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Study Finds Flu Shot Reminders via Text Increase Vaccination Rates

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Study Finds Flu Shot Reminders via Text Increase Vaccination Rates

 
January 17, 2014

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By Daniel Brecht,
Contributing Writer


With seasonal influenza upon us once again, it’s no wonder why so many people have gotten (or soon will have) their vaccination to remain healthy and not fall victim of the flu. A flu shot is said to offer the best protection against influenza-like illness; according to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), it’s 60 percent effective.


Influenza can cause serious health problems for anyone, including women who are pregnant. As stated by CDC, “A flu shot can protect pregnant women, their unborn babies, and even the baby after birth.” Melissa Stockwell, M.D., M.P.H., says she strongly recommends that women receive influenza vaccinations during pregnancy and as soon as the vaccine becomes available.

In encouraging all people to get the vaccine (shot or spray), especially those at a high risk of complications from the flu, the CDC is joined by Stanford Medicine, another positive voice and advocate for community health. A recent blog post on its website affirms that “expectant moms [are] more susceptible to the flu [and can] face a particularly high risk for complications if they get sick [as a result of undergoing changes in their immune system, heart and lungs during pregnancy, and yet] roughly half of pregnant women fail to get a seasonal flu shot.”

Taking everything into account, to avoid potentially serious complications, pregnant women should get the flu vaccine to at least protect herself and the people around her from influenza.

From the Stanford Medicine Scope post, one learns of a new means to “increase adherence rates among moms-to-be” who do intend to get the flu vaccination: a text message from the hospital to their mobile phone can be used to remind them of their appointment.

According to a Psych Central report, “Columbia University researchers discovered that sending text messages to this population of women resulted in an uptick in influenza vaccination, especially for those who received the messages early in their third trimester.” The researchers explain that the use of smartphones can help improve health access and definitely improve participation to flu vaccination programs.

The Columbia University researchers, however, discovered that text messages in general (not necessarily just for smartphones) proved to be a more effective form of communication, as it had an effect on the percentage of expectant moms that showed up for their vaccination in its study. “A subgroup of women early in the third trimester had the highest intervention effect – 61.9 percent of the intervention group [which received text reminders] was vaccinated versus 49 percent for the control group,” affirms Psych Central.

It seems that mobile health initiatives can help improve public health, by being able to help healthcare providers better reach out to the community. A similar study already proved the beneficial effect on raising vaccination rates of sending SMSs to parents of low-income children. 




Edited by Alisen Downey
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