Sending text message reminders to patients at high risk for contracting influenza can help boost vaccination rates at a modest cost, according to a study published in the Annals of Family Medicine.
For the study, researchers in Australia identified 12,354 patients with chronic conditions and age or pregnancy criteria making them more susceptible to infections. Half were designated to receive text message reminders to get their flu shot, while the other half did not receive a text message. Three months after the messages were sent, 12 percent of the intervention group and 9 percent of the control group had been vaccinated for influenza. Researchers determined that for every 29 text messages sent, which cost a total of $3.48, one additional at-risk patient received a flu shot.
"Because 9 percent of patients in the control group went on to be immunized, despite receiving no SMS reminder, it is possible that delaying transmission of the [text message] reminder until later during season could improve the effectiveness of the intervention," wrote the study's authors. "Alternatively, the addition of a second [text message] reminder may also have improved effectiveness. … Future research should examine the relative effectiveness of a single versus repeated [text messages] on enhancing immunization coverage."
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