scholarly journals Feasibility of Using Short Message Service and In-Depth Interviews to Collect Data on Contraceptive Use Among Young, Unmarried, Sexually Active Men in Moshi, Tanzania, and Addis Ababa, Ethiopia: Mixed Methods Study With a Longitudinal Follow-Up (Preprint)

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Francis Maganga Pima ◽  
Martha Oshosen ◽  
Kennedy Michael Ngowi ◽  
Bruck Messele Habte ◽  
Eusebious Maro ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Data Collection ◽  
Short Message Service ◽  
Contraceptive Use ◽  
Addis Ababa ◽  
Young Men ◽  
Short Message ◽  
Sexually Active ◽  
Exit Interviews ◽  
Message Service

BACKGROUND Data on contraceptive needs and use among young unmarried men are limited. Conventional ways of data collection may lead to limited and unreliable information on contraceptive use due to sensitivity of the topic, as many young men feel ashamed to discuss their behavior of using contraceptives. As short message service (SMS) is anonymous and a commonly used means of communication, we believe that if deployed, it will create a promising user-friendly method of data collection. OBJECTIVE The objective was to investigate the feasibility of using SMS to collect data on sexually active, young, unmarried men’s sexual behavior and contraceptive preferences, practices, and needs in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, and Moshi, Tanzania. METHODS We enrolled men aged 18-30 years who were students (in Ethiopia and Tanzania), taxi or local bus drivers/assistants (Ethiopia and Tanzania), Kilimanjaro porters (Tanzania), or construction workers (Ethiopia). Young men were interviewed using a topic list on contraceptive use. They were followed up for 6 months by sending fortnightly SMS texts with questions about contraceptive use. If the young men indicated that they needed contraceptives during the reporting period or were not satisfied with the method they used, they were invited for a follow-up interview. At the end of the study, we conducted exit interviews telephonically using a semistructured questionnaire to explore the feasibility, acceptability, and accuracy of using SMS to validate the study findings in both countries. RESULTS We enrolled 71 young unmarried men—35 in Tanzania and 36 in Ethiopia. In Moshi, 1908 messages were delivered to participants and 1119 SMS responses were obtained. In Ethiopia, however, only 525 messages were sent to participants and 248 replies were received. The question on dating a girl in the past weeks was asked 438 times in Tanzania and received 252 (58%) replies, of which 148 (59%) were “YES.” In Ethiopia, this question was asked 314 times and received 64 (20%) replies, of which 52 (81%) were “YES” (P=.02 for difference in replies between Tanzania and Ethiopia). In Tanzania, the question on contraceptive use was sent successfully 112 times and received 108 (96%) replies, of which 105 (94%) were “YES.” In Ethiopia, the question on contraceptive use was asked 17 times and received only 2 (11%) replies. Exit interviews in Tanzania showed that SMS was accepted as a means of data collection by 22 (88%) of the 25 interviewed participants. CONCLUSIONS Despite network and individual challenges, the SMS system was found to be feasible in Moshi, but not in Addis Ababa. We recommend more research to scale up the method in different groups and regions.

scholarly journals Utility of Short Message Service (SMS) for Remote Data Collection for HIV in Low- and Middle-Income Countries

2020 ◽  
Vol 17 (6) ◽  
pp. 654-662
Author(s):  
Alison L. Drake ◽  
Claire Rothschild ◽  
Wenwen Jiang ◽  
Keshet Ronen ◽  
Jennifer A. Unger
Keyword(s):  
Data Collection ◽  
Short Message Service ◽  
Short Message ◽  
Middle Income ◽  
Middle Income Countries ◽  
Message Service ◽  
Low And Middle Income ◽  
Remote Data

scholarly journals e-Surveillance in Animal Health: use and evaluation of mobile tools

