Preserving ACTs - Text Reminders to Increase Adherence to ACT Treatment

NCT01722734 | Completed Results

• 1 other identifier: 19850-101
• Study Type: interventional
• Target: 1,140
• Locations: 1 country
• Sites: 1

Brief Summary

A randomized controlled trial was conducted to assess the effectiveness of text reminders sent to ACT users through an automated text messaging system short-message-system. Study hypothesis: text message reminders increase adherence

Conditions

Malaria

Keywords

Malaria; ACTs

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (1)

• Self-reported Adherence to Artemisinin-combination Therapy (ACT) Treatment

  Percentage of participants completing full ACT treatment regimen 70 hours after treatment initiation. Subjects were visited at home, and asked to report when each of the prescribed six doses were taken. Adherence was defined as the (self-reported) completion of all six doses.

  70 hours

Study Arms (3)

Control

NO INTERVENTION

Patients in the control arm only got a generic health message at the end of the study.

Short Message

ACTIVE COMPARATOR

Patients in this arm receive six short text message reminders within 60 hours of treatment initiation at 12 hour intervals.

Behavioral: Text message reminders

Long message

ACTIVE COMPARATOR

Patients in this arm receive six long text message reminders (reminders including justification for why patients should finish medication) within 60 hours of treatment initiation at 12 hour intervals.

Behavioral: Text message reminders

Interventions

Text message reminders BEHAVIORAL

Patients in the two treatment arms receive six short text message reminders within 60 hours of treatment initiation at 12 hour intervals to remind them to take their malaria medication as prescribed.

Long message; Short Message

Eligibility Criteria

• Age: 18 Years+
• Sex: all
• Healthy Volunteers: Yes
• Age Groups: Adult (18-64), Older Adult (65+)

You may qualify if:

• subjects acquiring ACTs in Tamale, Ghana

You may not qualify if:

• subjects acquiring ACTs for non household members
• subjects under the age of 18
• subjects without access to cell phones
• subjects living more than 30 minutes from pickup location

Sponsors & Collaborators

• Harvard School of Public Health (HSPH): lead

Study Sites (1)

Study site

Tamale, Northern Region, Ghana

Location

Related Publications (1)

• Raifman JR, Lanthorn HE, Rokicki S, Fink G. The impact of text message reminders on adherence to antimalarial treatment in northern Ghana: a randomized trial. PLoS One. 2014 Oct 28;9(10):e109032. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0109032. eCollection 2014.

  PMID: 25350546 DERIVED

MeSH Terms

Conditions

Malaria

Condition Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Protozoan Infections; Parasitic Diseases; Infections; Mosquito-Borne Diseases; Vector Borne Diseases

Limitations and Caveats

Main outcome is self-reported adherence. Study was restricted to urban population with mobile phone ownership.

Results Point of Contact

• Title: Dr Günther Fink
• Organization: Harvard School of Public Health

gfink@hsph.harvard.edu

6174327389

Study Officials

• Gunther Fink, PhD

  Harvard School of Public Health (HSPH)

  PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR

Publication Agreements

• PI is Sponsor Employee: Yes

Study Design

• Study Type: interventional
• Phase: not applicable
• Allocation: RANDOMIZED
• Masking: SINGLE
• Who Masked: OUTCOMES ASSESSOR
• Purpose: SUPPORTIVE CARE
• Intervention Model: PARALLEL
• Sponsor Type: OTHER
• Responsible Party: PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
• PI Title: Assistant Professor of International Health Economics

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: November 2, 2012
• First Posted: November 7, 2012
• Study Start: June 1, 2011
• Primary Completion: December 1, 2011
• Study Completion: January 1, 2013
• Last Updated: March 21, 2014
• Results First Posted: March 21, 2014

Record last verified: 2014-02

Locations

GH (1)