The Impact Of Text Message (SMS) Reminders On Helmet Use Among Motorcycle Drivers In Dar Es Salaam, Tanzania

Study Overview
=================
Brief Summary
-----------------
This study seeks to evaluate the impact of a text-message (SMS) program delivered to motorcycle drivers in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. The SMS program, delivered by nonprofit Amend, sends daily reminders to motorcycle drivers to remind them to wear their helmets. In this study, the investigators will conduct a randomized controlled trial to see if this program leads to increased helmet use over time. The investigators will recruit between 350-400 motorcycle drivers to receive the text program. The investigators will obtain each of their cell phone numbers, and the participants will be split into three groups. The first group will receive reminders framed as social norming (ie Most of your peers wear helmets). The second group will receive reminders framed as fear appeals (ie Not wearing your helmet increases your chance of dying in an accident). The third group will act as the control and receive texts that relate to general road safety, but not helmet use. All groups will receive the same general road safety information being delivered to the control arm. The purpose of sending different types of reminders is to assess which type of messages are more likely to cause a motorcycle driver to regularly wear their helmet. The investigators will survey the participants at the initiation of the study and after weeks 3 and 6 during the study, asking about their helmet use. This will be a short survey, and any personal information gathered during the study (ie, phone numbers), will be securely stored so as to protect their privacy.

Official Title
-----------------
The Impact Of Text Message (SMS) Reminders On Helmet Use Among Motorcycle Drivers In Dar Es Salaam, Tanzania

Conditions
-----------------
Road Traffic Injury Prevention, Helmet Use, mHealth Intervention

Intervention / Treatment
-----------------
* Behavioral: SMS message reminder


Participation Criteria
=================
Eligibility Criteria
-----------------
Inclusion Criteria: Age 18 or older Must own a cell phone with text-message features Must demonstrate ability to retrieve and read text-messages Must have access to a helmet. Exclusion Criteria:

Ages Eligible for Study
-----------------
Minimum Age: 18 Years

Sexes Eligible for Study
-----------------
Male

Accepts Healthy Volunteers
-----------------
Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Study Plan
=================
How is the study designed?
-----------------

Design Details

Primary Purpose: Prevention
Allocation: Randomized
Intervention Model: Parallel Assignment
Masking: Double


Arms and Interventions

| Participant Group/Arm | Intervention/Treatment |
| --- | --- |
| Experimental: Social Norming<br>The first group will receive SMS message reminders framed as social norming (ie Most of your peers wear helmets). | Behavioral: SMS message reminder<br>* SMS texts will be delivered to study participants over a 6-week period.<br>|
| Experimental: Fear Appeal<br>The second group will receive SMS message reminders framed as fear appeals (ie Not wearing your helmet increases your chance of dying in an accident). | Behavioral: SMS message reminder<br>* SMS texts will be delivered to study participants over a 6-week period.<br>|
| Placebo Comparator: Control<br>The third group will act as the control and receive texts that relate to general road safety, but not helmet use. | Behavioral: SMS message reminder<br>* SMS texts will be delivered to study participants over a 6-week period.<br>|

What is the study measuring?
-----------------
Primary Outcome Measures

| Outcome Measure | Measure Description | Time Frame |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Self-reported adherence to helmet use | The primary outcome of the study will be self-reported adherence to helmet use as measured by the proportion of participants who wear their helmet on all trips | Midpoint of study (3 weeks) | 
| Self-reported adherence to helmet use | The primary outcome of the study will be self-reported adherence to helmet use as measured by the proportion of participants who wear their helmet on all trips | Endpoint of study (6 weeks) | 

Secondary Outcome Measures

| Outcome Measure | Measure Description | Time Frame |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Attitude change | A secondary outcome will be participants' attitudes toward helmet use and the SMS reminder platform, as measured by an open-ended survey at the end of the study. | 6 weeks | 

 Terms related to the study
=================
Keywords Provided by Centre Hospitalier Valida
-----------------
Helmet use, Road traffic injury prevention, mHealth intervention