141st APHA Annual Meeting

In This section

291155
Evidence-based practices in text-based programs

Saturday, November 2, 2013 : 10:00 AM - 10:30 AM

BreAnna Davis, MS , University of Maryland School of Public Health, College Park, MD
The purpose of this course is to attendees of lessons learned and best practices for text message (SMS)-based health promotion interventions. Findings come from relevant literature, as well as process and outcome evaluations of Text2BHealthy, a collaborative project between Maryland Food Supplement Nutrition Education and the University of Maryland's School of Public Health. This school-based SMS program sends messages that encourage physical activity and fruit and vegetable consumption to parents of elementary school children. The use of SMS programs to supplement or deliver health interventions has increased in recent years. These programs have been used to address a wide variety of health issues, including smoking cessation (Berkman et al., 2011), diabetes (Arora et al., 2012), depression (Aguliera & Munoz, 2011), weight management (Donaldson & Fallows, 2011), and sexual health (Gold et al., 2010). The appeal of SMS-based interventions comes from its relatively low cost for participants and researchers, as well as its potential to reach a broad audience. Approximately 83% of adults in the U.S. own a cell phone, and 73% send and receive text messages (Smith, 2011). Texts may be a particularly useful way of reaching parents, as 96% of have phones that can receive text messages, and 81% have unlimited texting plans (Ahlers-Schmidt, 2010). Text messages may also be a useful tool for accessing underserved groups. Text messaging is a particularly common form of communication for non-white individuals, as well as those who with lower income and education (Smith, 2011).

Learning Areas:
Administer health education strategies, interventions and programs
Assessment of individual and community needs for health education
Conduct evaluation related to programs, research, and other areas of practice
Implementation of health education strategies, interventions and programs
Planning of health education strategies, interventions, and programs
Public health or related education

Learning Objectives:
Explain the components necessary to implement a text message-based health program after learning about Text2BHealthy’s process of recruitment, focus groups, implementation of program, and evaluation process.

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Qualified on the content I am responsible for because: I participated in recruitment of participants for the Text 2B Healthy project which engages families in healthy eating habits and exercise. Among my interests has been the development of strategies to increase social support for individuals who are wishing to eat healthier and exercise more.
Any relevant financial relationships? No

I agree to comply with the American Public Health Association Conflict of Interest and Commercial Support Guidelines, and to disclose to the participants any off-label or experimental uses of a commercial product or service discussed in my presentation.