction

Abstract Physical activity (PA) can help lower risk of obesity and type 2 diabetes, reduce anxiety, and reduce risk of Alzheimer’s and other related dementias. Despite these benefits, older, obese Black women are not meeting CDC recommended PA guidelines at disproportionate rates. This study aims to identify whether a targeted intervention, Texting Older Sisters to Step (T.O.S.S.), can improve health-related outcomes within older Black women. A sample of 24 Black women (12 per group) age 60 and older who had a BMI > 30 were recruited. The treatment group received text messages previously validated to promote physical activity every day for 12-weeks and were placed in Fitbit communities. The control group received a general health or nutrition-related text message every Sunday. Participants ranged from 60 to 70 years of age with a mean of 64 and 90% had at least some college education. Overall, there was a significant reduction of 1.53 inches in waist circumference, p < .01. When the groups were compared, the treatment group showed a 2.16 inch reduction compared to a 0.91 inch reduction in the control group (Cohen’s d=0.54, a medium effect size). Similarly, the treatment group lost 2.50 pounds on average compared to 1.33 in the control group (d=0.23). When the groups were compared on HgA1c, the treatment group was stable with a reduction of 0.01 unit whereas the control group reduction was 0.15 unit (d=0.23). Findings provide initial support for the T.O.S.S. intervention and suggest a modification of including nutrition information among the intervention messages.

scholarly journals Knowledge and Behavior Change of People Living with HIV through Nutrition Education and Counseling

2016 ◽  
Vol 10 (3) ◽  
pp. 107
Author(s):  
Fitri Hudayani ◽  
Ratu Ayu Dewi Sartika
Keyword(s):  
Treatment Group ◽  
Behavior Change ◽  
Nutrition Education ◽  
Test Sample ◽  
Control Group ◽  
P Value ◽  
People Living With Hiv ◽  
Quasi Experimental ◽  
And Behavior ◽  
Living With Hiv

HIV, AIDS and nutrition are interconnected. In the HIV Integrated Care Unit of Dr. Cipto Mangunkusumo Public Hospital, nutrition education and counseling services are provided within a collaborative service for people living with HIV (PLWH). This study aimed to determine influence of nutrition education and counseling to knowledge and behavior of PLWH. This study was conducted with quasi experimental design using treatment and control groups. The treatment group consisted of 25 samples and 29 samples for control group. Samples were adults between 18 – 50 years old selected by applying inclusion and exclusion criteria. A pretested questionnaire was used to assess knowledge. Paired t-test sample was used to analyze data. This study was conducted on May – July 2014. Based on results of this study, there was effect in form of knowledge change (p value = 0.000) with score 6.38 point lower on the control group and any significant differences in behavior change (p value = 0.048) for the treatment group after receiving nutrition education and counseling. This study shows that nutrition and counseling using media of education which is more complete and continuously provided may improve knowledge and change behavior of PLWH.Perubahan Pengetahuan dan Perilaku Orang yang Hidup dengan HIVmelalui Konseling dan Edukasi GiziHIV, AIDS, dan gizi saling berhubungan. Pada Unit Pelayanan Terpadu HIV Rumah Sakit Umum Pusat Nasional Dr. Cipto Mangunkusumo, layanan edukasi dan konseling gizi disediakan secara kolaboratif untuk orang yang hidup dengan HIV. Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk mengetahui pengaruh pendidikan dan konseling gizi terhadap pengetahuan dan perilaku orang yang hidup dengan HIV. Penelitian ini dilakukan dengan desain kuasi eksperimental menggunakan kelompok perlakuan dan kontrol. Kelompok perlakuan terdiri dari 25 sampel dan 29 sampel untuk kelompok kontrol, dilakukan sebelum dan setelah perlakuan. Sampel berusia dewasa antara 18 – 50 tahun dipilih dengan menerapkan kriteria inklusi dan eksklusi. Sampel uji-t berpasangan digunakan untuk menganalisis data. Penelitian ini dilakukan pada bulan Mei – Juli 2014. Berdasarkan hasil penelitian, diketahui bahwa adanya efek berupa perubahan pengetahuan (nilai p = 0,000) dengan nilai 6,38 poin lebih rendah pada kelompok kontrol dan terdapat perbedaan yang signifikan dalam perubahan perilaku (nilai p = 0,048) untuk kelompok perlakuan setelah menerima edukasi dan konseling gizi. Penelitian ini menunjukkan bahwa edukasi dan konseling gizi menggunakan media edukasi yang lebih lengkap dan diberikan secara berkelanjutan dapat meningkatkan pengetahuan dan mengubah perilaku orang yang hidup dengan HIV.

