Mobile Phone Use Research Articles

Unraveling urban dynamics: Scaling laws of human mobility across the cityscape divide

The scaling laws of human mobility are one of the key theories of human geography. They also have important policy implications for urban-rural integration and regional economic growth. Although scaling laws of human mobility have been widely discussed, the allometric growth between urban and rural areas is overlooked. This study aims to fill the gap by investigating scaling laws and power-law distribution across urban and rural areas during urban growth with individual people's trajectory information of 13 million mobile phone users. The analysis identified a turning point at a population of 1.8 million in the Greater Bay Area, where the growth rate of aggregate travel demand stabilizes. The results show that human mobility exhibits segmented allometric growth, with superlinear growth transitioning to sublinear beyond this turning point. The disparities of travel behaviour patterns between urban and rural populations increase as cities grow. These findings would enhance the existing knowledge of the allometric scaling of human mobility.

Barriers to Follow-Up of an Abnormal Clinical Breast Examination in Uttar Pradesh, India: A Qualitative Study.

To understand key barriers to diagnostic follow-up for women with an abnormal clinical breast examination (CBE) at the primary care level in the Uttar Pradesh state in India. We also explored acceptability of mobile phones to address barriers to CBE follow-up for women. We conducted 28 semistructured in-depth interviews with 12 women with an abnormal CBE at the primary health facility who did not have diagnostic follow-up, four community health workers, nine health care providers from health facilities in rural and urban settings, and three state-level decision makers. Interviews were audiorecorded, transcribed verbatim, and translated from Hindi to English. Thematic analysis was conducted using Dedoose qualitative software. Themes were organized by multilevel barriers to follow-up. Key barriers to CBE follow-up included knowledge, fear, and stigma about breast cancer; women's health not being prioritized in the family; discomfort seeing male providers; and difficulty navigating the diagnostic facility. Despite community education and outreach efforts by community health workers (known as Accredited Social Health Activists), lack of awareness of breast cancer and the importance of follow-up for abnormal CBE remains a barrier to early detection. Despite widespread access to mobile phones, perceived acceptability varied among stakeholders regarding mobile phone use for breast health education and communication with clients. Knowledge, cultural, and health system barriers challenge women's ability to follow recommendations for diagnostic follow-up of an abnormal CBE. Multilevel and gender-responsive strategies are needed to address these barriers. Our results suggest that mobile phones could be used to further improve breast health awareness, patient navigation, and tracking, and further research is needed.

A meta-analysis of self-regulation and digital recreation from birth to adolescence

There is good reason to implicate self-regulation in our digital recreation duration, choices, and behaviours. However, the direction, degree, and diversity of their association is unclear. To offer more robust and nuanced evidence to this issue of acute public concern, the current study presents a comprehensive meta-analysis of the associations between self-regulation and digital recreation from birth to adolescence – consolidating 183 studies reporting 232 associations from 234,476 children and adolescents. Across these studies, digital recreation clustered into investigations of screen time, features of problematic digital engagement, exposure to violent content, communicating with strangers online, sexting, and media multitasking. Although a pattern of negative bivariate associations was observed between self-regulation and aspects of digital recreation, the strength of association for screen time was weak (r = −.04 for computer use to r = −.15 for social media use). Once control variables were considered, relationships with exposure to violent digital content were rendered similarly trivial, suggesting other variables likely account for these correlations. This reduces our confidence in these associations. In contrast, lower self-regulation was more highly associated with problematic engagement (r = −.28 for problematic gaming to r = −.41 for problematic mobile phone use), communicating with strangers online (r = −.18), and sexting (r = −.20). This pattern of results points to a relationship that is variable by type of digital activity, which in our meta-analyses ranged from null to strong and negative. Where a relationship exists, it may be bi-directional given associations remained for longitudinal studies that positioned either self-regulation or digital recreation as predictor. Most moderators of these associations were non-significant, although the negative association of self-regulation with time spent gaming was increasingly strong with increasing participant age. This study instigates a disentangling of the nature of the relationship between self-regulation and digital choices and behaviours across the early stages of life.

