Pilot and feasibility test of adolescent-controlled text messaging reminders

Area of Science:

• Adolescent health
• Digital health interventions
• Asthma management

Background:

• Asthma is a common chronic respiratory disease in adolescents.
• Effective self-management strategies are crucial for controlling asthma in teenagers.
• Mobile health (mHealth) technologies offer potential for supporting chronic disease management.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the feasibility, acceptability, and utility of a customizable text messaging system for asthma medical reminders.
• To assess teenagers' ability to generate and control their own medical reminder messages.

Main Methods:

• A pilot study involving 12 adolescents with asthma.
• Participants created, modified, and scheduled personalized text message reminders for medication and other aspects of asthma care.
• Utilized a text messaging system allowing user-generated content and delivery control.

Main Results:

• The majority of messages created (18/21) were medication reminders.
• Participants did not independently alter their initial message content or delivery schedules.
• High ratings were reported for the system's usefulness, acceptability, and ease of use.
• No significant changes in self-reported asthma control were observed in the study group compared to a control group.

Conclusions:

• Empowering teenagers to control the content and timing of text message reminders may enhance self-management of asthma.
• Customizable mHealth tools show promise for supporting chronic disease self-care in adolescents.