mHealth Technology Use and Implications in Historically Underserved and Minority Populations in the United States: Systematic Literature Review

There is no author summary for this article yet. Authors can add summaries to their articles on ScienceOpen to make them more accessible to a non-specialist audience.

Abstract

Background

The proportion of people in the United States who are members of at least two ethnic groups is projected to increase to 10% by the year 2050. This makes addressing health disparities and health inequities in minority populations increasingly more difficult. Minority populations, including those who classify themselves as African American and Hispanic, are using mobile phones to access health information via the internet more frequently than those who classify themselves as white, providing unique opportunities for those in public health and health education to reach these traditionally underserved populations using mobile health (mHealth) interventions.

Objective

The objective of this review was to assess studies conducted in the United States that have used mHealth tools and strategies to develop and implement interventions in underserved populations. This review also examines the ways in which mHealth strategies are being employed in public health interventions to these priority population groups, as mobile phone capabilities include text messaging, mobile apps, internet access, emails, video streaming, social media, instant messaging, and more.

Methods

A systematic literature review was conducted using key search phrases, the matrix method, and Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses flowchart diagram to identify key studies conducted between the years of 2009-2016 in the United States. These studies were reviewed for their use of mHealth interventions in historically underserved and minority populations.

Results

A total of 16,270 articles were initially identified using key search phrases in three databases. Titles were reviewed and articles not meeting criteria were excluded, leaving 156 articles for further review. After additional review for relevance and inclusion criteria, 16 articles were qualified and analyzed.

Conclusions

mHealth is a promising area of development for public health and health education. While successful research has been done using text messaging (short message service, SMS) and other mHealth strategies, there is a need for more research using mobile phones and tablet applications. This literature review demonstrates mHealth technology has the ability to increase prevention and health education in health disparate communities and concludes that more specified research is needed.

Related collections

Most cited references 20

Record: found
Abstract: found
Article: not found

Effect of a text messaging intervention on influenza vaccination in an urban, low-income pediatric and adolescent population: a randomized controlled trial.

Melissa Stockwell, David Vawdrey, R Martinez … (2012)

Influenza infection results in substantial costs, morbidity, and mortality. Vaccination against influenza is particularly important in children and adolescents who are a significant source of transmission to other high-risk populations, yet pediatric and adolescent vaccine coverage remains low. Traditional vaccine reminders have had a limited effect on low-income populations; however, text messaging is a novel, scalable approach to promote influenza vaccination. To evaluate targeted text message reminders for low-income, urban parents to promote receipt of influenza vaccination among children and adolescents. Randomized controlled trial of 9213 children and adolescents aged 6 months to 18 years receiving care at 4 community-based clinics in the United States during the 2010-2011 influenza season. Of the 9213 children and adolescents, 7574 had not received influenza vaccine prior to the intervention start date and were included in the primary analysis. Parents of children assigned to the intervention received up to 5 weekly immunization registry-linked text messages providing educational information and instructions regarding Saturday clinics. Both the intervention and usual care groups received the usual care, an automated telephone reminder, and access to informational flyers posted at the study sites. Receipt of an influenza vaccine dose recorded in the immunization registry via an electronic health record by March 31, 2011. Receipt was secondarily assessed at an earlier fall review date prior to typical widespread influenza activity. Study children and adolescents were primarily minority, 88% were publicly insured, and 58% were from Spanish-speaking families. As of March 31, 2011, a higher proportion of children and adolescents in the intervention group (43.6%; n = 1653) compared with the usual care group (39.9%; n = 1509) had received influenza vaccine (difference, 3.7% [95% CI, 1.5%-5.9%]; relative rate ratio [RRR], 1.09 [95% CI, 1.04-1.15]; P = .001). At the fall review date, 27.1% (n = 1026) of the intervention group compared with 22.8% (n = 864) of the usual care group had received influenza vaccine (difference, 4.3% [95% CI, 2.3%-6.3%]; RRR, 1.19 [95% CI, 1.10-1.28]; P < .001). Among children and adolescents in a low-income, urban population, a text messaging intervention compared with usual care was associated with an increased rate of influenza vaccination. However, the overall influenza vaccination rate remained low. clinicaltrials.gov Identifier: NCT01146912.

0 comments Cited 107 times – based on 0 reviews      Review now

Bookmark

Record: found
Abstract: found
Article: not found

Interest of pregnant women in the use of SMS (short message service) text messages for the improvement of perinatal and postnatal care

Gabriela Cormick, Natalie A Kim, Ashlei Rodgers … (2012)

Background Mobile health (mHealth) is emerging as a useful tool to improve healthcare access especially in the developing world, where limited access to health services is linked to poor antenatal care, and maternal and perinatal mortality. The objective of this study is to 1) understand pregnant women’s access and usage of cell phones and 2) survey the health information needs and interests in a population attending public hospitals and health centers of two cities in Argentina. This information is not available and it is the basis to develop a strategy for improving maternal care via cell phones. Methods Questionnaires were verbally administered to pregnant women who were attending an antenatal care visit in community health centers and public hospitals in Rosario, Santa Fe and Mercedes, Corrientes. Participants were 18 years of age or older and had previously given birth. The data obtained was qualitative and analyzed using SPSS version 18. Results A total of 147 pregnant women meeting inclusion criteria (Rosario: 63; Mercedes: 84) were approached and verbally consented to participate. The average age was 29.5 years, most lived in urban areas (89%) with a mean travel time of 43.4 minutes required to get to the health center and 57.3 minutes to get the hospital. Ninety-six percent of women (n = 140) responded that they would like to receive text messages and cell phone calls with information regarding prenatal care, although the topics and period of time to receive information varied greatly. Conclusions Considering the vast majority of the interviewed women had access to and were interested in receiving text messages and calls with educational information regarding pregnancy and infant health, pregnant women in Argentina could benefit from such an mHealth program. The low access to Internet suggests it is not an option for this population; however, this cannot be assumed as representative of the country’s situation. To retain active participation, other forms of health communication, such as a 2-way text message systems or toll-free numbers, could be considered in the future. Cost of use and implementing these options should be studied.

