Table 3.
Key Recommendations and Examples Specific to Designing SMS-based Interventions
| Key Recommendations | Examples |
|---|---|
| Establishing Intervention Components | |
| Form Team | Include multidisciplinary experts and patients in treatment |
| Identify Priorities | Not too automated |
| Interactive to strengthen patient-provider relationship | |
| Automated reminders verses inquiries if no notification | |
| Consider Timing | Align with recommended medication regimen (e.g., while fasting) |
| Determine staff schedule and availability | |
| Consider Frequency | Number of times per week to deliver messages, consider holidays |
| Identify Software | Access software features flexibility (e.g., open source platform) |
| Developing Educational Messages | |
| Identify Important Topics | Obtain patient and expert input |
| Use Model for Guidance and Coding Scheme Development | IMB model helped guide development of educational content |
| Content analysis based on model helped identify content options | |
| Translate and Adapt | Adapt messages to local language and cultural nuances |
| Decide on type of language (e.g., formal/informal conjugations) | |
| Format to SMS | Messages must be clear, concise and use basic educational level Identify common word abbreviations used in local SMS lingo Remove pronouns where possible to accommodate more content Extra time and multiple iterations are needed for formatting step |
| Prioritize Delivery Order | Messages must coincide with potential side effect of medication (e.g., urine quickly changes color, this is normal must be an initial messages) Messages must coincide with routine follow-up times (e.g., one month follow-up, testing after two months of treatment) |
| Develop Message Options | Message options (e.g., auto confirmation or query messages when patient does not notify) to rotate to not be too automated |
| Determining Intervention Protocol | |
| Identify Algorithm | Determine steps for when participant does not complete requested action (e.g., does not notify) |
| Identify Key Collaborators | Provide/discuss study and protocol to key collaborators (e.g., social workers to assist with patient tracking) |