Family Practice Advance Access originally published online on June 19, 2009
Family Practice 2009 26(4):325-330; doi:10.1093/fampra/cmp040
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Text message communication in primary care research: a randomized controlled trial
a Department of Community Medicine & Primary Care, Geneva University Hospitals & University of Geneva, 24 rue Micheli-du-Crest, 1211 Geneva, Switzerland
b Department of General Practice, The University of Melbourne, 200 Berkeley Street, Carlton 3053, Australia
c Centre for Adolescent Health, Royal Children's Hospital
d Department of Paediatrics, The University of Melbourne
e Murdoch Children's Research Institute at the Royal Children's Hospital, Melbourne, Australia
Correspondence to Dagmar M Haller, Department of Community Medicine & Primary Care, Geneva University Hospitals & University of Geneva, 24 rue Micheli-du-Crest, 1211 Geneva, Switzerland; E-mail: dagmar.haller-hester{at}hcuge.ch
Received 3 October 2008; Revised 8 April 2009; Accepted 18 May 2009.
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Abstract |
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Background. Text message communication is increasingly used in clinical practice but rarely in research. Particularly in young people, this method of participation in primary care research appears both feasible and acceptable. However, previous experience shows that text messaging for research may lead to lower response rates.
Aim. To test the hypothesis that text message communication in primary care research does not lead to lower response rates compared to a paper-based method.
Methods. This randomized controlled trial took place in 26 randomly selected practices in Victoria, Australia. Consecutive patients aged 16–24 years attending general practice appointments were recruited as part of a larger study on patients’ perspectives. Patients owning a mobile phone were randomized to receive a question about satisfaction with the consultation either by text message or on a card completed before leaving the practice. Logistic regression was used to estimate the effect on the response rate of using text message rather than the card method, adjusting for clustering within practices and for differences in baseline characteristics among participants.
Results. In total, 402 of 409 eligible young people agreed to participate and were randomized to either receive a text message (n = 193) or a card enquiry (n = 209). The response rate was 80.2% [95% confidence interval (CI): 73.3–87.1%] with text message and 85.6% (95% CI: 79.6–91.7%) with the card. The adjusted odds of responding (odds ratio: 0.62; 95% CI: 0.30–1.27) were not significantly lower in the group using text messaging compared to the group using the card response method.
Conclusion. These findings offer new perspectives for use of text message communication to gather information from patients in primary care research.
Keywords. Adolescent, cellular phone, randomized controlled trail, research methods.
Haller DM, Sanci LA, Patton GC and Sawyer SM. Text message communication in primary care research: a randomized controlled trial. Family Practice 2009; 26: 325–330.