Parasitology ◽  
2012 ◽  
Vol 139 (14) ◽  
pp. 1831-1842 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. MADDER ◽  
J. G. WALKER ◽  
J. VAN ROOYEN ◽  
D. KNOBEL ◽  
E. VANDAMME ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Data Collection ◽  
Short Message Service ◽  
New Technologies ◽  
Animal Health ◽  
Health Surveillance ◽  
Short Message ◽  
Comprehensive Overview ◽  
Technical Requirements ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Message Service

SUMMARYIn the last decade, mobile technology offered new opportunities and challenges in animal health surveillance. It began with the use of basic mobile phones and short message service (SMS) for disease reporting, and the development of smartphones and other mobile tools has expanded the possibilities for data collection. These tools assist in the collection of data as well as geo-referenced mapping of diseases, and mapping, visualization and identification of vectors such as ticks. In this article we share our findings about new technologies in the domain of animal health surveillance, based on several projects using a wide range of mobile tools, each with their specific applicability and limitations. For each of the tools used, a comprehensive overview is given about its applicability, limitations, technical requirements, cost and also the perception of the users.The evaluation of the tools clearly shows the importance of selecting the appropriate tool depending on the envisaged data to be collected. Accessibility, visualization and cost related to data collection differ significantly among the tools tested. This paper can thus be seen as a practical guide to the currently available tools.

scholarly journals Effectiveness of Phone Reminders to Improve Adherence to Anti-Retroviral Therapy: A Meta-Analysis

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (02) ◽  
Author(s):  
Abdullah Aliff Abdul Wahab ◽  
◽  
Rosnah Ismail ◽  
Halim Ismail ◽  
Nazarudin Safian ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Short Message Service ◽  
Meta Analysis ◽  
Effective Means ◽  
Phone Call ◽  
Short Message ◽  
Cochrane Database ◽  
Message Service ◽  
Randomised Controlled ◽  
Difficult Issue

Introduction: Adherence to anti-retroviral therapy (ART) regimens remains a difficult issue. Thus, it was hoped that the use of phone reminders would improve adherence. Methodology: The Cochrane database was searched using selected keywords for this meta-analysis. We included randomised, controlled trials (RCTs) that utilised interventions with phone reminder and reported adherence outcomes, as the proportion of prescribed pills taken, the scores on an adherence questionnaire, or the follow-up rate. Two independent authors screened titles of article for inclusion, extracted the relevant data, and assessed articles for risk of bias. Results: Seven RCTs published between 2010 and 2017 were selected for inclusion in this review. The sample size ranged from 76 to 631 participants. Most RCTs used short message service (SMS) and phone call reminders as interventions. The rate of adherence was 1.17-fold greater among those who received phone reminders than those who did not, which was statistically significant (Z = 2.86, p = 0.004). Those who received phone reminders showed a 17% higher likelihood for adherence compared with those who did not receive any phone reminder interventions. Conclusion: Phone reminders remain significantly effective means for improving adherence.

PENGARUH LAYANAN PESAN SINGKAT PENGINGAT TERHADAP KEPATUHAN KONSUMSI OBAT PASIEN DM TIPE 2 DI PUSKESMAS MELATI KABUPATEN KAPUAS

2017 ◽  
Vol 3 (1) ◽  
pp. 34
Author(s):  
Yugo Susanto ◽  
Riza Alfian ◽  
Rinidha Riana ◽  
Ibna Rusmana
Keyword(s):  
Data Collection ◽  
Short Message Service ◽  
Secondary Data ◽  
Rate Of Change ◽  
Primary Data ◽  
Adherence Rate ◽  
Short Message ◽  
Post Intervention ◽  
Average Value ◽  
Message Service

