Text message reminders do not improve hepatitis B vaccination rates in an Australian sexual health setting.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the impact of text message reminders (short messaging service (SMS)) on hepatitis B virus (HBV) vaccination completion among high risk sexual health center attendees.


METHODS
In September 2008, Sydney Sexual Health Centre implemented an SMS reminder system. The authors assessed the impact of the reminder system on HBV vaccination rates among patients who initiated a course. The authors used a chi-square test and multivariate logistic regression to determine if SMS reminders were associated with second and third dose vaccine completion, compared with patients prior to the intervention.


RESULTS
Of patients sent SMS reminders in 2009 (SMS group), 54% (130/241) received 2 doses and 24% (58/241) received 3 doses, compared to 56% (258/463) (P = 0.65) and 30% (141/463) (P = 0.07) in the pre-SMS group (2007), respectively. Findings did not change after adjusting for baseline characteristics significantly different between study groups. There were no significant differences in completion rates among people who injected drugs, HIV-negative gay and bisexual men (GBM), and HIV-positive GBM. Among sex workers, travelers, and people who reported sex overseas, second and third dose completion rates were significantly lower in the SMS group compared to the pre-SMS group. In the SMS group, 18% of those who only had one dose attended the clinic within 1-18 months and 30% of those who had 2 doses attended in 6-18 months, but vaccination was missed.


CONCLUSIONS
SMS reminders did not increase second or third vaccine dose completion in this population.


CONCLUSIONS
Clinician prompts to reduce missed opportunities and multiple recall interventions may be needed to increase HBV vaccination completion in this high risk population.
Sydney Sexual Health Centre, Sydney Hospital, PO Box 1614, Macquarie Street, Sydney 2001, NSW, Australia ruthy.mciver@sesiahs.health.nsw.gov.au.
Ruthy
R
McIver
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Program, Kirby Institute for Infection and Immunity in Society, University of New South Wales, Sydney Australia.
Amalie
A
Dyda
Sydney Sexual Health Centre, Sydney Australia, University of New South Wales School of Public Health and Community Medicine, Sydney Australia.
Anna M
AM
McNulty
Sydney Sexual Health Centre, Sydney Australia, Biostatistics and Database Program, Kirby Institute for Infection and Immunity in Society, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia.
Vickie
V
Knight
Biostatistics and Database Program, Kirby Institute for Infection and Immunity in Society, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia.
Handan C
HC
Wand
Sexual Health Program, Kirby Institute for Infection and Immunity in Society, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia.
Rebecca J
RJ
Guy
D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D006509:Hepatitis B / Q000517:prevention & control*; D017325:Hepatitis B Vaccines / Q000008:administration & dosage; D006801:Humans; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D009517:New South Wales; D017010:Reminder Systems; D060145:Text Messaging; D014611:Vaccination / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D055815:Young Adult
D017325:Hepatitis B Vaccines
Hepatitis B vaccination; sexual health; short messaging service (SMS); text messaging; vaccination reminders