Assessing the impact of mobile phone use on the mental health of schoolchildren

Objective: to assess the impact of mobile phone use on the mental state of adolescents. Material and methods. On voluntary terms, a survey was conducted of 917 students (427 boys and 490 girls) in grades 9-11, aged 15-17 years, attending all 14 secondary schools in the city Alchevsk. The students answered questions about the nature of their use of mobile phones. Self-assessment and assessment of mental states according to Eysenck (anxiety, frustration, aggressiveness and rigidity) were also performed. Results. There were more students with a high level of aggression according in the group of people who made 6 or more calls per day — 12.0±2.4%, compared with adolescents who made less than 3 such calls — 5.4±1.8% (p=0.013) and 3-5 calls —6.2±1.3% (p=0.029). Similar differences in the group of adolescent girls were 18.4±3.8%, compared with 5.6±1.7% (p=0.003) and 7.2±1.8% (p=0.009). There were more schoolchildren with a high level of aggression according in the group of teenagers who talked on the phone for an average of more than 10 min a day— 11.7±2.0%, compared with their peers who talked for 3-10 min — 5.4±1.1% (p=0.007), and also less than 3 min — 5.1±1.4% (p=0.008). Conclusion. With an increase in the number of outgoing calls, incoming calls, as well as the duration of conversations on mobile phones, the level of aggression among schoolchildren increases. To the greatest extent, this pattern is typical for teenage girls, which can be explained by the longer duration of mobile phone use by girls.

Nongenetic and Genetic Factors Associated with White Matter Brain Aging: Exposome-Wide and Genome-Wide Association Study.

Human brain aging is a complex process that affects various aspects of brain function and structure, increasing susceptibility to neurological and psychiatric disorders. A number of nongenetic (e.g., environmental and lifestyle) and genetic risk factors are found to contribute to the varying rates at which the brain ages among individuals. In this paper, we conducted both an exposome-wide association study (XWAS) and a genome-wide association study (GWAS) on white matter brain aging in the UK Biobank, revealing the multifactorial nature of brain aging. We applied a machine learning algorithm and leveraged fractional anisotropy tract measurements from diffusion tensor imaging data to predict the white matter brain age gap (BAG) and treated it as the marker of brain aging. For XWAS, we included 107 variables encompassing five major categories of modifiable exposures that potentially impact brain aging and performed both univariate and multivariate analysis to select the final set of nongenetic risk factors. We found current tobacco smoking, dietary habits including oily fish, beef, lamb, cereal, and coffee intake, length of mobile phone use, use of UV protection, and frequency of solarium/sunlamp use were associated with the BAG. In genetic analysis, we identified several SNPs on chromosome 3 mapped to genes IP6K1, GMNC, OSTN, and SLC25A20 significantly associated with the BAG, showing the high heritability and polygenic architecture of human brain aging. The critical nongenetic and genetic risk factors identified in our study provide insights into the causal relationship between white matter brain aging and neurodegenerative diseases.

Influence of socio-contextual factors on the link between traditional and new media use, and young people’s sexual risk behaviour in Sub-Saharan Africa: a secondary data analysis

BackgroundTraditional and new media use links to young people’s sexual risk behaviour. The social contexts of young people’s daily lives that influence media use and sexual risk behaviour are often investigated as independent causal mechanisms. We examined the link between media use and young people’s sexual risk behaviour, considering the intersecting socio-contextual factors in Sub-Saharan Africa.MethodsAge-adjusted bivariate logistic regression models tested the association between traditional media (TV, radio, and newspapers), and new media (mobile phone and online) use and sexual risk behaviour using the Demographic and Health Surveys from six Sub-Saharan African countries among unmarried sexually active youths, aged 15–24 years. Multivariate logistic regression models ascertained the media sources that had an additional influence on young people’s sexual risk behaviour, after accounting for socio-contextual factors, and knowledge about HIV and other sexually transmitted infections.ResultsSocio-contextual factors attenuated the association between media use and young people’s sexual risk behaviour in many countries. However, those who did not have access to new and traditional media were more likely to use unreliable contraceptive methods or not use contraception. Adolescents in Nigeria who did not own phones were 89% more likely to use unreliable contraceptive methods or not use any methods [(AOR = 1.89 (1.40–2.56), p < .001)], those in Angola who did not read newspapers had higher odds of not using contraception or used unreliable methods [(aOR = 1.65 (1.26–2.15), p < .001)]. Young people in Angola (aOR = 0.68 (0.56–0.83), p < .001), Cameroon [(aOR = 0.66 (0.51–0.84), p < .001)], Nigeria [(aOR = 0.72 (0.56–0.93), p = .01)], and South Africa [(aOR = 0.69 (0.49–0.98), p = .03)] who did not own phones were less likely to have 2 or more sexual partners compared to those who owned phones. Lack of internet access in Mali was associated with lower odds of having 2 or more sexual partners (aOR = 0.45 (0.29–0.70), p < .001). Traditional media use was significantly associated with transactional sex in many countries.ConclusionsMedia use is linked to sexual risk behaviour among young people in Sub-Saharan Africa. Socioeconomic inequalities, levels of globalization, as well as rural–urban disparities in access to media, underscore the need to deliver tailored and targeted sexual risk reduction interventions to young people using both traditional and new media.

