Preserving ACTs - Text Reminders to Increase Adherence to ACT Treatment

Study Overview
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Brief Summary
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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

Detailed Description
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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. Patients were enrolled at clinics and pharmacies upon receipt of ACTs and enrolled in the automated system for 3 days.

Official Title
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Preserving ACTs - Text Reminders to Increase Adherence to ACT Treatment

Conditions
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Malaria

Intervention / Treatment
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* Behavioral: Text message reminders


Participation Criteria
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Eligibility Criteria
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Inclusion Criteria: -subjects acquiring ACTs in Tamale, Ghana Exclusion Criteria: 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

Ages Eligible for Study
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Minimum Age: 18 Years

Sexes Eligible for Study
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All

Accepts Healthy Volunteers
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Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Study Plan
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How is the study designed?
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Design Details

Primary Purpose: Supportive Care
Allocation: Randomized
Intervention Model: Parallel Assignment
Masking: Single


Arms and Interventions

| Participant Group/Arm | Intervention/Treatment |
| --- | --- |
| No Intervention: Control<br>Patients in the control arm only got a generic health message at the end of the study. | |
| Active Comparator: Short Message<br>Patients in this arm receive six short text message reminders within 60 hours of treatment initiation at 12 hour intervals. | Behavioral: Text message reminders<br>* 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.<br>|
| Active Comparator: Long message<br>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<br>* 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.<br>|

What is the study measuring?
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Primary Outcome Measures

| Outcome Measure | Measure Description | Time Frame |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 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 | 

 Terms related to the study
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Keywords Provided by Centre Hospitalier Valida
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Malaria, ACTs