The authors of the research analyzed the outcomes of 16 randomized clinical trials on text message interventions, five of which used personalized text messages, eight of which used two-way communication and eight of which sent text messages daily. Some of the interventions featured more than one text message characteristic.
Based on an analysis of the 2,742 patients who participated in the trials, text messaging significantly improved medication adherence. The positive effect text message reminders had on adherence remained, regardless of intervention duration, type of disease or text message characteristics (personalization, two-way communication or daily frequency).
“Mobile phone text messaging approximately doubles the odds of medication adherence,” according to the study. “This increase translates into adherence rates improving from 50 percent (assuming this baseline rate in patients with chronic disease) to 67.8 percent, or an absolute increase of 17.8 percent.”
The study authors propose conducting further research to determine the features of text message interventions that improve success, sustain the positive effects and influence clinical outcomes.
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