Study: Text Messaging Health Interventions Work

Text message health interventions are proving to be an effective tool for health management. According to a study review published in The Annual Review of Public Health, the majority of text message intervention studies found texting was effective when addressing diabetes self-management, weight loss, physical activity, smoking cessation, and medication adherence for antiretroviral therapy. The systematic review did find “limited evidence” to inform recommended intervention characteristics and suggests further research is needed to establish longer-term intervention effects and explore cost-effectiveness questions.

The review looked at 15 studies that reviewed 228 text message intervention studies addressing health promotion, disease prevention, and chronic disease self-management. Study sizes ranged from 10 to 5,800 participants. Three of the 15 reviews focused on physical activity, diet, and weight loss. One of these reviews reported that six out of 13 studies found a statistically significant clinical outcome. A meta-analysis of these studies found that participants in the study had seven times greater weight loss on average than non-SMS control participants.

This study and others like it serve as the foundation by which Wellable delivers its health content to its users. Through a dedicated SMS stream for each employer, Wellable’s health content delivery platform delivers employees regular tips to improve their health and wellbeing. The SMS service can also be used to incorporate and promote existing health and wellness programs within an employer. For example, employers can promote flu shots, health fairs, and other events through SMS to drive greater participation and ROI from those programs.