Study on Mhealth and Reproductive Health in Teens (SMART)

President and Fellows of Harvard College

Status: Completed

Conditions: Reproductive Health

Treatments: Other: Control, comparator arm; Behavioral: Basic Treatment; Behavioral: Interactive Treatment

Study type: Interventional

Funder types: Other

Identifiers

NCT02031575

IRB13-1647

Details and patient eligibility

About

The purpose of the Study on Mhealth and Reproductive Health in Teens (SMART) is to evaluate the effectiveness of using text messages to improve the knowledge, communication, and attitudes about reproductive health among female adolescents in Greater Accra senior high schools. Previous research as well as qualitative work conducted by the Investigators shows that there are significant gaps in knowledge about reproductive health including on topics of pregnancy, sexually transmitted diseases, and contraception among secondary school students in Greater Accra. These gaps contribute to unwanted pregnancy and spread of sexually transmitted diseases. At the same time, phone ownership and use among young people has spread rapidly, especially in urban areas such as Accra. The Study on Mhealth and Reproductive Health (SMART) will seek to use mobile phone messages to increase awareness of these reproductive health issues among female adolescents in Accra. The objectives of SMART are to evaluate whether the messages can increase knowledge, increase communication, and improve attitudes towards reproductive health among adolescents in Greater Accra. By conducting a randomized controlled trial, we will be able to statistically evaluate if the messages have had any effect on improving outcomes for adolescents in the areas of knowledge, communication, and attitudes. This work can help guide future programs that can scale up this intervention and ultimately improve the health and wellbeing of adolescents across Ghana.

Enrollment: 1,419 patients

Sex: All

Ages: 14 to 24 years old

Volunteers: Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion and exclusion criteria

Inclusion Criteria (for treated and control subjects):

• female
• aged 14-24
• secondary school student at day school

Exclusion Criteria (for treated and control subjects):

• male
• secondary school student at boarding school

Inclusion criteria (for spillover subjects):

• aged 14-24
• secondary school student at day school

Exclusion Criteria (for spillover subjects):

• secondary school student at boarding school

Trial design

1,419 participants in 3 patient groups, including a placebo group

Basic Treatment

Experimental group

Description:

Sends messages to participants about reproductive health.

Treatment:

Behavioral: Basic Treatment

Interactive Treatment

Experimental group

Description:

Sends multiple choice questions and receives texts message responses from participants with incentive for responding correctly

Treatment:

Behavioral: Interactive Treatment

Control

Placebo Comparator group

Description:

Sends messages to students about malaria prevention and control.

Treatment:

Other: Control, comparator arm