A SMS KEEPS THE DOCTOR AWAY

Text Messages are Vital Tool for Increasing Medication Adherence in Chronic Disease Patients

New study in JAMA Internal Medicine demonstrates that text messages are a simple, affordable and effective mobile health strategy

Text messages can double the odds of medication adherence in patients with chronic disease. That is the central finding of a new study published today in JAMA Internal Medicine.

Researchers at The George Institute for Global Health in Sydney, Australia, including Jay Thakkar, a PhD student at The University of Sydney, and Associate Professor Clara Chow, Director of the Cardiovascular Division at the Institute and cardiologist at Westmead Hospital, conducted a systematic review of 16 randomized clinical trials evaluating a mobile telephone text message intervention to promote medication adherence in adults with chronic disease.

“This study furthers my belief that m-Health strategies are one of the simplest, most affordable ways to save lives,” said Associate Professor Clara Chow, Director of the Cardiovascular Division at the Institute and cardiologist at Westmead Hospital. “Global governments and policymakers should look closely at these compelling findings for a scalable, effective and inexpensive method of getting patients with chronic diseases to take their life-saving medicine.”

This study builds on a previous JAMA report, the TEXT ME (Tobacco, Exercise and Diet Messages) study, led by Professor Chow last year, which showed that a simple text message system can improve the health of heart attack survivors by helping to reduce cholesterol, blood pressure and weight.

“Like the TEXT ME study, the results of this are really a no-brainer,” said Professor Chow. “Text messages can save money and save lives, and should be considered as an essential tool in disease prevention, and monitoring and management.”

Improving medication adherence is a global health challenge. Developed countries boast 50% adherence one year after initiation of therapy, with even lower rates in developing countries. Medical experts have employed various interventions to address this challenge, ranging from education to packaged medications to smartphone app reminders.

This study finds text message systems are a practical, inexpensive tool for reaching patients and sharing potentially lifesaving reminders and information. Global adoption of mobile devices is widespread across geographies and economies, with an estimated seven billion mobile subscribers at the end of 2014, making this intervention an accessible and realistic health policy tool for countries around the globe.

In the studies examined, the methods for employing the texts were wide ranging. In one study, patients were sent a text when they failed to open a medication dispenser. In another, personalized text messages were sent at predetermined frequencies with information about specific medicines and dosages. Others included medical education or general, non-medical information such as humor.

Researchers caution that more research that comprehensively studies what features of programs make them more effective is necessary. In addition, future research with longer trials is necessary to determine the duration of the effect, the time-effect relationship and the continuation or decay of the effect after the intervention is withdrawn.

For a full copy of the study, please visit: http://media.jamanetwork.com

Images are available for use - including shots of Clara Chow and of the messages being sent. A case study who is trialing a TEXT MEDS program by The George Institute for Global Health is also available. 

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The George Institute for Global Health

The George Institute for Global Health is improving the lives of millions of people worldwide through innovative health research. Working across a broad health landscape, the Institute conducts clinical, population and health system research aimed at changing health practice and policy worldwide. The Institute has a global network of medical and health experts working together to address the leading causes of death and disability worldwide. Established in Australia and affiliated with The University of Sydney, the Institute today also has offices in China, India and the United Kingdom, and is also affiliated with Peking University Health Science Centre, the University of Hyderabad and the University of Oxford. The Institute has been ranked among the top 10 global institutes for impact for the last several years, and its research has resulted in changes to medical guidelines and ways of thinking about some of the most common medical treatments around the world.

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