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

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.

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Long-Term and Transfer Effects of an Action Control Intervention in Overweight Couples: A Randomized Controlled Trial Using Text Messages

Frontiers in Psychology ◽

10.3389/fpsyg.2021.754488 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 12 ◽

Author(s):

Corina Berli ◽

Urte Scholz

Keyword(s):

Physical Activity ◽

Physical Fitness ◽

Text Messaging ◽

Vigorous Physical Activity ◽

Action Control ◽

Text Messages ◽

Control Group ◽

Transfer Effects ◽

Control Intervention

Keeping a physically active lifestyle requires consistent self-regulatory effort such as action control (e.g., continuously monitoring and evaluating a behavior in terms of one’s goals). Involving the romantic partner in interventions might be particularly effective in the long run. The present study examined the long-term and transfer effects of an action control intervention in couples using text messaging for promoting target persons’ and partners’ physical activity, anthropometric measures and physical fitness 6 months post baseline. A total of 121 overweight and obese romantic couples, randomly allocated to an intervention (n = 60; information + action control text messages) or a control group (n = 61; information only) and to participating as target person or partner, completed baseline assessments (T1). 100 couples (82.6%) completed the 6-month follow-up (T3) assessment. Primary outcomes included self-reported moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) and objective MVPA and MVPA adherence using triaxial accelerometers across a diary period of 14 days after T3. Secondary outcomes included BMI, waist-to-hip circumference and physical fitness (target persons only) using a submaximal aerobic cycle test. At T3, there were no significant between-group differences between target persons and partners with regard to their objective MVPA, self-reported MVPA, BMI, waist-hip ratio or physical fitness. No significant changes in outcomes were observed from T1 to T3; however, changes in BMI from T1 to T3 between target persons and partners in the intervention group were associated. Overall, the brief 14-days action control intervention was not effective in improving target person’s physical activity, body measures and physical fitness in the long-term. Moreover, no long-term benefits for partners emerged. While brief ecological momentary interventions might be a promising tool for short-term effects, future studies are needed to test features enhancing long-term effectiveness. Associations in romantic partners’ changes suggest that dyadic interventions can be a promising approach, as changes induced in one partner may then transfer over to the other (controlled-trials.com ISRCTN15705531).

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

Cambridge Journal of Evidence-Based Policing ◽

10.1007/s41887-021-00071-6 ◽

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.

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

Journal of Aging and Physical Activity ◽

10.1123/japa.2019-0002 ◽

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.

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Using an integrated social-behavioral text message approach to improve screening mammography in African American women.

Journal of Clinical Oncology ◽

10.1200/jco.2020.38.29_suppl.240 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 38 (29_suppl) ◽

pp. 240-240

Author(s):

Amina Dhahri ◽

Paapa Nyanin ◽

Shana Ntiri

Keyword(s):

Breast Cancer ◽

Black Women ◽

Cancer Screening ◽

Breast Cancer Screening ◽

Text Messaging ◽

Text Message ◽

Screening Mammography ◽

Text Messages ◽

Patient Centered ◽

Self Advocacy

240 Background: The rate of breast cancer among Black and White women is nearly equivalent but the death rate is 40% higher for Blacks. This disparity is often attributed to lower screening mammography rates in Black women. The effectiveness of text messages on increasing screening mammography among Black women is not well known. Importantly, the themes that are most effective at promoting behavioral changes in Black women’s breast cancer screening practices through text message interventions have not been explored. An integrated social-behavioral approach was used to identify themes associated with Black women’s response to two types of text messaging: reminder and educational texts. Methods: A qualitative study was conducted in Metropolitan Baltimore with two focus groups among Black breast cancer survivors. Participants completed a demographic survey and indicated text messaging practices and preferences for future breast screening texts via survey. Participants provided feedback on a series of 17 educational and reminder text messages. Focus groups were digitally recorded and transcribed for analysis. Text message preferences were analyzed using a content analysis approach. Multiple themes were identified, discussed and recorded. Results: 17 participants had an average age of 60. All participants reported cell phone ownership and 82% of participants reported texting. 46% reported an interest in reminder text messages and 54% reported an interest in educational text messages. Four main themes were derived from participants’ responses the text message series: 1) access to cancer care surveillance, 2) social network support, 3) patient-centered approach, and 4) self-advocacy. Text messages that included themes of self-advocacy, social network support, and patient-centered approach generated positive responses and the text messages that included access to cancer care surveillance were perceived as demotivating. Educational text messages were perceived to be more motivating than reminder text messages. Conclusions: Breast cancer screening behaviors are affected by various demographic, social-behavioral, and socioeconomic factors. The findings from this study suggest that developing an educational text message content that incorporates social and behavioral themes focusing on the patient may be more beneficial to improve breast cancer screening rates in this population.

