Top

Journal of Public Health

Published in:

01-10-2019 | Original Article

Utilization of short message service (SMS) in non-pharmacological management of hypertension. A pilot study in an URBAN public hospital of Multan, Pakistan

Authors: Anees ur Rehman, Farrukh Naeem, Sameen Abbas, Fizzah Ashfaq, Mohamed Azmi Ahmad Hassali

Published in: Journal of Public Health | Issue 5/2019

Abstract

Objective

To investigate the effectiveness of short message service (SMS) in promotion of non-pharmacological treatment approach in hypertension patients.

Subjects and methods

A prospective, randomized control study to measure the effect of short message service in improving self-management of hypertension by educating patients. One hundred and twenty hypertensive patients who had manual sphygmomanometers were selected, and were divided into two groups, i.e., an intervention group and a control group. But only the intervention group had mobile numbers of related health care professionals for SMS assistance. All of them were briefed on how they can improve HTN control by achieving a healthy life style, proper diet, and exercise (non-pharmacological approach in addition to pharmacological therapy). Patients were educated about the non-pharmacological approach for managing hypertension at each clinic visit, and were sent regular text messages about healthy diet, exercise, and adherence. Apart from educational text messages, reminder SMSs were also sent to them twice daily to remind them about taking their medicines. Patients’ feedback was collected to assess improvement in adherence and reduction in blood pressure.

Results

At the end of the study, the intervention group showed better hypertension control, with systolic blood pressure (SBP) declining by 8 mmHg to 141.15 ± 5.73 mmHg, and diastolic blood pressure (DBP) declining by 6 mmHg to 88 ± 3.97 mmHg. The control group showed a 2 mmHg and 3 mmHg decline in SBP and DBP respectively.

Conclusion

SMS proved to be very useful to enhance adherence to non-pharmacological treatment of HTN (hypertension). It also improved patient compliance.

Årsand E, Tatara N, Østengen G, Hartvigsen G (2010) Mobile phone-based self-management tools for type 2 diabetes: the few touch application. J Diab Sci Technol 4(2):328–336CrossRef

Asgary R, Galson S, Shankar H, O’Brien C, Arole S (2013) Hypertension, pre-hypertension, and associated risk factors in a subsistent farmer community in remote rural Central India. J Publ Health 21(3):251–258CrossRef

Blumenthal JA, Sherwood A, Gullette EC, Babyak M, Waugh R, Georgiades A, Craighead LW, Tweedy D, Feinglos M, Appelbaum M, Hayano J (2000) Exercise and weight loss reduce blood pressure in men and women with mild hypertension: effects on cardiovascular, metabolic, and hemodynamic functioning. Arch Intern Med 160(13):1947–1958CrossRefPubMed

Cembranel F, de Oliveira Bernardo C, Ozcariz SGI, David Alejandro GC et al (2018) Indicators of healthy food consumption among older adults with diabetes and/or hypertension are similar to healthy older adults: results from a population based study in southern Brazil. J Publ Health 26:331. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10389-017-0864-6 CrossRef

Cohen AJ, Brauer M, Burnett R, Anderson HR, Frostad J, Estep K, Balakrishnan K, Brunekreef B, Dandona L, Dandona R, Feigin V (2017) Estimates and 25-year trends of the global burden of disease attributable to ambient air pollution: an analysis of data from the global burden of diseases study 2015. Lancet 389(10082):1907–1918CrossRefPubMedPubMedCentral

Da Costa TM, Barbosa BJ, E Costa DA, Sigulem D, de Fátima Marin H, Castelo Filho A, Pisa IT (2012) Results of a randomized controlled trial to assess the effects of a mobile SMS-based intervention on treatment adherence in HIV/AIDS-infected Brazilian women and impressions and satisfaction with respect to incoming messages. Int J Med Inform 81(4):257–269CrossRefPubMedPubMedCentral

Déglise C, Suggs LS, Odermatt P (2012) SMS for disease control in developing countries: a systematic review of mobile health applications. J Telemed Telecare 18:273–281CrossRefPubMed

DiBello KK, Boyar KL, Abrenica SC, Worral PS (2013) The effectiveness of text messaging programs on adherence to treatment regimens among adults aged 18 to 45 years diagnosed with asthma: a systematic review protocol. JBI Database Syst Rev Implement Rep 11(8):170–185CrossRef

Faramawi MF, Caffrey JL (2010) Linking higher physical activity to lower serum cystatin C among US adults. J Publ Health 18(6):515–521CrossRef

Faridi Z, Liberti L, Shuval K, Northrup V, Ali A, Katz DL (2008) Evaluating the impact of mobile telephone technology on type 2 diabetic patients’ self-management: the NICHE pilot study. J Eval Clin Pract 14(3):465–469CrossRefPubMed

Geraghty M, Glynn F, Amin M, Kinsella J (2008) Patient mobile telephone ‘text’reminder: a novel way to reduce non-attendance at the ENT out-patient clinic. J Laryngol Otol 122(3):296–298CrossRefPubMed

