Text Messaging and Mobile Phone Apps as Interventions to Improve Adherence in Adolescents With Chronic Health Conditions: A Systematic Review.
The number of adolescents with chronic health conditions (CHCs) continues to increase. Medication nonadherence is a global challenge among adolescents across chronic conditions and is associated with poor health outcomes. While there has been growing interest in the use of mHealth technology to improve medication adherence among adolescents with CHCs, particularly text messaging and mobile phone apps, there has been no prior systematic review of their efficacy.
The purpose of this review was to systematically evaluate the most recent evidence for the efficacy of text messaging and mobile phone apps as interventions to promote medication adherence among adolescents with CHCs.
PubMed, Embase, CENTRAL, PsycINFO, Web of Science, Google Scholar, and additional databases were searched from 1995 until November 2015. An additional hand search of related themes in the Journal of Medical Internet Research was also conducted. The Preferred Reporting Results of Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines were followed. Two reviewers independently screened titles/abstracts, assessed full-text articles, extracted data from included articles, and assessed their quality using Grades of Recommendation, Assessment, Development, and Evaluation criteria. Included studies were described in original research articles that targeted adherence in adolescents with CHCs (12-24 years-old).
Of the 1423 records examined, 15 met predefined criteria: text messaging (n=12) and mobile phone apps (n=3). Most studies were performed in the United States (11/15, 73%), were randomized-controlled trials (8/15, 53%), had a sample size <50 (11/15, 73%), and included adherence self-report and/or biomarkers (9/15, 60%). Only four studies were designed based on a theoretical framework. Approaches for text messaging and mobile phone app interventions varied across studies. Seven articles (7/15, 47%) reported significant improvement in adherence with moderate to large standardized mean differences. Most of the included studies were of low or moderate quality. Studies varied in sample size, methods of adherence assessment, and definition of adherence, which prohibited performing a meta-analysis.
The use of text messaging and mobile phone app interventions to improve medication adherence among adolescents with CHCs has shown promising feasibility and acceptability, and there is modest evidence to support the efficacy of these interventions. Further evaluation of short- and long-term efficacy and cost-effectiveness of these interventions is warranted given the early and evolving state of the science.
Badawy SM
,Barrera L
,Sinno MG
,Kaviany S
,O'Dwyer LC
,Kuhns LM
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《JMIR mHealth and uHealth》
Texting and Mobile Phone App Interventions for Improving Adherence to Preventive Behavior in Adolescents: A Systematic Review.
Many preventable behaviors contribute to adolescent mortality and morbidity. Non-adherence to preventive measures represents a challenge and has been associated with worse health outcomes in this population. The widespread use of electronic communication technologies by adolescents, particularly the use of text messaging (short message service, SMS) and mobile phones, presents new opportunities to intervene on risk and preventive risk behavior, but little is known about their efficacy.
This study aimed to systematically evaluate evidence for the efficacy of text messaging and mobile phone app interventions to improve adherence to preventive behavior among adolescents and describe intervention approaches to inform intervention development.
This review covers literature published between 1995 and 2015. Searches included PubMed, Embase, CENTRAL, PsycINFO, CINAHL, INSPEC, Web of Science, Google Scholar, and additional databases. The search strategy sought articles on text messaging and mobile phone apps combined with adherence or compliance, and adolescents and youth. An additional hand search of related themes in the Journal of Medical Internet Research was also conducted. Two reviewers independently screened titles and abstracts, assessed full-text articles, and extracted data from articles that met inclusion criteria. Included studies reflect original research-experimental or preexperimental designs with text messaging or mobile phone app interventions-targeting adherence to preventive behavior among adolescents (12-24 years old). The preferred reporting items of systematic reviews and meta-analyses (PRISMA) guidelines were followed for reporting results, and findings were critically appraised against the Oxford Centre for Evidence-based Medicine criteria.