Mobile Money Adoption in Uganda

Mobile money has gained a lot of acceptance in the Ugandan financial sector since its inception a decade ago. This is due to high mobile phone usage, especially in rural areas where branch banking is rare. The financial sector’s adoption of mobile money has enhanced financial inclusion by providing banking services to individuals previously excluded from the financial sector. Mobile money services offer a variety of financial transactions, including payment, saving, credit, and insurance, without the need to visit a banking hall. These are poverty reduction, job creation, GDP, and the development of a sound financial sector. However, despite the increased use and growth of mobile money in Uganda, it has presented the following challenges: Some of the problems undermining the future of this innovation include regulatory barriers, cybersecurity threats, compatibility questions, and consumer scepticism about digital financial services. Solving these challenges calls for cooperation between mobile money operators, regulators, policymakers, and other interested parties to foster innovation, competition, and consumer protection while enhancing the access and usage of financial services and products. This review examines mobile money adoption in Uganda. We used available data from many reputable databases, spanning the time period from 2010 to 2024. Findings suggest that in the future, mobile money in Uganda has bright prospects in terms of future trends, new uses, and improved connections with other electronic systems. New technologies like biometric identification, artificial intelligence, machine learning, and blockchain will enhance security, user experience, and other conditions that are necessary to fulfil user needs. Communication with mobile money providers, regulators, and stakeholders is a necessary step to fully benefit from these opportunities and manage the remaining challenges. Lastly, measures such as the promotion of consumer protection, availability of financial products and services, investment in technology, and constant public sensitization would go a long way towards tapping the full potential of mobile money in Uganda, as this fuels positive social and economic change in the country. Keywords: mobile money, Uganda, financial sector, cybersecurity, Gross Domestic Product (GDP)

Nomophobia syndrome and its impact on morale and behavior change in early childhood

Nomophobia has become a prevalent issue which affects individuals today. This leads many to feel constantly connected to their devices. The term, derived from "No Mobile Phone Phobia," describes an excessive reliance on gadgets. This psychological condition is recognized as a global psychosocial phenomenon that influences mobile phone users and affects their morals and behavior. Alarmingly, this issue has also emerged among young children, with many preschoolers showing signs of addiction. This study is aimed at exploring the effects of nomophobia on early childhood, focusing on its moral and behavioral consequences in daily life. The study employed a qualitative case study approach and it involved two 5-year-old children. Data were collected through observations and unstructured interviews with their parents. The findings indicated that excessive gadget used in early childhood could significantly alter children's morals and behaviors. This was primarily due to insufficient parental supervision of their app usage. The study emphasized the need for intervention from adults, including both parents and teachers, who are the closest guardians to children in monitoring smartphone usage. These collaborative preventive measures to monitor and mitigate the negative impacts of smartphone usage are important to do. Future studies for exploring nomophobia in early childhood contexts are encouraged to delve deeper into the surrounding events and circumstances that affect children.

Relationship Between Mobile Phone Addiction and State Anxiety of College Students: The Mediating Effect of Psychological Craving for Mobile Phones

With the widespread use of mobile phones, college students addicted to mobile phones cause anxiety. In order to explore the relationship between mobile phone addiction and state anxiety among college students, whether there is a mediating role in mobile phone psychological desire. The questionnaire method was used to investigate the state anxiety, mobile phone addiction and mobile phone psychological desire of 589 students from 3 universities in Hebei Province.The result shows that State of anxiety and mobile phone craving were positively correlated with mobile phone addiction (r =0.25, P&lt;0.01; r =0.74, P &lt;0.01).State of anxiety was positively correlated with phone craving (r =0.16, P &lt;0.01), and the mediating effect was 0.28.We can see that State of anxiety can promote mobile phone addiction directly or indirectly by increasing psychological craving for mobile phone.

