title: A feasibility pilot study on the use of text messages to track PTSD symptoms after a traumatic injury.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Monitoring posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms after a traumatic injury is beneficial for patients and providers. Text messages can be used to automatically monitor symptoms and impose minimal burden to patients and providers. The present study piloted such a strategy with traumatic injury patients.
  
  
  METHODS
  An automated daily text message was piloted to evaluate PTSD symptoms after discharge from the hospital. Twenty-nine patients who experienced a traumatic injury received 15 daily texts and were then followed up at 1-month and 3-months after discharge.
  
  
  RESULTS
  82.8% of the sample responded at least once and the average response rate per participant was 63.1%. Response rates were correlated with PTSD symptoms at baseline but not at any other time. Patient satisfaction with this approach was high.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Text messages are a viable method to monitor PTSD symptoms after a traumatic injury. Such an approach should be evaluated on a larger scale as part of a more comprehensive early intervention for traumatic stress.
authors.affiliation: University of Vermont, Department of Psychology, John Dewey Hall, Room 248 2 Colchester Ave, Burlington, VT 05405. Electronic address: Matthew.Price@uvm.edu.
authors.forename: Matthew
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Price
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC; Ralph H. Johnson Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Charleston, SC.
authors.forename: Kenneth J
authors.initials: KJ
authors.lastname: Ruggiero
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC.
authors.forename: Pamela L
authors.initials: PL
authors.lastname: Ferguson
authors.affiliation: College of Nursing, Technology Applications Center for Health Lifestyles, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC.
authors.forename: Sachin K
authors.initials: SK
authors.lastname: Patel
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC; College of Nursing, Technology Applications Center for Health Lifestyles, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC.
authors.forename: Frank
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Treiber
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC.
authors.forename: Deborah
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Couillard
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC.
authors.forename: Samir M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Fahkry
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D005240:Feasibility Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D018670:Monitoring, Ambulatory / Q000379:methods* / Q000592:standards; D017060:Patient Satisfaction; D010865:Pilot Projects; D013313:Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000209:etiology; D060145:Text Messaging / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D014947:Wounds and Injuries / Q000150:complications*
keywords: PTSD; Technology; Text messages; Traumatic stress