Investigating Barriers to the Use of Text Message Appointment Reminders in HPV Vaccine Delivery

Abstract

Background: Only 25% of the eligible African American adolescent population in the U.S. has received the HPV vaccination. The numbers among adolescent females in Philadelphia are no different. For this reason, The University of Pennsylvania has designed a study to evaluate whether HPV vaccination rates among Philadelphia’s adolescent girls ages 9-18 can be increased by interventions targeting barriers to immunization. As an added feature to the study, a text messaging appointment reminder system has been offered; however, there has been a lack of utilization among the population. Objectives: To identify participants’ experienced barriers and program quality improvements as it relates to the study’s text messaging appointment reminder option. Methods: A quantitative and qualitative telephone survey was conducted during a 3- or 6-month post intervention scheduling follow-up phone call for both the adolescent and parent population. Frequencies were calculated to capture demographic make-up, perceived barriers, program improvement suggestions and acceptability of text messaging reminders among the parent population. Results: Questionnaire data from 75 adolescent females and 37 parents of adolescent females were used for data analysis. In terms of variables related to cell phone and text use, 76% of adolescents had their own cell phone, and of those, 70% had text plans and 90.2% used text messaging in general. Parents, on the other hand, own a cell phone (80%), but do not have text plans or use text in general. As for barriers and program suggestions, about half of the adolescents responded that they did not remember hearing about the text messaging option and would like some form of reminder. Conclusions: Text messaging appears to be a plausible option for reminders among the adolescent population. However, the parents may be slow to catch up. More research is needed to further assess the acceptability of text messaging reminders over the traditional forms of reminders. Also, poor use and limited recall of the text messaging appointment reminder system suggests that the initial presentation of the text messaging option needs strengthening in additional to some medium of reminder.%%%%M.P.H., Public Health – Drexel University, 2010