A text-based reminder increased self-reported influenza vaccination among Text4baby participants who planned to be vaccinated, a new randomized evaluation has found.

Conducted in partnership between Text4baby, University of South Florida College of Nursing and Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health – the program evaluation was looking to assess enhancements to messages encouraging influenza vaccination of pregnant women and mothers of infants. The evaluation examined whether either a text-based reminder or a tailored education message that responded to identified concerns about vaccination improved self-reported influenza vaccination and continued intent to get vaccinated among participants.

“In this randomized evaluation, Text4baby mothers who received a reminder were twice as likely to report they were vaccinated and the odds of vaccination were increased among all participants who reported their status,” said lead author Elizabeth Jordan, DNSc, Associate Professor of University of South Florida, College of Nursing. “Also, Text4baby mothers who initially reported they were not planning to be vaccinated due to cost were nearly twice as likely to report vaccination at follow-up after receiving a single text on how to access free and low-cost influenza vaccines.”

Text4baby mothers who couldn’t afford vaccination were sent a text message on how to access free and low-cost influenza vaccines.The goals of this program evaluation were to inform future Text4baby influenza vaccination messaging by using a randomized, text-based survey methodology to assess the effect of enhanced content versus standard messaging, and to provide additional evidence of the efficacy of the Text4baby program. Based on the results, all Text4baby participants now receive a message with information on free and low-cost influenza vaccinations and a separate influenza vaccination reminder during influenza season.

“Influenza vaccination was identified as a critical issue to target at the inception of Text4baby,” said Dr. Pamela Johnson, a study co-author and Voxiva’s Chief Health Officer. “Based on these results we are confident that the majority of participants enrolled in Text4baby will receive timely influenza vaccination this upcoming season.”

The publication abstract is available from this page.