Diabetes mellitus is a chronic disease characterized by hyperglycemia and glucose intolerance. Patients with DM in Indonesia ranks 4th largest with a prevalence of 8.6 % of the total population. Patient compliance in the treatment greatly affect the success of the therapy. The purpose of this study was to determine the level of adherence before and after administration of short message reminders, as well as knowing the adherence changes that occur in patients with type 2 diabetes at the Puskesmas Melati Kabupaten Kapuas. This esearch was conducted by quasi experimental design, with prospective data collection during the period from May to June 2016. The intervention was giving short message service reminder. Subjects who met the inclusion criteria as many as 15 patients. The primary data collection is done by filling the questionnaire adherence MMAS and secondary data obtained from medical observation sheet.            The results showed that in the pre intervention average value (mean) adherence by 5.8 or are in the low adherence rate, in post intervention average value of 7.4 or adherence are moderate adherence rates, with the rate of change (Δ) adherence towards better at 1.6. It can be concluded that the adherence were lower before than after giving short message service reminder. There was improvement in the adherence to taking medicine after giving short message service reminder. The giving short message service reminder increased the adherence to take medicine effectively

A Telemedicine system based on Internet and short message service as a new approach in the follow-up of patients with gestational diabetes

2010 ◽  
Vol 87 (2) ◽  
pp. e15-e17 ◽  
Author(s):  
Natalia Pérez-Ferre ◽  
Mercedes Galindo ◽  
Mª Dolores Fernández ◽  
Victoria Velasco ◽  
Mª José de la Cruz ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Gestational Diabetes ◽  
Short Message Service ◽  
Short Message ◽  
Telemedicine System ◽  
New Approach ◽  
Message Service

scholarly journals Use of short message service in at-home COVID-19 patient management

BMC Medicine ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 18 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Paul Loubet ◽  
Christian Czeschan ◽  
Matthieu Sintes ◽  
Albert Sotto ◽  
Didier Laureillard
Keyword(s):  
Short Message Service ◽  
Clinical Status ◽  
Warning System ◽  
Short Message ◽  
Health Innovations ◽  
Communication Program ◽  
Message Service ◽  
Clinical Worsening ◽  
At Home

Abstract Background Mobile health innovations are well adapted for ambulatory coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) patients who risk clinical deterioration at home during the second week of illness. Methods A short message service (SMS) communication program was implemented by French physicians to monitor COVID-19 patients after discharge from outpatient or emergency care. The aim of the SMS tracking is to advise patients about their need for medical reassessment if reporting worsening of COVID-19 symptoms. A follow-up via SMS to all confirmed positive patients in the Nîmes area (France) was established. Every morning, patients received four follow-up questions. Daily responses were converted to green, orange or red trees, analysed in real time by physicians. “Red” patients were called immediately to check their condition and organise transfer to hospital if needed. “Orange” patients were called within two hours to verify whether the specific instructions following the SMS had been followed. Results From March 21 to June 30, 2020, 1007 patients agreed to sign up to the SMS tracking, 62% were women and the mean age was 41.5 years (standard deviation (SD) 16.0). During follow-up, 649 (64%) became “orange” and 69 (7%) “red”. Ten patients were directly admitted to the Infectious Diseases Department during their follow-up due to clinical worsening, all but one as a result of SMS alerts and subsequent telephone assessment by physicians. Conclusion SMS tracking platforms could be useful as an early warning system to refer patients with worsening clinical status to hospital-based care or additional clinician advice.

scholarly journals Prototipo electrónico simple y de bajo costo para rastreo de vehículos basado en GPS

2019 ◽  
pp. 9-16
Author(s):  
Maricela Morales-Hernández ◽  
Franco Gabriel Caballero-Julian ◽  
Antonio Erick Wong-Díaz ◽  
Gabriela Aguilar-Ortiz
Keyword(s):  
Global Positioning System ◽  
Short Message Service ◽  
Short Message ◽  
C Language ◽  
Global Positioning ◽  
Message Service ◽  
Communication Module ◽  
Complete Circuit ◽  
Vehicle Movement

