Designing an SMS reminder intervention to improve vaccination uptake in Northern Nigeria: a qualitative study

Background Penta3 coverage in Nigeria was low at 33 % in 2017. The most reported reason for non-vaccination was lack of knowledge about the immunization place, time, and need. To address knowledge gaps and improve vaccination uptake, we designed an Immunization Reminder and Information SMS System (IRISS) to educate and remind parents/caregivers about immunization using SMS. A formative study was conducted to understand the contextual and behavioural factors that would inform the IRISS intervention design and implementation. Methods We conducted the study in four Local Government Areas (LGAs) of Kebbi State Nigeria in October 2018, amongst a diverse selection of participants. Data on social norms about vaccinations, barriers to immunization uptake, mobile phone use, SMS message testing, and willingness to accept SMS reminders were collected from focus group discussions (N = 11), in-depth interviews (N = 12), and key informant interviews (N = 13). In addition, we assessed 33 messages covering schedule reminders, normative, motivational, educational, and informative contents for clarity, comprehensibility, relevance, cultural appropriateness, and ability to motivate action among community members from Argungu and Fakai LGAs. All interviews were analyzed using a thematic analysis approach. Results We interviewed 135 people, and 90 % were community members. While we found positive perceptions about immunizations among those interviewed, pockets of misconceptions existed among community members. Lack of awareness on the importance of vaccination was a consistent reason for under-vaccination across the LGAs. In addition, most community members do not own phones, could not read SMS messages, and were unaware of how to check/open text messages received. Despite concerns about low literacy levels and phone ownership, community members still saw a role in SMS reminders when phone owners receive messages. For instance, community leaders can disseminate said messages to community members through existing channels such as town announcers and religious gatherings. Therefore, the SMS becomes a source of information, with phone owners acting as a conduit to community dissemination mechanisms. We generally found the tested messages to be relevant, motivating, and culturally acceptable. Conclusions SMS reminders have the potential to bridge the information gap in community awareness for vaccination, which can translate to improved immunization uptake. In rural communities with low literacy levels and phone ownership, immunization information can be disseminated when existing community leadership structures are engaged.

Aplikasi Reminder Pengobatan Pasien Penyakit Diabetes Berbasis SMS Gateway Di Puskesmas Kampung Bali Kota Bengkulu

So far, not all DM patients know the schedule of treatment at the Kampung Bali Health Center, Bengkulu City, because the information about the patient's treatment is not / lacking. In addition, the Kampung Bali Bengkulu Community Health Center does not yet have an application that can manage diabetes patient care schedules and there is also no interactive forum for the public to find out information about diabetes patient care at the Kampung Bali Bengkulu Community Health Center. so that the health center has difficulty in providing information to diabetes patients. diabetes about the next treatment schedule. Application Reminder Treatment for Diabetes Patients at Kampung Bali Health Center, Bengkulu City is an SMS Gateway-based application that can be used to process data about Medications, Patients, Medicines, Treatment Schedules, and can also send SMS to patients individually, and patients can also get information . This diabetic patient medication reminder application features SMS Gateway, SMS Reminder. Application Reminder Treatment for Diabetes Patients at the Kampung Bali Health Center, Bengkulu City, was created using the PHP programming language, MySQL Database, and Gammu. The tool used to receive and based on tests that have been carried out, the Reminder Application for Diabetes Treatment Patients at the Kampung Bali Community Health Center, Bengkulu City can do an SMS Reminder / Schedule (which sends an SMS notification / reminder about the immunization schedule 1 day before the due date)

The use of mobile health interventions for gestational diabetes mellitus: a descriptive literature review

This study attempted to review the evidence for or against the effectiveness of mobile health (m-health) interventions on health outcomes improvement and/or gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) management. PubMed, Web of Science, Scopus, and Embase databases were searched from 2000 to 10 July 2018 to find studies investigating the effect of m-health on GDM management. After removing duplications, a total of 27 articles met our defined inclusion criteria. m-health interventions were implemented by smartphone, without referring to its type, in 26% (7/27) of selected studies, short message service (SMS) in 14.9% (4/27), mobile-based applications in 33.3% (9/27), telemedicine-based on smartphones in 18.5% (5/27), and SMS reminder system in 7.1% (2/27). Most of the included studies (n=23) supported the effectiveness of m-health interventions on GDM management and 14.3% (n=4) reported no association between m-health interventions and pregnancy outcomes. Based on our findings, m-health interventions could enhance GDM patients' pregnancy outcomes. A majority of the included studies suggested positive outcomes. M-health can be one of the most prominent technologies for the management of GDM.

Effects of a short message service (SMS) by cellular phone to improve compliance with fasting guidelines in patients undergoing elective surgery: a retrospective observational study

