Text message reminders for second dose of influenza vaccine: a randomized controlled trial

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Vaccinology
• Health Communication

Background:

• Influenza vaccination requires timely administration of multiple doses for optimal protection in children.
• Text message reminders are a common tool to improve vaccine adherence.
• Health literacy plays a crucial role in understanding and acting on health recommendations.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate if text message vaccine reminders with embedded health literacy information improve the receipt and timeliness of the second influenza vaccine dose in children.
• To compare the effectiveness of educational text messages against conventional text messages and written reminders.

Main Methods:

• A randomized controlled trial involving 660 children aged 6 months to 8 years in New York City.
• Participants were assigned to receive educational text messages, conventional text messages, or written reminders only.
• Outcomes assessed included the receipt of the second influenza vaccine dose by April 30 and timeliness by day 42 and over time.

Main Results:

• Children receiving educational text messages were more likely to get their second influenza vaccine dose (72.7%) compared to conventional messages (66.7%) and written reminders (57.1%).
• The educational text message group also showed significantly more timely receipt of the second dose by day 42 and over time.
• No significant baseline differences were observed between the study groups.

Conclusions:

• Embedding health literacy information into text message reminders enhances their effectiveness in promoting timely influenza vaccine delivery.
• This strategy is particularly beneficial for low-income, urban, minority populations.
• Educational text messages represent a valuable tool for improving pediatric vaccination rates and adherence to recommended schedules.