Use of text messaging to motivate exercise in latinos with one or more atherosclerotic risk factors: two pilot studies
Collins, Tracie C. Dong, Fandong Ablah, Elizabeth Parra-Medina, Deborah Cupertino, Paula Rogers, Nicole L. Ahlers-Schmidt, Carolyn R.
Collins, Tracie C.
Dong, Fandong
Ablah, Elizabeth
Parra-Medina, Deborah
Cupertino, Paula
Rogers, Nicole L.
Ahlers-Schmidt, Carolyn R.
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2014-04
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Collins, Tracie C.; Dong, Fandong; Ablah, Elizabeth; Parra-Medina, Deborah; Cupertino, Paula; Rogers, Nicole L.; Ahlers-Schmidt, Carolyn R. 2014. Use of text messaging to motivate exercise in latinos with one or more atherosclerotic risk factors: two pilot studies. Journal of General Internal Medicine, vol. 29:no. 1:Supplement, April 2014:pp S245-S246
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Text messaging offers an innovative approach to motivate
behavior change and improve control of atherosclerotic risk factors in adult Latinos.
We conducted two pilot studies: 1) to determine cell phone and text message usage
among Latinos with one or more atherosclerotic risk factors (e.g. age 50–69 years
with diabetes mellitus or a history of smoking; hypertension, or hyperlipidemia) and
2) to determine the efficacy of a motivational counseling script, delivered via text
messaging, to improve the use of exercise among Latinos with one or more
atherosclerotic risk factors.
METHODS: We administered a 15-item survey to Latino adults with one or more
atherosclerotic risk factors. For an additional sample of Latino adults with one or more
JGIM ABSTRACTS S245atherosclerotic risk factors, we conducted a six-week, pre- and post-trial intervention. As
part of the six-week trial, we ascertained stage of readiness to engage in exercise, which is
a component of the original motivational script -Patient-centered Assessment and
Counseling for Exercise (PACE) protocol - and exercise behavior scores (Exercise
Behavior Questionnaire). Stage of readiness to exercise is based on the Transtheoretical
Model and participants receive a score of one for precontemplation, a score of two to four
for contemplation, and a score of five to eight for action/maintenance. Based on a
participant’s stage of readiness to exercise score, he/she received text messages. Text
messages were sent once per day, 5 days per week for 6 weeks.
RESULTS: Among the 82 persons who completed the survey, (mean age 49.2, SD
12.0 years), 96.3 % owned a cellphone, 91.3 % had texting capacity on their cellphones, and
82.1 % had unlimited text messaging. More than 90 % received and sent text messages daily.
Further, of those with text messaging capability, 89.2 % received at least one text message
daily, and 52.7 % received five or more text messages daily, For the six-week trial, the mean
age of the 13 participants was 49.2 years (SD 11.9). All 13 participants received their text
messages. At baseline, the mean PACE score was 2.64 (0.67) out of a maximum score of 8
and this increased to 5.36 (0.81) at 6 weeks (P<0.001). At baseline, the mean exercise
behavior score was 55.91 (55.76) minutes of exercise per week and this increased to 201.82
(61.61) minutes of exercise per week at 6 weeks (P<0.0003)
CONCLUSIONS: Use of cell phones and text messaging is common among Latinos
with one or more atherosclerotic risk factors. Further, delivering a behavioral change
intervention via text messaging is feasible and potentially efficacious to improve stage
of readiness to engage in exercise as well as exercise behaviors among Latinos with
one or more atherosclerotic risk factors.
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© Springer
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Journal of General Internal Medicine;v.29:no.1:Supplement, April 2014
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0884-8734