This article presents an electronic prototype for vehicle tracking based on GPS (Global Positioning System) location as a proposed solution to the problem of vehicle theft that affects the Oaxaca de Juarez municipality and its surrounding municipalities, according to statistics from the Office of the Prosecutor Specialized in High Impact Crimes, vehicle thefts have increased rapidly in recent years. The "V" diagram was used to make the prototype, which proposes a solution within reach of the owners of vehicles, since similar products require the device and the payment of a membership to follow up in real time. The prototype consists of an Arduino board, a GPS module, a communication module for sending SMS (Short Message Service) messages, an accelerometer to detect vehicle movements and other components that are required for the operation of the complete circuit. The program has been developed in C language for Arduino and a free application of GoogleMaps is being used to send the location of the vehicle when detecting any vehicle movement

scholarly journals An Automated Text-Messaging Platform for Enhanced Retention and Data Collection in a Longitudinal Birth Cohort: Cohort Management Platform Analysis (Preprint)

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Caroline M Barry ◽  
Aditi Sabhlok ◽  
Victoria C Saba ◽  
Alesha D Majors ◽  
Julia C Schechter ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Data Collection ◽  
Cohort Studies ◽  
Birth Cohort ◽  
Text Messaging ◽  
Birth Cohort Study ◽  
Short Message ◽  
Management Platform ◽  
Message Service ◽  
Study Participants

BACKGROUND Traditional methods for recruiting and maintaining contact with participants in cohort studies include print-based correspondence, which can be unidirectional, labor intensive, and slow. Leveraging technology can substantially enhance communication, maintain engagement of study participants in cohort studies, and facilitate data collection on a range of outcomes. OBJECTIVE This paper provides an overview of the development process and design of a cohort management platform (CMP) used in the Newborn Epigenetic STudy (NEST), a large longitudinal birth cohort study. METHODS The platform uses short message service (SMS) text messaging to facilitate interactive communication with participants; it also semiautomatically performs many recruitment and retention procedures typically completed by research assistants over the course of multiple study follow-up visits. RESULTS Since February 2016, 302 participants have consented to enrollment in the platform and 162 have enrolled with active engagement in the system. Daily reminders are being used to help improve adherence to the study’s accelerometer wear protocol. At the time of this report, 213 participants in our follow-up study who were also registered to use the CMP were eligible for the accelerometer protocol. Preliminary data show that texters (138/213, 64.8%), when compared to nontexters (75/213, 35.2%), had significantly longer average accelerometer-wearing hours (165.6 hours, SD 56.5, vs 145.3 hours, SD 58.5, P=.01) when instructed to wear the devices for 1 full week. CONCLUSIONS This platform can serve as a model for enhancing communication and engagement with longitudinal study cohorts, especially those involved in studies assessing environmental exposures.

scholarly journals Initial loss to follow up among tuberculosis patients: the role of Ward-Based Outreach Teams and short message service (SMS) technology (research proposal)

2019 ◽  
Vol 12 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Judith R. M. Mwansa-Kambafwile ◽  
Charles Chasela ◽  
Nazir Ismail ◽  
Colin Menezes
Keyword(s):  
Short Message Service ◽  
Controlled Trial ◽  
Standard Of Care ◽  
Short Message ◽  
Group Discussions ◽  
Loss To Follow Up ◽  
Message Service ◽  
Sms Intervention ◽  
Competing Priorities

Abstract Introduction Tuberculosis (TB) is a problem in South Africa. Initial loss to follow up (LTFU) among TB patients is high varying between 14.9 and 18%. Some of the reasons for this are: lack of proper communication between patient and staff on next steps after testing, not aware that results are ready; and other competing priorities. Receiving reminder messages that result is ready is an intervention that can be explored to reduce initial LTFU. This can be through either receiving a note from the Ward-Based Outreach Teams (WBOTs) or via short message service (SMS) advising the patient to collect test result at the facility. This proposal aims to assess the effectiveness of WBOTs or SMS technology in reducing TB initial LTFU. Methods This will be a mixed methods approach. In depth interviews with WBOT Managers and TB Program Managers will be conducted. Focus group discussions with WBOT members will also be conducted. Two interventions (enhanced WBOTs/SMS technology) will be tested using a 3 arm randomized controlled trial (standard of care, SMS technology or enhanced WBOTs). The WBOTs will deliver paper note reminders while SMS intervention will entail sending reminder SMS messages to patients as soon as TB results are ready.

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