Use of Text-Message Reminders to Improve Participation in a Population-Based Breast Cancer Screening Program

Abstract

To analyze the effect of a cell text message reminder service on participation in a mammogram screening program in Catalonia, Spain. A quasi-experimental design was used with women aged 50 to 69 years who had been scheduled mammogram appointments in June or July 2011. Women were personally invited by letter to attend to the breast cancer screening program (n = 12,786). Prior to the invitation, 3,719 (29.1 %) of them had provided their cell telephone number to the National Health Service. These women received a text message reminder 3 days before their scheduled appointment. Logistic regression models were used to analyze whether the text message reminder was associated with participation in screening. Cost-effectiveness of adding a text message reminder to the invitation letter was also analyzed. The overall rate of participation in breast cancer screening was 68.4 %. The participation rate was significantly higher in the text messaging group, with an age-adjusted OR of 1.56 (95 %CI: 1.43-1.70). A detailed analysis showed that the increase in participation related to the text message reminder was higher among women without previous screening who lived in areas where access to postal mail was limited (OR=2.85; 95 %CI: 2.31-3.53) compared to those who lived in areas of easier postal mail access (OR=1.66; 95 %CI: 1.36-2.02). The invitation letter+text message reminder was a cost-effective strategy. Text message reminders are an efficient cost-effective approach to improve participation in difficult-to-reach populations, such as rural areas and newly developed suburbs.

Text Messaging Interventions on Cancer Screening Rates: A Systematic Review

“…Vidal et al [ 18 ] assessed the effect of a single SMS on mammography rates after a follow-up of 4.5 months. Outcome was determined using a program database.…”

“…Two studies were published as abstracts and may not have undergone a similar peer review process as the full manuscripts [ 21 , 22 ]. Two other studies were nonrandomized trials that assigned individuals to intervention or control groups based on the availability of a mobile phone number, which raises the concern that the groups may be different in other characteristics relevant to screening [ 16 , 18 ]. None of the studies formally assessed health literacy.…”

Patient-Refined Messaging for a Mailed Colorectal Cancer Screening Program: Findings from the PROMPT Study

“…Nevertheless, reported costs (not inflation-adjusted for differential timing) have ranged from $0.41 to $0.50 per live call, 27,28 $0.54 per recipient for up to 4 automated calls, 28,29 and $0.12 per text message. 30 To boost screening in the group that has never completed an FIT, our main trial will test live phone call prompts delivered before an FIT is mailed. Nevertheless, to complement centralized outreach efforts, innovations in how kits are distributed at the point-of-care may be needed.…”

Envío de mensajes de texto para mejorar la adherencia de pacientes en TARGA: ensayo aleatorizado controlado

“…Este sería el primer ensayo aleatorizado controlado del envío de SMS para mejorar la asistencia a citas en pacientes con VIH en Perú. Los hallazgos son consistentes con estudios realizados en otros países, enfocados en la asistencia a citas en pacientes con VIH (9,11,16,17) y con otras afecciones médicas (18,19) . A diferencia de otros estudios (9,10,11) con resultados positivos, en esta investigación sólo se intervino con el envío de SMS y no llamadas telefónicas.…”