Of 1454 records, 19 met inclusion criteria, including text messaging (n=15) and mobile phone apps (n=4). Studies targeted clinic attendance, contraceptive use, oral health, physical activity and weight management, sun protection, human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination, smoking cessation, and sexual health. Most studies were performed in the United States (47%, 9/19), included younger adolescents (63%, 12/19), and had sample size <100 (63%, 12/19). Although most studies were randomized controlled trials (RCTs; 58%, 11/19), only 5 followed an intent-to-treat analysis. Only 6 of 19 studies (32%) incorporated a theoretical framework in their design. Most studies reported good feasibility with high acceptability and satisfaction. About half of the included studies (42%, 8/19) demonstrated significant improvement in preventive behavior with moderate standardized mean differences. As early efforts in this field to establish feasibility and initial efficacy, most studies were low to moderate in quality. Studies varied in sample size and methods of preventive behavior adherence or outcome assessment, which prohibited performing a meta-analysis.
Despite the promising feasibility and acceptability of text messaging and mobile phone apps in improving preventive behavior among adolescents, overall findings were modest in terms of efficacy. Further research evaluating the efficacy, effectiveness, and cost-effectiveness of these intervention approaches in promoting preventive behavior among adolescents is needed.
Badawy SM
,Kuhns LM
《JMIR mHealth and uHealth》
Patient-Centered eHealth Interventions for Children, Adolescents, and Adults With Sickle Cell Disease: Systematic Review.
Sickle cell disease is an inherited blood disorder that affects over 100,000 Americans. Sickle cell disease-related complications lead to significant morbidity and early death. Evidence supporting the feasibility, acceptability, and efficacy of self-management electronic health (eHealth) interventions in chronic diseases is growing; however, the evidence is unclear in sickle cell disease.
We systematically evaluated the most recent evidence in the literature to (1) review the different types of technological tools used for self-management of sickle cell disease, (2) discover and describe what self-management activities these tools were used for, and (3) assess the efficacy of these technologies in self-management.
We reviewed literature published between 1995 and 2016 with no language limits. We searched MEDLINE, EMBASE, CINAHL, PsycINFO, and other sources. We followed the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines. Two independent reviewers screened titles and abstracts, assessed full-text articles, and extracted data from articles that met inclusion criteria. Eligible studies were original research articles that included texting, mobile phone-based apps, or other eHealth interventions designed to improve self-management in pediatric and adult patients with sickle cell disease.
Of 1680 citations, 16 articles met all predefined criteria with a total of 747 study participants. Interventions were text messaging (4/16, 25%), native mobile apps (3/16, 19%), Web-based apps (5/16, 31%), mobile directly observed therapy (2/16, 13%), internet-delivered cognitive behavioral therapy (2/16, 13%), electronic pill bottle (1/16, 6%), or interactive gamification (2/16, 13%). Interventions targeted monitoring or improvement of medication adherence (5/16, 31%); self-management, pain reporting, and symptom reporting (7/16, 44%); stress, coping, sleep, and daily activities reporting (4/16, 25%); cognitive training for memory (1/16, 6%); sickle cell disease and reproductive health knowledge (5/16, 31%); cognitive behavioral therapy (2/16, 13%); and guided relaxation interventions (1/16, 6%). Most studies (11/16, 69%) included older children or adolescents (mean or median age 10-17 years; 11/16, 69%) and 5 included young adults (≥18 years old) (5/16, 31%). Sample size ranged from 11 to 236, with a median of 21 per study: <20 in 6 (38%), ≥20 to <50 in 6 (38%), and >50 participants in 4 studies (25%). Most reported improvement in self-management-related outcomes (15/16, 94%), as well as high satisfaction and acceptability of different study interventions (10/16, 63%).
Our systematic review identified eHealth interventions measuring a variety of outcomes, which showed improvement in multiple components of self-management of sickle cell disease. Despite the promising feasibility and acceptability of eHealth interventions in improving self-management of sickle cell disease, the evidence overall is modest. Future eHealth intervention studies are needed to evaluate their efficacy, effectiveness, and cost effectiveness in promoting self-management in patients with sickle cell disease using rigorous methods and theoretical frameworks with clearly defined clinical outcomes.
Badawy SM
,Cronin RM
,Hankins J
,Crosby L
,DeBaun M
,Thompson AA
,Shah N
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《JOURNAL OF MEDICAL INTERNET RESEARCH》