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. 2025 Jul 21;27:e71982. doi: 10.2196/71982

Table 1.

Summary and comparison of selected studies on text messages for medication adherence.

Study Disease focus Design Theory Frequency of messages Tailored messaging
Mulvaney et al [35], 2012 T1Da Pilot RCTb Nc

  • 8 to 12 messages per week (mean 10 messages)

 Yd
Osborn and Mulvaney [36], 2013 T2De Development and feasibility study N

  • 2 messages per day

 Y
Arora et al [37], 2014 T2D RCT N

  • 2 messages per day

 N
Bobrow et al [38], 2014 HTNf Pragmatic RCT N

  • 1 message per week

  • Additional situation-specific message

 Y
Gatwood et al [39], 2014 DMg Development and feasibility study Y

  • 1 message per day

 Y
Islam et al [40], 2014 T2D RCT Y

  • 1 message per day

 N
Buis et al [41], 2015 HTN RCT Y

  • 2 messages and 1 assessment per week

  • Self-decided number and timing of daily reminder

 Y
Bobrow et al [42], 2016 HTN Pragmatic RCT Y

  • 1 message per week

  • Additional situation-specific message

 Y
Farris et al [43], 2016 HTN Cross-sectional N —h N
Nelson et al [22], 2016 T2D Cross-sectional Y

  • 2 messages per day

  • 1 feedback message per week

 Y
Abaza and Marschollek [44], 2017 T2D Pilot RCT N

  • 1 message per day

 N
Haramiova et al [45], 2017 HTN Pragmatic RCT N

  • Self-decided number and timing of daily reminder messages

 Y
Huo et al [46], 2017 DM and CHDi RCT Y

  • 6 messages per week (from Tuesday to Sunday)

 Y
Varleta et al [47], 2017 HTN RCT Y

  • 1 message every 12 days (SD 2 d)

 N
Bobrow et al [48], 2018 HTN RCT Y

  • 1 message per week

 N
Prayaga et al [49], 2018 Chronic disease RCT N

  • 2 messages per week (on Wednesday and Thursday)

  • Additional situation-specific message

 Y
Angellotti et al [50], 2019 T2D and HTN Single-arm trials N

  • Determined by the user

 Y
Bartlett et al [51], 2019 T2D Cross-sectional Y — N
Farmer et al [52], 2019 T2D Randomized feasibility trial protocol Y

  • Up to 4 messages per week (mean 3 messages)

 Y
Gong et al [53], 2019 CVDj Pilot study of a cluster-randomized controlled trial Y

  • Text message (at 3 PM every 2 d); voice message (at 7 PM every 2 d)

 N
Huo et al [54], 2019 CHD and T2D RCT Y

  • 6 messages per week (from Tuesday to Sunday, randomly sent at 9 AM, 12 AM, or 4 PM)

 Y
Kassavou et al [55], 2019 HTN Cross-sectional Y

  • Determined by the user (1-4 messages per d)

 Y
Waller et al [56], 2019 T2D RCT Y

  • For months 1 to 3, 1 message per day; for months 4 to 6; 4 messages per week

 Y
Zheng et al [57], 2019 CHD RCT Y

  • 6 messages per week (from Tuesday to Sunday)

 Y
Adu et al [58], 2020 T1D and T2D Development and feasibility study Y — Y
Bartlett et al [59], 2020 T2D Message development and fidelity study Y — N
Bhandari et al [60], 2020 HTN RCT Y

  • 3 messages per week

 N
Champoux et al [61], 2020 HTN Development and feasibility study Y

  • 2 messages per week

  • Monthly blood pressure feedback message

 Y
Jahan et al [62], 2020 HTN RCT N

  • 5 messages in the first month, and then 1 message per week for the following 4 months

 N
Kundury and Hathur [63], 2020 T2D Pilot RCT N

  • 1 message per week

 N
Li et al [64], 2020 Overweight RCT Y

  • 3 or 5 per week, depending on the allocation

 Y
Owolabi et al [65], 2020 DM RCT N

  • Determined by the user

 Y
Sadanshiv et al [66], 2020 T2D RCT Y

  • 2 messages per week

 Y
Schoenthaler et al [67], 2020 T2D Cross-sectional Y

  • 4 messages per day

  • 1 feedback message per week

 Y
Zhai et al [68], 2020 HTN RCT N

  • 1 message per 3 days

 N
Campos et al [69], 2021 HTN Pilot RCT N

  • Once per week (multiple messages)

 Y
Farmer et al [70], 2021 T2D RCT Y

  • 3 to 4 times weekly

 Y
Lauffenburger et al [71], 2021 T2D Pragmatic RCT N — N
Leon et al [72], 2021 T2D RCT Y

  • Up to 4 times per week

 Y
Sharp et al [73], 2021 T2D RCT N

  • Up to 7 messages per week

 N
Bartlett et al [74], 2022 T2D RCT feasibility Y

  • Up to 4 text messages per week

 Y
Bhandari et al [75], 2022 HTN Pilot RCT Y

  • 3 times per week in the morning (9 AM-10 AM)

 Y
Farmer et al [76], 2022 T2D Protocol of RCT Y

  • Up to 4 messages per week

 N
Kershaw et al [77], 2022 Nonspecific chronic disease Pilot RCT N — N
Levin et al [78], 2022 HTN among patients with bipolar 2-stage RCT Y

  • High intensity (starts off with 1 reminder per day for 2 months and tapers down to 1 reminder per week for another 2 months) or

  • Low intensity (1 reminder per week for 4 months)

 Y
Mandal et al [79], 2022 T2D RCT N

  • Questions on individualized healthy living goals and patients’ diabetes quality of life were sent weekly, and the remaining messages were sent daily

 Y
Philis-Tsimikas et al [80], 2022 T2D RCT Y

  • 2 to 3 messages per day (frequency tapering)

 N
Van Emmenis et al [81], 2022 HTN Cross-sectional Y

  • Not specified

 Y
Asgary et al [82], 2023 HTN Cross-sectional Y

  • 1 message every other day

 N
SPRINT INDIA trial collaborators [83], 2023 Recurrent stroke prevention RCT N

  • Daily text message for the first 6 weeks, then a text message twice a week until 6 months and, thereafter, 1 message a week until 1 year

 Y
Zamanillo-Campos et al [84], 2023 T2D Pragmatic RCT Y

  • Up to 5 messages per week (from Monday to Friday)

 Y
Zamanillo-Campos et al [85], 2024 T2D RCT Y

  • Up to 5 SMS text messages per week

 Y

aT1D: type 1 diabetes.

bRCT: randomized controlled trial.

cN: did not use theory or tailored messaging on text messages for medication adherence.

dY: used theory or tailored messaging on text messages for medication adherence.

eT2D: type 2 diabetes.

fHTN: hypertension.

gDM: diabetes mellitus.

hNot available.

iCHD: coronary heart disease.

jCVD: cardiovascular disease.