Text messaging effective in increasing sunscreen use

The researchers found that people who were sent daily text messages encouraging them to apply sunscreen reported an improved sunscreen adherence compared to those who didn't receive them.

April Armstrong, director of the University of California (UC), Davis Tele dermatology Program, stated, "Our study showed that people do respond to reminders. Cell phones are a smart way to communicate regularly with patients because people take them everywhere."

She further said, "At the start of the study, we did not know how people would react to getting text messages as reminders. But the measurable differences we found in behavior were encouraging and exciting and suggest that using common communication tools can sometimes reap substantial benefits and opportunities to improve health and health care.”

Details of study
The researchers conducted a trial to evaluate the impact of an automated reminder system on the frequency of sunscreen application.

Seventy individuals ranging from 18 years onwards participated in the study. They were asked to apply sunscreen daily for a period of six weeks. Half were selected randomly to receive text-message reminders, while the other half did not receive any communication.

Text messages were sent out each morning which stated the weather report along with a reminder to apply sunscreen. The evidence of sunscreen use was recorded by a novel electronic monitoring device which was strapped onto the tube of sunscreen.

"We could actually track in real time when people are using their sunscreen," stated Armstrong.

Observations by researchers
At the end of the study, the researchers found subjects receiving text messages had a significantly improved rate of sunscreen application as opposed to those who were not reminded.

The researchers stated, "At the end of the 42-day (six-week) study period, the control group had a mean [average] adherence of 12.6 days of sunscreen application, which corresponded to a 30-percent daily adherence rate. In comparison, the group that received daily reminder messages had a mean adherence of 23.6 days and a daily adherence rate of 56.1 percent.”

Among the participants in the reminder group, 69 percent of the subjects stated they would carry on using text-message reminders after the study while 89 percent said they would propose the system to others.

Implications of the study
The researchers are optimistic the results of the study will inspire health-care providers to use communication technology to inculcate healthy habits in their patients, such as taking prescribed medications properly.

Armstrong stated, "The short-term results of our study suggest that cellular telephone text-message reminders are a low-cost, scalable and effective method of bridging this knowledge-action gap.

"Introduction of a program that incorporates text-message reminders to a large population may be an innovative preventive health measure against the development of skin cancer."

The study has been published in the November issue of the Archives of Dermatology.