Text Message Quit Vaping Intervention for Young Adults

BACKGROUND Culturally-relevant interventions are needed to help American Indian and Alaska Native (AI/AN) teens and young adults navigate common risky situations involving family and friends, including drug and alcohol misuse, dating violence, and suicidality. We R Native – a multimedia health resource for Native teens and young adults – designed an intervention for Native youth, delivered via text message, that includes role model videos, mental wellness strategies, and links to culturally-relevant resources (hotlines, chat-lines, websites, etc.) and social support. OBJECTIVE This study aims to test the efficacy of BRAVE to improve participant’s physical, mental, and spiritual health, their use of mental wellness strategies, their help-seeking skills, and associated factors, including cultural resilience, identity, and cultural pride. METHODS The randomized controlled trial was carried out by the Northwest Portland Area Indian Health Board and the mHealth Impact Lab. The team recruited 2,334 AI/AN teens and young adults nationwide (15-24 years old) via social media channels and text message and enrolled 1,044 to participate. AI/AN teens and young adults enrolled in the study received either: 8 weeks of BRAVE text messages designed to improve mental health, help-seeking skills, and cultural resilience; or 8 weeks of STEM text messages, designed to elevate and re-affirm Native voices in science, technology, engineering, math and medicine (STEM); and then received the other set of messages. Primary and secondary outcomes were tested using linear mixed-effect models and linear regressions. RESULTS A total of 833 AI/AN teens and young adults were included in the analysis. Individuals in the BRAVE and STEM arms showed significant positive trends over the course of the study for all primary outcomes except cultural identity and help seeking behavior. Mean scores were significantly different for health (P<.001), resilience (P<.001), negative coping (P=.027), positive coping (P<.001), self-efficacy (P=.021), and self-esteem (P<.001). Changes in help-seeking self-efficacy were significant for those exhibiting risky behavior at baseline to exit (P=.01). Those who reported positive coping scores at baseline also reported better health on average, but no difference in risky drug and alcohol use (P<.001). The number of participants that used text messages to help themselves increased from 69% at 3-months (427/618) to 75% at 8-months (381/501) (P<.001). Similarly, the number of participants that used text messages to help a friend or family member increased from 22% at 3-months (138/616) to 55% at 8-months (272/498). CONCLUSIONS This is the first nationwide randomized controlled trial for AI/AN teens and young adults to test the efficacy of an mHealth intervention on mental wellness. The findings suggest that culturally-relevant multimedia, mHealth interventions can improve help-seeking behavior. Lessons learned from this study may help other AI/AN-serving organizations, prevention programs, policymakers, researchers, and educators as they support the next generation of AI/AN change-makers.

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Text-Message-Based Drinking Assessments and Brief Interventions for Young Adults Discharged from the Emergency Department

Alcoholism Clinical and Experimental Research ◽

10.1111/j.1530-0277.2011.01646.x ◽

2011 ◽

Vol 36 (3) ◽

pp. 552-560 ◽

Cited By ~ 118

Author(s):

Brian Suffoletto ◽

Clifton Callaway ◽

Jeff Kristan ◽

Kevin Kraemer ◽

Duncan B. Clark

Keyword(s):

Emergency Department ◽

Young Adults ◽

Text Message ◽

Brief Interventions

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Feasibility of Assessing Economic and Sexual Risk Behaviors Using Text Message Surveys in African-American Young Adults Experiencing Homelessness and Unemployment: Single-Group Study

JMIR Formative Research ◽

10.2196/14833 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 4 (7) ◽

pp. e14833

Author(s):

Larissa Jennings Mayo-Wilson ◽

Nancy E Glass ◽

Alain Labrique ◽

Melissa Davoust ◽

Fred M Ssewamala ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Young Adults ◽

African American ◽

Sexual Risk ◽

Risk Behaviors ◽

Sexual Risk Behaviors ◽

Text Message ◽

Single Group ◽

Condomless Sex ◽

Sex Exchange ◽

American Young Adults

Background Text messages offer the potential to better evaluate HIV behavioral interventions using repeated longitudinal measures at a lower cost and research burden. However, they have been underused in US minority settings. Objective This study aims to examine the feasibility of assessing economic and sexual risk behaviors using text message surveys. Methods We conducted a single-group study with 17 African-American young adults, aged 18-24 years, who were economically disadvantaged and reported prior unprotected sex. Participants received a text message survey once each week for 5 weeks. The survey contained 14 questions with yes-no and numeric responses on sexual risk behaviors (ie, condomless sex, sex while high or drunk, and sex exchange) and economic behaviors (ie, income, employment, and money spent on HIV services or products). Feasibility measures were the number of participants who responded to the survey in a given week, the number of questions to which a participant responded in each survey, and the number of hours spent from sending a survey to participants to receiving their response in a given week. One discussion group was used to obtain feedback. Results Overall, 65% (n=11/17) of the participants responded to at least one text message survey compared with 35% (n=6/17) of the participants who did not respond. The majority (n=7/11, 64%) of the responders were women. The majority (n=4/6, 67%) of nonresponders were men. An average of 7.6 participants (69%) responded in a given week. Response rates among ever responders ranged from 64% to 82% across the study period. The mean number of questions answered each week was 12.6 (SD 2.7; 90% of all questions), ranging from 72% to 100%. An average of 6.4 participants (84%) answered all 14 text message questions in a given week, ranging from 57% to 100%. Participants responded approximately 8.7 hours (SD 10.3) after receiving the survey. Participants were more likely to answer questions related to employment, condomless sex, and discussions with sex partners. Nonresponse or skip was more often used for questions at the end of the survey relating to sex exchange and money spent on HIV prevention services or products. Strengths of the text message survey were convenience, readability, short completion time, having repeated measures over time, and having incentives. Conclusions Longitudinal text message surveys may be a valuable tool for assessing HIV-related economic and sexual risk behaviors. Trial Registration ClinicalTrials.gov NCT03237871; https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT03237871

