Runsen Zhuang1, Yueying Xiang2, Tieguang Han3, Guo-An Yang3, Yuan Zhang3. 1. School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510000, Guangdong, China; Shenzhen Health Education and Promotion Center, Shenzhen 518000, Guangdong, China. 2. School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510000, Guangdong, China; The 181st Hospital of Chinese People's Liberation Army and Affiliated Hospital of Southern Medical University, Guilin 541000, Guangxi, China. 3. Shenzhen Health Education and Promotion Center, Shenzhen 518000, Guangdong, China.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: The ubiquity of cell phones, which allow for short message service (SMS), provides new and innovative opportunities for disease prevention and health education. OBJECTIVE: To explore the use of cell phone-based health education SMS to improve the health literacy of community residents in China. METHODS: A multi-stage random sampling method was used to select representative study communities and participants ≥ 18 years old. Intervention participants were sent health education SMSs once a week for 1 year and controls were sent conventional, basic health education measures. Health literacy levels of the residents before and after the intervention were evaluated between intervention and control groups. RESULTS: Public health literacy scores increased 1.5 points, from 61.8 to 63.3, after SMS intervention for 1 year (P<0.01); the increase was greater for males than females (2.01 vs. 1.03; P<0.01) and for Shenzhen local residents than non-permanent residents (2.56 vs. 1.14; P<0.01). The frequency of high health literacy scores was greater for the intervention than control group (22.03% to 30.93% vs. 22.07% to 20.82%). With health literacy as a cost-effective index, the cost-effectiveness per intervention was 0.54. CONCLUSION: SMS may be a useful tool for improving health literacy.
BACKGROUND: The ubiquity of cell phones, which allow for short message service (SMS), provides new and innovative opportunities for disease prevention and health education. OBJECTIVE: To explore the use of cell phone-based health education SMS to improve the health literacy of community residents in China. METHODS: A multi-stage random sampling method was used to select representative study communities and participants ≥ 18 years old. Intervention participants were sent health education SMSs once a week for 1 year and controls were sent conventional, basic health education measures. Health literacy levels of the residents before and after the intervention were evaluated between intervention and control groups. RESULTS: Public health literacy scores increased 1.5 points, from 61.8 to 63.3, after SMS intervention for 1 year (P<0.01); the increase was greater for males than females (2.01 vs. 1.03; P<0.01) and for Shenzhen local residents than non-permanent residents (2.56 vs. 1.14; P<0.01). The frequency of high health literacy scores was greater for the intervention than control group (22.03% to 30.93% vs. 22.07% to 20.82%). With health literacy as a cost-effective index, the cost-effectiveness per intervention was 0.54. CONCLUSION: SMS may be a useful tool for improving health literacy.
Entities:
Keywords:
Health literacy; cell phone; community residents; intervention; short message service
Authors: Ashmin Hari Bhattarai; Guardian Yoki Sanjaya; Anil Khadka; Randeep Kumar; Riris Andono Ahmad Journal: BMC Health Serv Res Date: 2019-10-15 Impact factor: 2.655
Authors: IkeOluwapo O Ajayi; Oyediran E Oyewole; Okechukwu S Ogah; Joshua O Akinyemi; Mobolaji M Salawu; Eniola A Bamgboye; Taiwo Obembe; Morenikeji Olawuwo; Mahmoud Umar Sani Journal: Trials Date: 2022-05-02 Impact factor: 2.728