Text messages improve patient compliance

Boston - A recent study conducted by the Center for Connected Health suggests that text messages are an effective tool for improving patient compliance with treatment and self-care, PRNewswire reports.

Twenty-five atopic dermatitis patients received daily text messages over a six-week period that included information about their condition and reminders to take their medication. The group included adults and teenagers, with a mean age of 30.5 years.

At enrollment, 92 percent of the participants reported that they sometimes forgot to take their medication, while 88 percent said they often stopped treatment when their symptoms improved.

At study’s end, 72 percent reported improved compliance, 68 percent reported an improvement in the number of self-care behaviors they routinely perform, and 98 percent reported an improvement in at least one self-care behavior.

At the end of the trial, there was a “statistically significant” improvement in the severity of patients’ skin conditions, the study found. Seventy-six percent of participants reported improvement in their condition, and 72 percent reported improvement in their quality of life.

The Center for Connected Health is a division of Boston-based Partners HealthCare.