title: Text4Health: impact of text message reminder-recalls for pediatric and adolescent immunizations.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  We conducted 2 studies to determine the impact of text message immunization reminder-recalls in an urban, low-income population.
  
  
  METHODS
  In 1 study, text message immunization reminders were sent to a random sample of parents (n = 195) whose children aged 11 to 18 years needed either or both meningococcal (MCV4) and tetanus-diphtheria-acellular pertussis (Tdap) immunizations. We compared receipt of MCV4 or Tdap at 4, 12, and 24 weeks with age- and gender-matched controls. In the other study, we compared attendance at a postshortage Haemophilus influenzae B (Hib) immunization recall session between parents who received text message and paper-mailed reminders (n = 87) and those who only received paper-mailed reminders (n = 87).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Significantly more adolescents with intervention parents received either or both MCV4 and Tdap at weeks 4 (15.4% vs 4.2%; P < .001), 12 (26.7% vs 13.9%; P < .005), and 24 (36.4% vs 18.1%; P < .001). Significantly more parents who received both Hib reminders attended a recall session compared with parents who only received a mailed reminder (21.8% vs 9.2%; P < .05). After controlling for age, gender, race/ethnicity, insurance status, and language, text messaging was still significantly associated with both studies' outcomes.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Text messaging for reminder-recalls improved immunization coverage in a low-income, urban population.
authors.affiliation: Division of Child and Adolescent Health and the Heilbrunn Department of Population and Family Health, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA. mstockwell@columbia.edu
authors.forename: Melissa S
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Stockwell
authors.forename: Elyse Olshen
authors.initials: EO
authors.lastname: Kharbanda
authors.forename: Raquel Andres
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Martinez
authors.forename: Marcos
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Lara
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Vawdrey
authors.forename: Karthik
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Natarajan
authors.forename: Vaughn I
authors.initials: VI
authors.lastname: Rickert
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D022681:Diphtheria-Tetanus-acellular Pertussis Vaccines / Q000008:administration & dosage; D005260:Female; D018073:Haemophilus Vaccines / Q000008:administration & dosage; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D022401:Meningococcal Vaccines / Q000008:administration & dosage; D010290:Parents; D011203:Poverty / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D044469:Racial Groups / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D017010:Reminder Systems / Q000295:instrumentation*; D060145:Text Messaging; D014505:Urban Population / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D014611:Vaccination
chemical_list: D022681:Diphtheria-Tetanus-acellular Pertussis Vaccines; D018073:Haemophilus Vaccines; D022401:Meningococcal Vaccines