Effect of Information Booklet Regarding Usage of Electronic Media and Mobile Phone Among School Children

Effect of Information Booklet Regarding Usage of Electronic Media and Mobile Phone Among School Children

The Use of Mobile Phones as an Academic Tool to Acquire Vocabu-lary During English Learning as a Foreign Language in Ecuador

Several teachers are currently implementing more innovative, entertaining, and effective educational methods to teach English as a foreign language (EFL). One strategy is to use smartphones as an academic tool. Therefore, this research aims to analyze the usefulness of using smartphones in acquiring new vocabulary to develop communication skills. This work seeks to contribute to helping teachers and students who wish to learn a foreign language and acquire communication skills through the use of a popular device. Many children, youngsters, and adults, have at least one cellphone, and more since the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, when it was almost mandatory to use these powerful technological devices to do homework. Now, it is also used for communication and entertainment. This research used bibliographic documentation analysis of academic studies. The research focused on the search for bibliographic documentation of academic studies related to the topic. There are thousands of applications, blogs, and digital bases, many of them free, for people to access autonomous learning using mobile learning that they can do anywhere and at any time, as long as they are connected to the internet. The apps used in this research were Kahoot, hangman, and songs. The results of this research showed a significant communicational improvement. Smartphones help EFL students to create a more entertaining environment. Smartphones have managed to break shyness and improve concentration and participation in class. Therefore, the author recommends using this tool to acquire a new language.

Does Radiofrequency Radiation From Mobile Phones Affect the Formation of Parotid Gland Malignancy? An Experimental Study.

Objectives: The use of mobile phone is increasing around the world. Although it is beneficial in terms of communication, the electromagnetic radiations emitted by mobile phones may cause undesirable biological effects on the human body. In practical use, the tissue with which mobile phones come into most and are closest is the parotid gland. This study investigated the effects of the 1800 MHz electromagnetic field created by a generator on the parotid gland in rats. Methods: A total of 21 Sprague-Dawley Albino rats were included in the study. The rats were randomly divided into three equal groups. To simulate a mobile phone in conversation mode, the first study group was exposed to an 1800-MHz electromagnetic field for 6 hours a day for 30 days, and the second study group was exposed to an 1800-MHz electromagnetic field for 12 hours a day for 30 days. After 30 days, rats were sacrificed, and histopathological and immunohistochemical methods were used to evaluate the effects on the parotid gland. The total antioxidant level and the total oxidant level were measured biochemically in homogenized parotid tissue. Results: Histopathological results showed an increase in degeneration in rats exposed to electromagnetic fields for 6 and 12 hours a day, and immunohistochemical analysis showed an increase in the apoptotic index in both study groups (P = .001, P < .001). Intranuclear inclusions was observed during histopathological examination performed by electron microscopy. Conclusions: This study observed that the 1800 MHz electromagnetic field caused undesirable adverse histopathological and biochemical effects on the parotid gland of rats. Histopathological and biochemical findings were detected with increasing contact and exposure time. This study will lead to other studies on this topic and contribute to the literature by completing other studies.

Evaluation of mobile phone and social usage among dental students as an educational and clinical adjunct in Davanagere City, South India – A cross-sectional study

Evaluation of mobile phone and social usage among dental students as an educational and clinical adjunct in Davanagere City, South India – A cross-sectional study

Stakeholder analysis and their roles in livestock disease reporting and response in Northern Kenya

IntroductionLivestock are central to pastoral livelihoods. A major constraint in pastoral production is livestock diseases, which is often exacerbated by inadequate surveillance systems. Reporting of disease outbreaks from pastoral communities to animal health workers is one of the challenges that affects effective and timely response to disease outbreaks. This study aimed to understand animal disease reporting and response in pastoral areas of Northern Kenya. Stakeholders, their roles, information flow among them and methods used for both livestock disease reporting and response and their strengths and challenges were identified.MethodsThe study was carried out in Marsabit County, a pastoral county in Kenya. Pretested tools were used to guide data collection through Focus Group Discussions, Narrative and Key Informant Interviews with pastoralists, County government Animal Health Workers, agrovets and private animal health workers, Community Disease Reporters, Chiefs, County Public Health Officers and local Non-Governmental Organization staff. Net mapping was further used where participants drew links among the various stakeholders and assigned them perceived influence and power. Output from thematic analysis, notes taken during data collection and net maps were used to produce a network of stakeholders and their links using Gephi software. Centrality measures were generated and recorded. Perceived power and influence scores were used to produce a graph and the reasons for the scores documented. Methods used for livestock disease reporting and response were obtained from thematic analysis.ResultsA network of 19 stakeholders with 67 links among them was identified. Major stakeholders were the Animal Owners/Pastoralists, Government Animal Health Workers, County Director of Veterinary Services, the Chief and radio based on network indices of Total degree and Betweenness Centrality, and also based on perceived scores of influence and power. Pastoralists had pivotal roles in both livestock disease reporting and response, Government Animal Health Workers (GAHWs) were mainly involved in disease surveillance and mass interventions including treatment and vaccinations. Non-state actors like NGOs and iNGOs collaborated and supported the County Government with resources to manage outbreaks. Various methods were used for reporting diseases, with use of mobile phones highly mentioned while for response to disease occurrences, the methods included trainings and treatment by both Government and Private AHWs and use of alternative veterinary practices by pastoralists. Various challenges constraining livestock disease response were highlighted, the most frequent challenges centered around low numbers and under resourcing of Animal Health Workers.ConclusionThese findings show that designing an efficient livestock disease surveillance system in pastoral areas requires recognition and utilization of all stakeholders and understanding of their roles. Gaps highlighted in disease response should be prioritized by the government and its development partners for improved animal health service delivery in pastoral areas. These inadequacies in livestock disease response have a direct effect on veterinary practice as mandated by the Government of Kenya Veterinary Surgeons and Para-professionals Act. The results are important for guiding policy formulation to support mitigation of disease impacts in similar areas with limited access to quality veterinary services.

