title: Use of short messaging services to assess depressive symptoms among refugees in South Africa: Implications for social services providing mental health care in resource-poor settings.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Few studies in developing nations have assessed the use of short messaging services (SMS) to identify psychological challenges in refugee populations. This study aimed to assess the feasibility of SMS-based methods to screen for depression risk among refugees in South Africa attending mental health services, and to compare its reliability and acceptability with face-to-face consultation.
  
  
  METHODS
  Of the 153 refugees enrolled at baseline, 135 were available for follow-up assessments in our cohort study. Depression symptomatology was assessed using the 16-item Quick Inventory of Depressive Symptomatology (QIDS) instrument.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Nearly everyone possessed a mobile phone and utilized SMS. Furthermore, low incomplete item response in QIDS and high perceived ease of interacting via SMS with service providers supported the feasibility of this method. There was a fair level of reliability between face-to-face and SMS-based screening methods, but no significant difference in preference rating between the two methods.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Despite potential implementation barriers (network delay/phone theft), depression screening using SMS may be viable for refugee mental health services in low-resource settings.
authors.affiliation: Africa Centre for Health and Population Studies, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, South Africa Department of Epidemiology, Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University, New York, USA tomita@ukzn.ac.za.
authors.forename: Andrew
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Tomita
authors.affiliation: Department of Entrepreneurial Studies, Durban University of Technology, Durban, South Africa.
authors.forename: Ka Muzombo
authors.initials: KM
authors.lastname: Kandolo
authors.affiliation: Department of Epidemiology, Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University, New York, USA New York State Psychiatric Institute, New York, USA.
authors.forename: Ezra
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Susser
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, South Africa.
authors.forename: Jonathan K
authors.initials: JK
authors.lastname: Burns
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D040421:Cell Phone; D003863:Depression / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy*; D003906:Developing Countries; D005260:Female; D006297:Health Services Accessibility; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D017060:Patient Satisfaction; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D012036:Refugees / Q000523:psychology*; D012424:Rural Population; D013019:South Africa; D060145:Text Messaging; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Refugees; SMS; South Africa; depression; mobile phone