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A Text Message Intervention with Adaptive Goal Support to Reduce Alcohol Consumption Among Non-Treatment-Seeking Young Adults: Non-Randomized Clinical Trial with Voluntary Length of Enrollment (Preprint)

10.2196/preprints.8530 ◽

2017 ◽

Author(s):

Brian Suffoletto ◽

Tammy Chung ◽

Frederick Muench ◽

Peter Monti ◽

Duncan B Clark

Keyword(s):

Young Adults ◽

Alcohol Consumption ◽

Self Efficacy ◽

Self Regulation ◽

Text Message ◽

Confidence Score ◽

Preliminary Evidence ◽

Goal Commitment ◽

Reduce Alcohol Consumption ◽

Text Message Intervention

BACKGROUND Stand-alone text message–based interventions can reduce binge drinking episodes (≥4 drinks for women and ≥5 drinks for men) among nontreatment-seeking young adults, but may not be optimized. Adaptive text message support could enhance effectiveness by assisting context-specific goal setting and striving, but it remains unknown how to best integrate it into text message interventions. OBJECTIVE The objective of this study was to evaluate young adults’ engagement with a text message intervention, Texting to Reduce Alcohol Consumption 2 (TRAC2), which focuses on reducing weekend alcohol consumption. TRAC2 incorporated preweekend drinking-limit goal-commitment ecological momentary assessments (EMA) tailored to past 2-week alcohol consumption, intraweekend goal reminders, self-efficacy EMA with support tailored to goal confidence, and maximum weekend alcohol consumption EMA with drinking limit goal feedback. METHODS We enrolled 38 nontreatment-seeking young adults (aged 18 to 25 years) who screened positive for hazardous drinking in an urban emergency department. Following a 2-week text message assessment-only run-in, subjects were given the opportunity to enroll in 4-week intervention blocks. We examined patterns of EMA responses and voluntary re-enrollment. We then examined how goal commitment and goal self-efficacy related to event-level alcohol consumption. Finally, we examined the association of length of TRAC2 exposure with alcohol-related outcomes from baseline to 3-month follow-up. RESULTS Among a diverse sample of young adults (56% [28/50] female, 54% [27/50] black, 32% [12/50] college enrolled), response rates to EMA queries were, on average, 82% for the first 4-week intervention block, 75% for the second 4-week block, and 73% for the third 4-week block. In the first 4 weeks of the intervention, drinking limit goal commitment was made 68/71 times it was prompted (96%). The percentage of subjects being prompted to commit to a drinking limit goal above the binge threshold was 52% (15/29) in week 1 and decreased to 0% (0/15) by week 4. Subjects met their goal 130/146 of the times a goal was committed to (89.0%). There were lower rates of goal success when subjects reported lower confidence (score <4) in meeting the goal (76% [32/42 weekends]) compared with that when subjects reported high confidence (98% [56/57 weekends]; P=.001). There were reductions in alcohol consumption from baseline to 3 months, but reductions were not different by length of intervention exposure. CONCLUSIONS Preliminary evidence suggests that nontreatment-seeking young adults will engage with a text message intervention incorporating self-regulation support features, resulting in high rates of weekend drinking limit goal commitment and goal success.

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Acceptability and Effects of a Mobile Digital Intervention to Support Mental Health for Young Adults Transitioning to College: Pilot Randomized Trial During the COVID-19 Pandemic (Preprint)

10.2196/preprints.32271 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Brian Suffoletto ◽

Tina Goldstein ◽

Dawn Gotkiewicz ◽

Emily Gotkiewicz ◽

Branie George ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Young Adults ◽