scholarly journals Beneficial Influence of Mindfulness Training Promoted by Text Messages on Self-Reported Aerobic Physical Activity in Older Adults: A Randomized Controlled Study

2020 ◽  
Vol 28 (3) ◽  
pp. 406-414
Author(s):  
Nicolas Robin ◽  
Lucette Toussaint ◽  
Stéphane Sinnapah ◽  
Olivier Hue ◽  
Guillaume R. Coudevylle
Keyword(s):  
Physical Activity ◽  
Older Adults ◽  
Positive Impact ◽  
Text Message ◽  
Text Messages ◽  
Mindfulness Training ◽  
Controlled Study ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Physical And Mental Health ◽  
Experimental Conditions

Inactivity is known to have harmful effects on the physical and mental health of older adults. This study used a randomized, parallel trial design to evaluate whether daily text prompts to practice mindfulness would have a positive impact on the time that adults aged 50 years or older spend in aerobic physical activity. The participants were recruited from a certified fitness center and divided into mindfulness and control groups. For 4 weeks, they were exposed to the experimental conditions, with or without the morning text message. In the morning message condition, the mindfulness groups received a text message with the instruction to practice audio-guided mindfulness for 10 min, and the control group received a placebo message. The participants practicing mindfulness reported significantly more weekly minutes of aerobic physical activity and higher intrinsic motivation than the control participants. Mindfulness training was effective at increasing aerobic physical activity duration and might complement physical activity programs.

scholarly journals 2239

2017 ◽  
Vol 1 (S1) ◽  
pp. 40-40
Author(s):  
Lauren Luther ◽  
Bryan P. McCormick ◽  
Christopher C. Lapish ◽  
Michelle P. Salyers
Keyword(s):  
Quality Of Life ◽  
Goal Attainment ◽  
Group Discussion ◽  
Text Message ◽  
Text Messages ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Randomized Design ◽  
Intervention Protocol ◽  
Before And After

OBJECTIVES/SPECIFIC AIMS: Motivation deficits are one of the strongest determinants of poor functional outcomes in people with schizophrenia. Mobile interventions are a promising approach to improving these deficits, as they can provide frequent cues and reinforcements that support goal-directed behavior. The objective of this study is to describe the intervention protocol and initial effectiveness of a personalized mobile text message intervention, Mobile Enhancement of Motivation in Schizophrenia (MEMS). METHODS/STUDY POPULATION: This pilot study will examine the effects of MEMS compared with a control group using a randomized design. Up to 40 outpatients with a schizophrenia-spectrum disorder will be recruited. All participants will set individualized recovery goals to complete over an 8-week period; those randomized to receive MEMS will also receive 3 sets of personalized, interactive text messages each weekday to reinforce and cue goal completion. Before and after the 8-week period, participants in both groups will complete validated measures of motivation, quality of life, and functioning. Both groups will also report their goal attainment after 8 weeks. RESULTS/ANTICIPATED RESULTS: It is anticipated that those in the MEMS group will demonstrate greater goal attainment and improvements in motivation, quality of life, and functioning compared with the control group. DISCUSSION/SIGNIFICANCE OF IMPACT: This project will test the initial effectiveness of a novel intervention for improving one of the most debilitating aspects of schizophrenia.

scholarly journals Tailored texts: An application of regulatory fit to text messages designed to reduce high-risk drinking

2019 ◽  
Vol 26 (3) ◽  
pp. 1742-1763
Author(s):  
Elizabeth M Glowacki ◽  
Jay M Bernhardt ◽  
Matthew S McGlone
Keyword(s):  
Regulatory Focus ◽  
Text Message ◽  
Regulatory Fit ◽  
Text Messages ◽  
Health Messages ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Post Test ◽  
High Risk Drinking ◽  
Congruent Group ◽  
The Impact

This study used the regulatory focus/fit framework to compare the impact of text message wording on college students’ drinking behaviors. In this 2 × 3 × 2 pre-test/post-test experiment, participants ( N = 279) were randomly assigned to one of the three groups: messages matching regulatory focus (congruent group), messages mismatching regulatory focus (incongruent group), and general health messages (control group). Messages were tailored by regulatory fit (prevention-oriented or promotion-oriented). Mixed factorial analyses of covariance revealed that prevention-oriented individuals who received text messages incongruent with their regulatory focus reported drinking alcohol for more hours and were more likely to consume a higher quantity of drinks than participants in the congruent or control group. These findings suggest that health messages mismatched to a receiver’s regulatory focus might exacerbate unhealthy behavior.