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

International Journal of Telemedicine and Applications ◽

10.1155/2013/785654 ◽

2013 ◽

Vol 2013 ◽

pp. 1-5 ◽

Cited By ~ 6

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.

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The influence of text messaging on oral hygiene effectiveness

The Angle Orthodontist ◽

10.2319/071514-495.1 ◽

2014 ◽

Vol 85 (4) ◽

pp. 543-548 ◽

Cited By ~ 30

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.

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The Use of Text Messaging to Promote Physical Activity in Working Women: A Randomized Controlled Trial

Journal of Physical Activity and Health ◽

10.1123/jpah.2013-0144 ◽

2015 ◽

Vol 12 (6) ◽

pp. 756-763 ◽

Cited By ~ 11

Author(s):

Nancy M. Gell ◽

Danielle D. Wadsworth

Keyword(s):

Physical Activity ◽

Self Efficacy ◽

Text Messaging ◽

Controlled Trial ◽

Working Women ◽

Text Messages ◽

Control Group ◽

Step Counts ◽

Significant Difference ◽

Change In Mean

Background:The study evaluated the effects of a text message intervention on physical activity in adult working women.Methods:Eightyseven participants were randomized to an intervention (n = 41) or control group (n = 46). Pedometer step counts and measures of self-efficacy were collected at baseline, 12 weeks, and 24 weeks. Intervention participants received approximately 3 text messages per week that were motivational, informational, and specific to performing physical activity.Results:ANCOVA results showed a significant difference between groups for mean steps per day at 12 weeks (6540.0 vs. 5685.0, P = .01) and no significant difference at 24 weeks (6867.7 vs. 6189.0, P = .06). There was no change in mean step counts during or after the intervention compared with baseline. There was a significant difference between groups for mean self-efficacy scores at 12 weeks (68.5 vs. 60.3, P = .02) and at 24 weeks (67.3 vs. 59.0, P = .03).Conclusion:Intervention participants had higher step counts after 12 and 24 weeks compared with a control group; however, the difference was significant only at the midpoint of the intervention and was attributable to a decrease in steps for the control group. Text messaging did not increase step counts but may be a cost-effective tool for maintenance of physical activity behavior.

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

Frontiers in Health Informatics ◽

10.30699/fhi.v10i1.281 ◽

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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A Pilot Randomised Controlled Trial of a Text Messaging Intervention with Customisation Using Linked Data from Wireless Wearable Activity Monitors to Improve Risk Factors Following Gestational Diabetes

Nutrients ◽

10.3390/nu11030590 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 11 (3) ◽

pp. 590 ◽

Cited By ~ 5

Author(s):

N. Cheung ◽

Caron Blumenthal ◽

Ben Smith ◽

Roslyn Hogan ◽

Aravinda Thiagalingam ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Physical Activity ◽

Gestational Diabetes ◽

Glucose Tolerance ◽

Text Messaging ◽

Post Partum ◽

Controlled Trial ◽

Text Message ◽

Activity Monitor ◽

Text Messages ◽

Tolerance Testing

Gestational diabetes (GDM) is a highly prevalent disorder of pregnancy which portends a high risk for future type 2 diabetes. Limited evidence indicates lifestyle intervention prevents the development of diabetes, but most previously studied interventions are resource-intensive. Intervention programs that utilise newer technologies may be scalable at lower cost. This 6-month pilot randomized controlled trial tested the delivery of text messages linked to an activity monitor, adaptive physical activity goal setting, and limited face-to-face counseling, as an intervention to improve rates of post-partum glucose tolerance testing and lifestyle behaviours amongst women following a GDM pregnancy. Sixty subjects were randomised 2:1 intervention vs. control. Compared to control subjects, there were trends for intervention subjects to improve diet, increase physical activity, and lose weight. There was no difference between the groups in the rate of glucose tolerance testing. Only 46 (77%) subjects completed some, and 19 subjects completed all the elements of the final evaluation. Feedback regarding the text messages and activity monitor was highly positive. Overall, results suggest that a text message and activity monitor intervention is feasible for a larger study or even as a potentially scalable population health intervention. However, low completion rates necessitate carefully considered modification of the protocol.

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Results from 2016 Illinois Text Message Experiment

10.31219/osf.io/syzpr ◽

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).

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