Are mobile phones predominant in dual-frame computer assisted telephone interviewing surveys?

The effectiveness of Computer Assisted Telephone Interviewing (CATI) surveys relying on fixed telephone numbers has been eroded by the rise in mobile phone usage and the growing population reachable exclusively through mobile phones. As a result, telephone survey methodologists have had to come up with research designs capable of dealing with the coverage bias in CATI surveys caused by incomplete fixed phone directories. The methodological and operational issues of dual-frame surveys, namely those combining fixed phones and mobile phones, have been extensively investigated, but a comprehensive overview of the magnitude of mobile phone use in CATI surveys is lacking. The present study explores this research gap by analysing data from 675 CATI surveys conducted in European countries. Although a generalised scenario of single frame mobile phone designs is not yet visible, the predominance of mobile phone units over fixed phone units in dual-frame CATI surveys is evident. The sampling method and the target population are the survey-related features most strongly associated to the percentage of mobile phone units in the sample. Survey organisations in countries which continue to have a high number of fixed phone subscriptions tend to give less weight to mobile phone frames in their dual-frame designs.

Relationships between screen time and childhood attention deficit hyperactivity disorder: a Mendelian randomization study.

In previous observational studies and meta-analyses, childhood attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is found to have a significant association with screen time. However, the causal associations between them remain unclear. This study performed a bidirectional two-sample Mendelian randomization (MR) analysis to confirm the causality between screen time and childhood ADHD. Large-scale genome-wide association studies (GWAS) datasets derived from the Psychiatric Genomics Consortium (PGC) and the UK Biobank were used to identify single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) associated with exposure and outcome. Four categories of datasets were selected to represent screen time. The SNPs that are significantly associated with exposure data (P < 5e-08) and have a strong correlation with the exposure in the F-statistic (F > 10) were selected as instrumental variables. This study also used the PhenoScanner V2 database and the LDlink webtool to exclude confounding factors, and the MR-PRESSO method (p < 0.05) was employed to eliminate outliers with bias. Five commonly used methods were employed to assess the interaction and the Inverse Variance Weighted (IVW) method was utilized as the primary basis for determining the MR estimates in this study. The MR analysis revealed that the length of mobile phone use (OR, 1.848; 95% CI, 1.3360-2.5558; p=2.07e-4) and the time spent watching television (OR, 2.104; 95% CI, 1.3958-3.1703; p=3.8e-4) increased the risk of childhood ADHD. Although the causal relationships were exclusively identified through the IVW and weighted median methods, the results retained their statistical significance following correction. In the reverse analysis, no evidence was found to support an effect of childhood ADHD on screen time. The sensitivity analysis conducted on the significant findings revealed no evidence of horizontal pleiotropy or heterogeneity. This study provides some evidence for the causality of screen time and childhood ADHD. Given the limitations of our study, further research is required to comprehensively investigate this relationship.

Digital Divide: Comparing the Impact of Mobile Phone Usage on Generation Y and Generation Z

This study investigates the distinct effects of mobile phone usage on the Y (Millennials) and Z (Zoomers) generational cohorts, focussing on the social, psychological, and cognitive consequences. This study uses a mixed-methods approach, including surveys, interviews, and a literature review, to investigate how mobile phones affect communication habits, mental health, academic achievement, and social relationships across different generations. The findings show that, while both generations are heavily involved with mobile technology, Generation Z (Zoomers) rely more on mobile devices, which has a higher impact on attention span and social anxiety. Generation Y (Millennials), having spent their early years without mobile phones, has a more balanced integration of mobile technology into their lives.