scholarly journals Mobile Phone Short Message Service (SMS) for Weight Management in Iranian Overweight and Obese Women: A Pilot Study

2013 ◽  
Vol 2013 ◽  
pp. 1-5 ◽  
Author(s):  
Somayeh Faghanipour ◽  
Eftekharalsadat Hajikazemi ◽  
Soghra Nikpour ◽  
Shabnam al-Sadat Shariatpanahi ◽  
Agha Fatemeh Hosseini
Keyword(s):  
Weight Management ◽  
Text Messaging ◽  
Text Message ◽  
Text Messages ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Obese Women ◽  
Clinical Trial Registration ◽  
Information Session ◽  
Quasi Experimental ◽  
Experimental Group

We conducted a text message-based intervention for weight management over three months by two months intervention and one month wash-out period. In a quasi-experimental study with control () and experimental group (), 80 overweight and obese employed women were entered. Participants were recruited via announcement. All subjects attended a face-to-face information session and received a booklet that contained food calorie chart and strategies and recommendations for weight management. The experimental group received text messages (SMS) about weight management twice a day for two months, in addition to the information and the booklet which they had received in the information session. Also, the experimental group was instructed to weekly self-weight and to send the data to the principle researcher. All subjects were measured for baseline and secondary weight in a standardized manner by a nurse, and the data were compared between the two groups. Experimental group lost more weight than the control group (1.5 kg difference, ). Text messaging seems to be an effective channel of communication for weight management in Iranian overweight and obese women. The clinical trial registration number isIRCT201204029360N1.

scholarly journals The influence of text messaging on oral hygiene effectiveness

2014 ◽  
Vol 85 (4) ◽  
pp. 543-548 ◽  
Author(s):  
T. Brent Bowen ◽  
Daniel J. Rinchuse ◽  
Thomas Zullo ◽  
Mark E. DeMaria
Keyword(s):  
Oral Hygiene ◽  
Text Messaging ◽  
Text Message ◽  
Text Messages ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Controlled Clinical Trial ◽  
Randomized Controlled ◽  
Significant Difference ◽  
Orthodontic Patients ◽  
Hygiene Compliance

ABSTRACT Objective:  To investigate whether text message reminders regarding oral hygiene have an effect on plaque removal in orthodontic patients. Materials and Methods:  In this randomized, controlled clinical trial, 50 orthodontic patients were assigned to either a text message or control group. Patients in the text message group received 12 text messages over the course of 4 weeks and one text message for 8 weeks thereafter. Photos were taken at baseline (T0), at 4 weeks after baseline (T1), and at 12 weeks after baseline (T2). For each subject, photos of eight teeth were taken and then the area of the tooth and amount of plaque were measured using planimetry. Results:  There was a statistically significant difference in plaque coverage between baseline and both T1 and T2 in the text message group as measured using planimetry. This was demonstrated by comparing the average measurements of the control group and the treatment group. Conclusion:  This study demonstrated that the use of automated text message reminders sent from an orthodontic office was effective in improving oral hygiene compliance in orthodontic patients.

scholarly journals Feasibility and Acceptability of a Text Message–Based Intervention to Reduce Overuse of Alcohol in Emergency Department Patients: Controlled Proof-of-Concept Trial

10.2196/17557 ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 8 (6) ◽  
pp. e17557
Author(s):  
Elizabeth Burner ◽  
Mark Zhang ◽  
Sophie Terp ◽  
Kelsey Ford Bench ◽  
Joshua Lee ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Alcohol Use ◽  
Screening Program ◽  
Intervention Group ◽  
Heavy Drinking ◽  
Text Message ◽  
Text Messages ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Motivation To Change ◽  
Risky Alcohol

