Elyse O. Kharbanda
Effect of a Text Messaging Intervention on Influenza Vaccination in an Urban, Low-Income Pediatric and Adolescent Population
Columbia University|NewYork–Presbyterian Hospital|HealthPartners
influenza infection results substantial costs morbidity mortality vaccination influenza particularly important children adolescents significant source transmission highrisk populations yet pediatric adolescent vaccine coverage remains low traditional vaccine reminders limited effect lowincome populations however text messaging novel scalable approach promote influenza vaccinationto evaluate targeted text message reminders lowincome urban parents promote receipt influenza vaccination among children adolescentsrandomized controlled trial 9213 children adolescents aged 6 months 18 years receiving care 4 communitybased clinics united states 20102011 influenza season 9213 children adolescents 7574 received influenza vaccine prior intervention start date included primary analysisparents children assigned intervention received 5 weekly immunization registrylinked text messages providing educational information instructions regarding saturday clinics intervention usual care groups received usual care automated telephone reminder access informational flyers posted study sitesreceipt influenza vaccine dose recorded immunization registry via electronic health record march 31 2011 receipt secondarily assessed earlier fall review date prior typical widespread influenza activitystudy children adolescents primarily minority 88 publicly insured 58 spanishspeaking families march 31 2011 higher proportion children adolescents intervention group 436 n 1653 compared usual care group 399 n 1509 received influenza vaccine difference 37 95 ci 1559 relative rate ratio rrr 109 95 ci 104115 p 001 fall review date 271 n 1026 intervention group compared 228 n 864 usual care group received influenza vaccine difference 43 95 ci 2363 rrr 119 95 ci 110128 p 001among children adolescents lowincome urban population text messaging intervention compared usual care associated increased rate influenza vaccination however overall influenza vaccination rate remained lowclinicaltrialsgov identifier nct01146912