title: Mobile Phone Interventions for Adolescent Sexual and Reproductive Health: A Systematic Review.
abstract: Interventions for adolescent sexual and reproductive health (ASRH) are increasingly using mobile phones but may not effectively report evidence.
  
  
  
  To assess strategies, findings, and quality of evidence on using mobile phones to improve ASRH by using the mHealth Evidence Reporting and Assessment (mERA) checklist recently published by the World Health Organization mHealth Technical Evidence Review Group.
  
  
  
  Systematic searches of 8 databases for peer-reviewed studies published January 2000 through August 2014.
  
  
  
  Eligible studies targeted adolescents ages 10 to 24 and provided results from mobile phone interventions designed to improve ASRH.
  
  
  
  Studies were evaluated according to the mERA checklist, covering essential mHealth criteria and methodological reporting criteria.
  
  
  
  Thirty-five articles met inclusion criteria. Studies reported on 28 programs operating at multiple levels of the health care system in 7 countries. Most programs (82%) used text messages. An average of 41% of essential mHealth criteria were met (range 14%-79%). An average of 82% of methodological reporting criteria were met (range 52%-100%). Evidence suggests that inclusion of text messaging in health promotion campaigns, sexually transmitted infection screening and follow-up, and medication adherence may lead to improved ASRH.
  
  
  
  Only 3 articles reported evidence from lower- or middle-income countries, so it is difficult to draw conclusions for these settings.
  
  
  
  Evidence on mobile phone interventions for ASRH published in peer-reviewed journals reflects a high degree of quality in methods and reporting. In contrast, current reporting on essential mHealth criteria is insufficient for understanding, replicating, and scaling up mHealth interventions.
authors.affiliation: School of Nursing and Health Professions, University of San Francisco, California; klengle@usfca.edu.
authors.forename: Kelly L
authors.initials: KL
authors.lastname: L'Engle
authors.affiliation: Gillings School of Global Public Health, University of North Carolina Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina;
authors.forename: Emily R
authors.initials: ER
authors.lastname: Mangone
authors.affiliation: HIV Center for Clinical and Behavioral Studies, Columbia University and New York State Psychiatric Institute, New York, New York;
authors.forename: Angela M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Parcesepe
authors.affiliation: Gillings School of Global Public Health, University of North Carolina Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina; Department of International Health Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, Maryland; and.
authors.forename: Smisha
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Agarwal
authors.affiliation: FHI 360, Durham, North Carolina.
authors.forename: Nicole B
authors.initials: NB
authors.lastname: Ippoliti
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000067697:Adolescent Health; D040421:Cell Phone; D003219:Confidentiality; D054626:Consumer Health Information; D003267:Contraception; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000628:therapy; D006293:Health Promotion / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D060728:Reproductive Health; D021841:Safe Sex; D012749:Sexually Transmitted Diseases / Q000517:prevention & control; D017216:Telemedicine; D060145:Text Messaging