Background Contemporary perioperative fasting guidelines aim to alleviate patient discomfort before surgery and enhance postoperative recovery whilst seeking to reduce the risk of pulmonary aspiration during anesthesia. The impact of a short message service (SMS) reminder on fasting guideline compliance is unknown. Therefore, we performed a retrospective observational study and quality improvement project aiming to quantify the extent of excessive and prolonged fasting, and then assessed the impact of a SMS reminder in reducing fasting times. Methods After ethics committee approval we performed a retrospective observational study investigating preoperative fasting times of adult patients undergoing elective surgery. First, we assessed whether the fasting guideline times were adhered to (Standard Care group). All patients received internationally recommended fasting guidelines in the form of a written hospital policy document. We then implemented an additional prompt via a mobile phone SMS 1 day prior to surgery containing a reminder of fasting guideline times (SMS group). The primary aims were to compare fasting times between the Standard Care group and the SMS group. Results The fasting times of 160 patients in the Standard Care group and 110 patients in the SMS group were evaluated. Adherence to the fasting guidelines for solids occurred in 14 patients (8.8%) in the Standard Care group vs. Twenty-two patients (13.6%) in the SMS group (p=0.01). Adherence to the fasting guidelines for fluids occurred in 4 patients (2.5%) in the Standard Care group vs. Ten patients (6.3%) in the SMS group (p=0.023). Patients in the Standard Care group had a longer median (inter-quartile range (IQR)) fasting time for fluids compared the SMS group [6.5 h (IQR 4.5:11) vs 3.5 h (IQR 3:8.5), p< 0.0001]. Median fasting times for solids were 11 h (IQR 7:14) in the Standard Care group and 11.5 h (IQR 7:13.5) in the SMS group (p=0.756). Conclusion Adherence to internationally recommended fasting guidelines for patients undergoing elective surgery is poor. The introduction of a fasting guideline reminder via a mobile phone SMS in addition to a written hospital policy improved adherence to fasting advice and reduced the fasting times for fluids but not for solids. The use of an SMS reminder of fasting guidelines is a simple, feasible, low-cost, and effective tool in minimising excessive fasting for fluids among elective surgical patients. Trial registration ACTRN12619001232123 (Australia New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry). Registered 6th September 2019 (retrospectively registered).

Effectiveness of metronidazole gel and mobile telephone short-message service reminders on gingivitis in orthodontic patients:

ABSTRACT Objectives To compare the effectiveness of metronidazole gel and mobile telephone short-message service (SMS) reminders on gingivitis in patients undergoing fixed orthodontic treatment. Materials and Methods The trial was double blinded (patient and investigator), and only the clinical trial unit pharmacist was unblinded. Data were collected from patients undergoing fixed orthodontic treatment for at least 6 months. A total of 66 patients were randomly assigned to either 0.8% metronidazole gel (n = 22), SMS reminder and placebo gel (n = 22), or placebo (control) group only (n = 22). Gingival index (GI), bleeding index (BI), and orthodontic plaque index (OPI) were evaluated on several teeth at baseline (T0) and after 4 weeks (T1). Paired-sample t-tests were used to compare mean differences of indexes at T0 and T1 in the groups, and independent-sample t-tests were used to determine the effects of interventions compared with the controls. Results Data from 64 patients were analyzed; there were 2 dropouts. There were statistically significant (P &lt; .05) reductions in GI, BI, and OPI scores from T0 to T1 for each intervention. However, there were no significant differences between each intervention and the control group. There were no adverse effects. Conclusions The null hypothesis could not be rejected. There is no difference between interventions (application of 0.8% metronidazole gel and SMS reminder for reinforcing oral hygiene) in reducing gingival inflammation in orthodontic patients.

SMS REMINDER TERHADAP MOTIVASI MENJALANI TERAPI ARV PADA PEREMPUAN DENGAN HIV/AIDS

Perempuan merupakan kelompok yang paling rentan tertular HIV dari pasangan atau suaminya. Kerentanan tertularnya perempuan oleh HIV ini diakibatkan oleh adanya ketimpangan gender, faktor biologis, ekonomi dan sosial budaya. Ketika perempuan tertular HIV/AIDS maka berbagai permasalahan dapat dialami misalnya dari segi fisik kekebalan tubuh semakin menurun dan terjadi infeksi opportunistic. Pemerintah telah melaksanakan berbagai program penanggulangan HIV/AIDS termasuk pada perempuan, salah satunya melalui PMTCT dan didalam upayanya terdapat pengobatan ARV untuk perempuan dengan HIV/AIDS. Beberapa hasil penelitian menunjukkan masih banyaknya orang dengan HIV AIDS yang tidak teratur melakukan pengobatan bahkan dropout yang pada akhirnya berdampak pada umur harapan hidup dan kualitas hidup mereka. Ketika ODHA tidak patuh dalam pengobatan ARV maka dapat menimbulkan resistensi, peningkatan kadar viral load, penurunan kadar CD4 dan berkembangnya infeksi opportunistic, terlebih ODHA perempuan, bila dalam kondisi hamil maka dapat berpengaruh terhadap ststus HIV anaknya. Untuk itu perlu upaya yang lebih intensif dalam rangkan meingkatkan kepatuhan terhadap ARV ini. SMS remainder, sebagai pemanfaatan tekhnologi M-Health (Mobile Health) telah diujicobakan di beberapa Negara, di Indonesia sendiri sebagai aplikasi pemanfaatan tekhnologi dapat dilakukan sms remainder ini pada berbagai kondisi pasien termasuk pasien dengan HIV/AIDS. Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk mengidentifikasi pengaruh SMS remainder terhadap motivasi menjalani terapi ARV pada perempuan dengan HIV/AIDS di kota Bandung dan Cimahi. Pengambilan data dilakukan pada klien HIV AIDS di kota Bandung dan Cimahi dilakukan beberapa klinik HIV/ AIDS. Tehnik pengambilan sample dengan purposive sampling, dan didapat sample 30 orang. Pengambilan data dilakukan mulai 20 Juni 2015-20 Agustus 2015. Instrument untuk motivasi menjalani terapi ARV dengan kuesioner dan Intervensi SMS reminder dengan pengiriman SMS selama dua bulan berturut-turut yang dikirim setiap hari minggu dengan isi pesan motivasi untuk meningkatkan kesehatan. Desain penelitian dengan metode eksperimen, analisa data dengan uji t dependen. Didapatkan hasil terdapat pengaruh sms reminder terhadap motivasi menjalani terapi ARV dengan nilai P value 0,000. Diharapkan metode SMS reminder ini dilakukan secara rutin terutama pada perempuan dengan HIV/AIDS agar mereka selalu memiliki motivasi positif untuk menjalani terapi ARV