SMS versus telephone interviews for epidemiological data collection: feasibility study estimating influenza vaccination coverage in the Swedish population

Abstract

This study compared the use of Short Message Service (SMS) on mobile phones and the use of telephone interviews in collecting self-reported data about influenza vaccination. Through random selection from the Swedish population registry, 2,400 individuals were assigned to be contacted through SMS (SMS-group), and 2,150 were assigned to undergo personal telephone interviews (TI-group). Both groups were asked three questions about influenza and influenza vaccination. Mobile phone numbers were found for 1,055 persons in the SMS-group of whom 154 (6% of the original sample; 15% of all who had a listed mobile phone number) responded. Landline or mobile phone numbers were found for 1,636 persons in the TI-group and 1,009 (47% of the original TI sample; 62% of those where a telephone number was found) responded. The vaccination data collected via SMS was not statistically significantly different from data collected through telephone interviews, and adjustment for different background factors did not change this. Compared to the original sample, there was an under representation of elderly and less educated individuals among the participants in the SMS-group, and under representation of less educated in the TI-group. Though the participation rate was low, SMS is a feasible method for collection of information on vaccination status data among the Swedish population compared to telephone interviews.

The Generation R Study: design and cohort update 2012

“…New methods for contacting participants, which have been used in other more recently started studies, including use of internet, sms and e-mail, are currently being explored [92, [252][253][254][255][256][257][258][259][260][261][262].…”

Comparison of text-messaging to voice telephone interviews for active surveillance of adverse events following immunisation

“…In the 213 United States, researchers successfully used SMS to monitor the reactogenicity of trivalent 214 influenza vaccine in children over a seven day period [15]. In Sweden, Bexelius et al [16] 215 compared SMS to standardised telephone interviews for administering three survey 216 questions related to influenza and influenza vaccination. Vaccination data collected by SMS 217 was statistically similar to data collected by telephone interview.…”

“…Vaccination data collected by SMS 217 was statistically similar to data collected by telephone interview. A number of other public 218 health systems have further demonstrated the utility of SMS for data collection, including 219 collection of immunisation status [16], asthma symptoms [17], irritable bowel syndrome 220 symptoms [18], Ebolavirus symptoms [19], and pain outcomes [20]. 221…”

SMS Text Reference Comes of Age: The My Info Quest Collaborative

“…For example, Konshak furnishes recipes for enabling SMS interactivity with a SirsiDynix system. 8 The literature shows recent efforts in other social service fields, notably public health, to exploit SMS for the delivery of helpful information at point of need: to bulimic undereaters 9 and to overeaters, 10 to people quitting smoking 11 or undergoing other forms of behavior modification, 12 in epidemiological data collection, 13 and in helping people avoid sexually transmitted diseases. 14 SMS is also finding a place in the mobile learning arena 15 and for helping students orient to and get useful information about their university.…”