Glynn LG, Murphy AW, Smith SM, Schroeder K, Fahey T (2010) Interventions to improve control of blood pressure in patients with hypertension (review). Cochrane Database Syst Rev 17(3):CD005182

Hashmi SK, Afridi MB, Abbas K, Sajwani RA, Saleheen D, Frossard PM, Ishaq M, Ambreen A, Ahmad U (2007) Factors associated with adherence to anti-hypertensive treatment in Pakistan. PLoS One 2(3):e280CrossRefPubMedPubMedCentral

Hussein WI, Hasan K, Jaradat AA (2011) Effectiveness of mobile phone short message service on diabetes mellitus management; the SMS-DM study. Diabetes Res Clin Pract 94(1):e24–e26CrossRefPubMed

Jafar TH, Levey AS, Jafary FH, White F, Gul A, Rahbar MH, Khan AQ, Hattersley A, Schmid CH, Chaturvedi N (2003) Ethnic subgroup differences in hypertension in Pakistan. J Hypertens 21(5):905–912CrossRefPubMed

Moore TJ, Conlin PR, Svetkey LP, DASH Collaborative Research Group (2001) DASH (dietary approaches to stop hypertension) diet is effective treatment for stage 1 isolated systolic hypertension. Hypertension 38:155–158CrossRefPubMed

Newell D, MChiro RB (2012) Increasing compliance toward home exercise in chiropractic patients using SMS texting: a pilot study. Clin Chiropr 15(3–4):107–111CrossRef

Roessler KK, Ibsen B (2009) Promoting exercise on prescription: recruitment, motivation, barriers and adherence in a Danish community intervention study to reduce type 2 diabetes, dyslipidemia and hypertension. J Publ Health 17(3):187–193CrossRef

Salehi-Abargouei A, Maghsoudi Z, Shirani F, Azadbakht L (2013) Effects of dietary approaches to stop hypertension (DASH)-style diet on fatal or nonfatal cardiovascular diseases—incidence: a systematic review and meta-analysis on observational prospective studies. Nutrition 29(4):611–618CrossRefPubMed

Strandbygaard U, Thomsen SF, Backer V (2010) A daily SMS reminder increases adherence to asthma treatment: a three-month follow-up study. Respir Med 104(2):166–171CrossRefPubMed

Vervloet M, van Dijk L, Santen-Reestman J, Van Vlijmen B, Van Wingerden P, Bouvy ML, de Bakker DH (2012) SMS reminders improve adherence to oral medication in type 2 diabetes patients who are real time electronically monitored. Int J Med Inform 81(9):594–604CrossRefPubMed

Wangberg SC, Årsand E, Andersson N (2006) Diabetes education via mobile text messaging. J Telemed Telecare 12:55CrossRefPubMed

World Health Organization (2003) Diet, nutrition and the prevention of chronic diseases. Report WHO consultation.http://www.who.int/dietphysicalactivity/publications/trs916/en/. Accessed 23 July 2018

World Health Organization (2013) Non-communicable diseases. WHO, Geneva. http://www.who.int/en/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/noncommunicable-diseases. Assessed 21 July 2018

World Health Organization (2018) Raised blood pressure: situation and trends. WHO, Geneva. http://www.who.int/gho/ncd/risk_factors/blood_pressure_prevalence_text/en/. Accessed 23 July 2018

Yoon KH, Kim HS (2008) A short message service by cellular phone in type 2 diabetic patients for 12 months. Diabetes Res Clin Pract 79(2):256–261CrossRefPubMed

Title: Utilization of short message service (SMS) in non-pharmacological management of hypertension. A pilot study in an URBAN public hospital of Multan, Pakistan
Authors: Anees ur Rehman
Farrukh Naeem
Sameen Abbas
Fizzah Ashfaq
Mohamed Azmi Ahmad Hassali
Publication date: 01-10-2019
Publisher: Springer Berlin Heidelberg
Published in: Journal of Public Health / Issue 5/2019
Print ISSN: 2198-1833
Electronic ISSN: 1613-2238
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10389-018-0982-9

At a glance: The STEP trials

Springer Medicine

Utilization of short message service (SMS) in non-pharmacological management of hypertension. A pilot study in an URBAN public hospital of Multan, Pakistan

Abstract

Objective

Subjects and methods

Results

Conclusion

At a glance: The STEP trials

Springer Medicine

Abstract

Objective

Subjects and methods

Results

Conclusion

Please log in to get access to this content

Other articles of this Issue 5/2019

Gaps in nutrition knowledge and barriers to eating healthy among low-income, school-going adolescent girls in Delhi

Thai diabetes prevention education program: development and validation of the Thai physical activity questionnaire for at-risk people

A survey to validate the traditional Siddha perception of diabetes mellitus

Examining the connection between residential histories and obesity among Ghanaians: evidence from a national survey

What are the drivers of cross-generational physical activity? Exploring the experiences of children and parents

Age and socioeconomic gradients in frailty among older adults in India