Background Emergency department (ED) patients have high rates of risky alcohol use, and an ED visit offers an opportunity to intervene. ED-based screening, brief intervention, and referral to treatment (SBIRT) reduces alcohol use and health care costs. Mobile health (mHealth) interventions may expand the impact of SBIRTs but are understudied in low-resource ED populations. Objective The objective of this study was to assess the feasibility of and patient satisfaction with a text-based mHealth extension of an ED screening program to reduce risky alcohol use in low-income, urban patients. Methods Research assistants screened a convenience sample of ED patients in person for risky alcohol use via the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT). Patients who reported AUDIT scores ≥8 and <20 were informed of their AUDIT score and risk. RAs invited patients with SMS text message–capable phones to receive mROAD (mobilizing to Reduce Overuse of Alcohol in the ED), an SMS text message–based extension of the ED screening program. mROAD is a 7-day program of twice-daily SMS text messages based on the National Institutes of Health’s Rethinking Drinking campaign. Participants were allocated to a control group (daily sham text messages without specific guidance on behaviors, such as “Thanks for taking part!”) or to the mROAD intervention group. Patients were interviewed at 30 days to assess acceptability, satisfaction, and changes in drinking behavior. Satisfaction was examined descriptively. Pre and post measurements of drinking behaviors and motivation were compared, as were differences in change scores between the intervention arms. Results Of 1028 patients screened, 95 (9.2%) exhibited risky alcohol use based on AUDIT, and 23/95 (24%) of those patients did not own an SMS text messaging–capable phone; this left 72/95 (76%) eligible patients. Among eligible participants, 48/72 (67%) agreed to enroll; 31/48 (65%) achieved follow-up (18/24 (75%) in the intervention group and 13/24 (55%) in the control group). Participants who completed follow-up reported high satisfaction. Changes in behavior were similar between the arms. Overall, the number of drinking days reported in the prior 30 days decreased by 5.0 (95% CI 1.7-8.3; P=.004), and the number of heavy drinking days decreased by 4.1 (95% CI 1.0 to 7.15, P=.01). Patients reported an 11-point increase (95% CI 2.6-20, P=.01, 10% overall increase) in motivation to change alcohol use via the Change Questionnaire. The were no statistical differences in drinking days, heavy drinking days, or motivation to change between the arms. Conclusions The mROAD trial was feasible. Over three-quarters of ED patients with risky alcohol use owned a text message–capable phone, and two-thirds of these patients were willing to participate; only 1 patient opted out of the intervention. Although 35% of patients were lost to follow-up at 30 days, those patients who did follow up had favorable impressions of the program; more than 90% reported that SMS text messages were a “good way to teach,” and 89% of intervention arm participants enjoyed the program and found that the messages were motivating. Both the mROAD and sham message groups showed promising changes in alcohol use and motivation to change. mROAD is a feasible intervention that may reduce rates of risky alcohol use in ED patients. Trial Registration ClinicalTrials.gov NCT02158949; https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT02158949

scholarly journals Evaluation of the effect of informing patients through text messaging on antibiotic prescription by physicians in outpatient setting: a study protocol

2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (1) ◽  
pp. 76
Author(s):  
Hassan Vakili Arki ◽  
Ehsan Nabovati ◽  
Mohammad Reza Saberi ◽  
Pourya Eslami ◽  
Zhila Taherzadeh ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Text Messaging ◽  
Antibiotic Prescription ◽  
Intervention Group ◽  
Text Message ◽  
Antibiotic Use ◽  
Outpatient Setting ◽  
Text Messages ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Self Medication ◽  
General Physician

Introduction: Irrational prescription of antibiotics has become a major global concern, and not only does it have health-related consequences, but it also affects countries’ overall economy. Based on reports and studies, antibiotics are prescribed in approximately 50% of prescriptions in Iran which can demand by patients as a major cause. It is anticipated that increasing the awareness and understanding of both physicians and patients, regarding the antibiotic use and resistance, could play an important role in the rational prescription of antibiotic medications. In this study, we will examine the effect of informing patients via text message right before their appointment on the proportion of prescribed antibiotic medications.Material and Methods: In this study, a randomized control trial (RCT) will be conducted. The setting in which the study will be carry out, consists of 64 physicians (29 general physician and 35 specialist). Unit of randomization will be physicians based on the proportion of their prescriptions that include antibiotic medications (PIA). The first arm of the study is the intervention group, which consists of the patients receiving three text messages in the clinic’s waiting rooms. The second arm is the control group, and consists of the patients who won’t be receiving any text messages. The content of the text messages focuses on the consequences of self-medication with antibiotics, the fact that the use of antibiotics is not an option for curing viral diseases including cold, and it also asks the patients not to demand antibiotics by trusting their physicians.Results: The main variable that will be measured is the proportion of prescriptions that include antibiotic medications.Conclusion: This trial will be the first one to evaluate the patients’ role in the proportion of prescriptions that include antibiotic medications. It is hypothesized that patients’ demand for antibiotic medication is one of the main causes of irrational antibiotic prescription by physicians.

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