Eye Movement Evaluation of Pedestrians' Mobile Phone Usage at Street Crossings

Vision is one of the most important human senses, accounting for most of the external information pedestrians receive while crossing the street. However, distracted mobile phone usage during street crossing consumes pedestrians’ cognitive resources and diverts their visual attention. As a result, pedestrians may be unable to fully concentrate on observing the traffic environment and effectively planning their crossing path and behavior. This study evaluated the effect of pedestrian behavioral activities at street crossings on eye-movement (EM) characteristics. The crossing tasks were natural behavior, voice call, text messaging, and listening to music. The tasks were further categorized as simple or complex. A total of 29 participants were recruited in Nanjing: 18 males (62.1%) and 11 females (37.9%) with an average age of 23.59 years (SD = 2.44). The Friedman test was used to analyze differences in saccade frequency, fixation time, browsing number, and browsing time across different scenarios. Text messaging had the most significant impact on pedestrians’ EM characteristics, followed by voice call; music listening had a relatively weaker effect. Secondary task difficulty influenced the percentage of browsing, viewing, and to some extent gaze time. On the other hand, music rhythm and style only partially influenced the percentage of gaze and gaze time. Mobile phones substantially affected pedestrians’ EM characteristics and attention allocation for the same level of secondary task difficulty. These findings contribute to a better understanding of pedestrians’ visual characteristics under distracted mobile phone usage conditions and provide valuable insights for developing appropriate measures to enhance pedestrian safety.

The longitudinal relationships between problematic mobile phone use symptoms and negative emotions: a cross-lagged panel network analysis

BackgroundThe association between problematic mobile phone use (PMPU) and negative emotions in university students is not well understood in terms of causality and directionality. This study aims to clarify whether negative emotions trigger PMPU or whether the PMPU itself leads to increased negative emotions over time. MethodsA two-wave longitudinal study was conducted involving 5568 Chinese freshmen who were surveyed at baseline and followed up after one academic year. PMPU, social media use, online game use, fear of missing out, loneliness, social anxiety, and academic burnout were measured. Cross-sectional and longitudinal connections between these variables were examined using network analysis techniques. ResultsThe variable with the strongest influence in both contemporaneous networks was “Productivity loss” of MAPI. Moreover, “Academic burnout” at baseline significantly predicted higher levels of problematic smartphone use and negative emotions at follow-up, suggesting that it may serve as a catalyst for addictive tendencies. Furthermore, we observed bidirectional relationships between “Escapism” and “Social anxiety”, as well as between “Social anxiety” and “Inability to control craving”, suggesting a potential self-perpetuating cycle. ConclusionThese findings highlight the role of academic burnout in initiating cycles of PMPU and negative emotions. In order to effectively tackle PMPU, it is crucial to consider the underlying drivers such as academic burnout and emotional states. This is important due to the complex and reciprocal associations uncovered through our longitudinal network analysis.

Effectiveness of text message reminders on paediatric appointment adherence: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Attending health appointments is important for the paediatric population, as it allows for earlier detection of health issues and subsequent necessary treatments. It also ensures timely immunisations while also allowing patients or their parents to raise health concerns. Hence, it is crucial to take steps to ensure that such medical appointments are attended.To evaluate the effectiveness of text message reminders (TMRs) in improving paediatric patients' adherence to their appointments.A systematic review and meta-analysis were conducted. The search spanned across eight online databases from their inception dates to January 2024. The random-effects model was utilised to conduct the meta-analysis, where risk ratio was used as the effect measure. Subgroup analyses were conducted for age, number of TMRs sent, and type of appointments attended.In total, 13 studies were included. Compared to standard care (involving non-text message reminders or no reminders), TMRs were significantly more effective in improving appointment attendance among the paediatric population. Significant subgroup differences were found in the type of appointments attended, where TMRs were more effective for medical appointments compared to vaccination appointments. No differences in adherence to appointments were found across age groups or the number of TMRs sent. Conclusion: Sending TMRs can be a potentially cost-effective way to improve the attendance rate of paediatric medical appointments, given the ease of implementation and the extensive mobile phone usage globally. Future studies should compare TMRs to other modes of automated reminders such as telephone messages or emails, to identify the most optimal method of delivery. Trial registration: PROSPERO (CRD42023464893).