Usual Care ◽

Self Efficacy ◽

Emotional Health ◽

Text Message ◽

Health Clinic ◽

Depression Symptoms ◽

Web Based ◽

System Usability Scale

BACKGROUND The transition from high school to college can exacerbate mental health problems in young adults yet barriers prevent seamless mental health care. Existing digital support tools show promise, but are not yet designed to optimize engagement or implementation. OBJECTIVE Test acceptability and effects of an automated digital Mobile Support Tool for Mental Health (MoST-MH) for young adults transitioning to college METHODS Youth aged 18 years with a current mental health diagnosis preparing to transition to college (n=52; 85% female, 91% White race) were recruited from one primary care (n=31) and one mental health clinic (n=21). Participants were randomized 2:1 to either receive MoST-MH (n=34) or enhanced Usual Care (eUC; n=18). MoST-MH included periodic text-message and web-based check-ins of emotional health, stressors, negative impacts, and self-efficacy, which informed tailored self-care support messages. Both eUC and MoST-MH participants received links to a library of psycho-educational videos and were asked to complete web-based versions of the Mental Health Self-Efficacy Scale (MHSES), College Counseling Center Assessment of Psychological Symptoms (CCAPS), and Client Service Receipt Inventory for Mental Health (C-SRI) monthly for 3 months and Post-Study System Usability Scale (PSSUQ) at 3-months. RESULTS MoST-MH participants were sent a median of 5 (range 3 to 10) text-message check-in prompts over the 3-month study period and 100% were completed and participants were sent a median of 2 (range 1 to 8) web-based check-in prompts among which 78% were completed. PSSUQ scores indicate high usability (mean score 2.0). Results from the completer analysis demonstrated reductions in mental health symptoms over time and significant between-group effects of MoST-MH compared to eUC on depressive symptom severity (d = 0.36; 95% CI: 0.08-0.64). No significant differences in mental health self-efficacy or MH healthcare utilization were observed. CONCLUSIONS In this pilot trial we found preliminary evidence that MoST-MH was engaged with at high rates, was found to be highly usable, and reduced depression symptoms relative to enhanced usual care among youth with mental health disorders transitioning to college. Findings were measured during the COVID-19 pandemic and study was not powered to detect differences in outcomes between groups, therefore further testing is needed.

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Smartphone Use and Postural Balance in Healthy Young Adults

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health ◽

10.3390/ijerph17093307 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 17 (9) ◽

pp. 3307 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Roxana Ramona Onofrei ◽

Elena Amaricai ◽

Oana Suciu ◽

Vlad Laurentiu David ◽

Andreea Luciana Rata ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Young Adults ◽

Plantar Pressure ◽

Postural Balance ◽

Path Length ◽

Center Of Pressure ◽

Text Message ◽

Metatarsal Head ◽

Balance Performance ◽

And Control ◽

The Impact

Maintaining an upright posture while talking or texting on the phone is a frequent dual-task demand. Using a within-subjects design, the aim of the present study was to assess the impact of a smartphone conversation or message texting on standing plantar pressure and postural balance performance in healthy young adults. Thirty-five subjects (mean age 21.37 ± 1.11 years) were included in this study. Simultaneous foot plantar pressure and stabilometric analysis were performed using the PoData system, under three conditions: no phone (control), talking on a smartphone (talk) and texting and sending a text message via a smartphone (text). Stabilometric parameters (center of pressure (CoP) path length, 90% confidence area and maximum CoP speed) were significantly affected by the use of different smartphone functions (p < 0.0001). The CoP path length and maximum CoP speed were significantly higher under the talk and text conditions when compared to the control. CoP path length, 90% confidence area and maximum CoP speed were significantly increased in talk compared to text and control. Talking on the phone also influenced the weight distribution on the left foot first metatarsal head and heel as compared with message texting. Postural stability in healthy young adults was significantly affected by talking and texting on a smartphone. Talking on the phone proved to be more challenging.

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Comment on the Paper by Suffoletto et al. Entitled: Text-Message-Based Assessments and Brief Intervention for Young Adults Discharged from the Emergency Department

Alcoholism Clinical and Experimental Research ◽

10.1111/j.1530-0277.2011.01710.x ◽

2012 ◽

Vol 36 (3) ◽

pp. 395-397 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Janette Baird ◽

Megan L. Ranney ◽

Michael J. Mello

Keyword(s):

Emergency Department ◽

Young Adults ◽

Brief Intervention ◽

Text Message

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Text message reminders as an adjunct to a substance use intervention for adolescents and young adults: Pilot feasibility and acceptability findings

Digital Health ◽

10.1177/2055207620965052 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 6 ◽

pp. 205520762096505

Author(s):

Frank J Schwebel ◽

Mary E Larimer

Keyword(s):

Substance Use ◽

Young Adults ◽

Drug Use ◽

Text Messaging ◽

Text Message ◽

Text Messages ◽

Adolescents And Young Adults ◽

Message Content ◽

Acceptable Method ◽

Pilot Intervention

Objective Text messaging has been proposed as a method for increasing the reach of interventions for harmful alcohol and other drug use. This paper describes the design of an automated text messaging adjunct to a substance use intervention intended to support adolescents and young adults attempting to change their alcohol and other drug use behavior. Feasibility and acceptability testing was conducted as part of this pilot study. Method Five focus groups were conducted to refine text message content and finalize pilot intervention design. Automated, daily, substance use-related reminder text messages were sent to pilot intervention participants ( n = 39), who were recruited from outpatient treatment. Results Of those who were invited, 63% enrolled in the study and 89.7% remained enrolled in the study as measured by completing at least one assessment after baseline. Participants reported a positive experience with the messages, particularly supportive/empowering messages and commitment reminder messages. Conclusions These findings suggest that text messaging is a feasible and acceptable method for delivery of substance use-related reminder content as an adjunct to substance use intervention.

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