Mobile phone SMS messages can enhance healthy behaviour: a meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials.
Healthy behaviour, such as smoking cessation and adherence to prescribed medications, mitigates illness risk factors but health behaviour change can be challenging. Mobile phone short-message service (SMS) messages are increasingly used to deliver interventions designed to enhance healthy behaviour. This meta-analysis used a random-effects model to synthesise 38 randomised controlled trials that investigated the efficacy of SMS messages to enhance healthy behaviour. Participants (N = 19,641) lived in developed and developing countries and were diverse with respect to age, ethnicity, socioeconomic background and health behaviours targeted for change. SMS messages had a small, positive, significant effect (g = 0.291) on a broad range of healthy behaviour. This effect was maximised when multiple SMS messages per day were used (g = 0.395) compared to using lower frequencies (daily, multiple per week and once-off) (g = 0.244). The low heterogeneity in this meta-analysis (I (2) = 38.619) supports reporting a summary effect size and implies that the effect of SMS messaging is robust, regardless of population characteristics or healthy behaviour targeted. SMS messaging is a simple, cost-effective intervention that can be automated and can reach any mobile phone owner. While the effect size is small, potential health benefits are well worth achieving.
a School of Psychology and Counselling , Queensland University of Technology , Kelvin Grove, Brisbane , QLD 4059 , Australia.
Jayne A
JA
Orr
a School of Psychology and Counselling , Queensland University of Technology , Kelvin Grove, Brisbane , QLD 4059 , Australia.
Robert J
RJ
King
D040421:Cell Phone / Q000295:instrumentation*; D003906:Developing Countries; D015438:Health Behavior; D006293:Health Promotion / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D016032:Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic; D017010:Reminder Systems; D017216:Telemedicine; D060145:Text Messaging
SMS; health behaviour change; meta-analysis; mobile phones; text messages