0 comments Cited 51 times – based on 0 reviews      Review now

Bookmark

Record: found
Abstract: found
Article: found

Is Open Access

Print versus a culturally-relevant Facebook and text message delivered intervention to promote physical activity in African American women: a randomized pilot trial

Rodney P Joseph, Colleen Keller, Marc Adams … (2015)

Background African American women report insufficient physical activity and are disproportionally burdened by associated disease conditions; indicating the need for innovative approaches to promote physical activity in this underserved population. Social media platforms (i.e. Facebook) and text messaging represent potential mediums to promote physical activity. This paper reports the results of a randomized pilot trial evaluating a theory-based (Social Cognitive Theory) multi-component intervention using Facebook and text-messages to promote physical activity among African American women. Methods Participants (N = 29) were randomly assigned to receive one of two multi-component physical activity interventions over 8 weeks: a culturally-relevant, Social Cognitive Theory-based, intervention delivered by Facebook and text message (FI) (n = 14), or a non-culturally tailored print-based intervention (PI) (n = 15) consisting of promotion brochures mailed to their home. The primary outcome of physical activity was assessed by ActiGraph GT3X+ accelerometers. Secondary outcomes included self-reported physical activity, physical activity-related psychosocial variables, and participant satisfaction. Results All randomized participants (N = 29) completed the study. Accelerometer measured physical activity showed that FI participants decreased sedentary time (FI = −74 minutes/week vs. PI = +118 minute/week) and increased light intensity (FI = +95 minutes/week vs. PI = +59 minutes/week) and moderate-lifestyle intensity physical activity (FI = + 27 minutes/week vs. PI = −34 minutes/week) in comparison to PI participants (all P’s .05). Results of secondary outcomes showed that in comparison to the PI, FI participants self-reported greater increases in moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (FI = +62 minutes/week vs. PI = +6 minutes/week; P = .015) and had greater enhancements in self-regulation for physical activity (P < .001) and social support from family for physical activity (P = .044). Satisfaction with the FI was also high: 100% reported physical activity-related knowledge gains and 100% would recommend the program to a friend. Conclusions A culturally-relevant Facebook and text message delivered physical activity program was associated with several positive outcomes, including decreased sedentary behavior, increased light- and moderate-lifestyle intensity physical activity, enhanced psychosocial outcomes, and high participant satisfaction. Future studies with larger samples are warranted to further explore the efficacy of technology-based approaches to promote physical activity among African American women. Trial Registration ClinicalTrials.gov NCT02372565. Registered 25 February 2015.

0 comments Cited 51 times – based on 0 reviews      Review now

Bookmark

All references

Author and article information

Contributors

Charkarra Anderson-Lewis:

Department of Public HealthUniversity of Southern Mississippi118 College DriveHattiesburg, MS, 39406United States1 601 266 5794charkarra.andersonlewis@usm.edu

ORCID: http://orcid.org/0000-0003-3976-2996

Journal

Journal ID (nlm-ta): JMIR Mhealth Uhealth

Journal ID (iso-abbrev): JMIR Mhealth Uhealth

Journal ID (publisher-id): JMU

Title: JMIR mHealth and uHealth

Publisher: JMIR Publications (Toronto, Canada )

ISSN (Electronic): 2291-5222

Publication date Collection: June 2018

Publication date (Electronic): 18 June 2018

Volume: 6

Issue: 6

Electronic Location Identifier: e128

Affiliations

[1] ¹ Department of Public Health University of Southern Mississippi Hattiesburg, MS United States

[2] ² College of Public Health University of Georgia Athens, GA United States

[3] ³ College of Medicine Department of Pediatrics University of Florida Gainesville, FL United States

Author notes

Corresponding Author: Charkarra Anderson-Lewis charkarra.andersonlewis@ 123456usm.edu

Author information

Charkarra Anderson-Lewis http://orcid.org/0000-0003-3976-2996

Gabrielle Darville http://orcid.org/0000-0003-0982-0745

Rebeccah Eve Mercado http://orcid.org/0000-0001-8820-9367

Savannah Howell http://orcid.org/0000-0001-6245-8066

Samantha Di Maggio http://orcid.org/0000-0001-8628-6641

Article

Publisher ID: v6i6e128

DOI: 10.2196/mhealth.8383

PMC ID: 6028762

PubMed ID: 29914860

SO-VID: 3bf53352-6b59-48fc-979c-9624d063a9c0

Copyright © ©Charkarra Anderson-Lewis, Gabrielle Darville, Rebeccah Eve Mercado, Savannah Howell, Samantha Di Maggio. Originally published in JMIR Mhealth and Uhealth (http://mhealth.jmir.org), 18.06.2018.

License:

This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License ( https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work, first published in JMIR mhealth and uhealth, is properly cited. The complete bibliographic information, a link to the original publication on http://mhealth.jmir.org/.as well as this copyright and license information must be included.

History

Date received : 9 July 2017

Date revision requested : 25 August 2017

Date revision received : 31 January 2018

Date accepted : 14 March 2018

Comments

Comment on this article

scite_

Cited by 103

See all cited by

Most referenced authors 287

See all reference authors

Submit your digital health research with an established publisher
- celebrating 25 years of open access