Trial reportBMJ open2016
Text messaging reminders for influenza vaccine in primary care: a cluster randomised controlled trial (TXT4FLUJAB).
Trial report in BMJ open, 2016. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 33 papers, 10 of them syntheses that pooled it.
What it found
Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.
The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.
Who cites it
33 citing papers in PubMed, 10 syntheses or guidelines pooled it.
- A systematic review and meta-analysis of strategies to promote vaccination uptake.Nature human behaviour · 2024Pooled it
- Use of routine healthcare data in randomised implementation trials: a methodological mixed-methods systematic review.Implementation science : IS · 2023Pooled it
- A rapid global review of strategies to improve influenza vaccination uptake in Australia.Human vaccines & immunotherapeutics · 2021Pooled it
- Pooled it
- Increasing Influenza Vaccination Rates in People With Chronic Illness.Deutsches Arzteblatt international · 2019Pooled it
- Vaccination in England: a review of why business as usual is not enough to maintain coverage.BMC public health · 2018Pooled it
- Systematic review of the incremental costs of interventions that increase immunization coverage.Vaccine · 2018Pooled it
- Interventions to increase influenza vaccination rates of those 60 years and older in the community.The Cochrane database of systematic reviews · 2018Pooled it
- The Cost of Interventions to Increase Influenza Vaccination: A Systematic Review.American journal of preventive medicine · 2018Pooled it
- Patient reminder and recall interventions to improve immunization rates.The Cochrane database of systematic reviews · 2018Pooled it
- Nudges to Clinicians and Patients for Influenza Vaccines During Visits: The BE IMMUNE Randomized Clinical Trial.JAMA internal medicine · 2026Trial
- Video and Infographic Messages From Primary Care Physicians and Influenza Vaccination Rates: A Randomized Clinical Trial.JAMA network open · 2025Trial
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- Trial
- Can uptake of childhood influenza immunisation through schools and GP practices be increased through behaviourally-informed invitation letters and reminders: two pragmatic randomized controlled trials.BMC public health · 2023Trial
- Influence of Digital Intervention Messaging on Influenza Vaccination Rates Among Adults With Cardiovascular Disease in the United States: Decentralized Randomized Controlled Trial.Journal of medical Internet research · 2022Trial
- Targeted Electronic Patient Portal Messaging Increases Hepatitis C Virus Screening in Primary Care: a Randomized Study.Journal of general internal medicine · 2022Trial
- Increasing Influenza and Pneumococcal Vaccination Uptake in Seniors Using Point-of-Care Informational Interventions in Primary Care in Singapore: A Pragmatic, Cluster-Randomized Crossover Trial.American journal of public health · 2019Trial
- Automated recruitment and randomisation for an efficient randomised controlled trial in primary care.Trials · 2018Trial
- Improving Rates of Outpatient Influenza Vaccination Through EHR Portal Messages and Interactive Automated Calls: A Randomized Controlled Trial.Journal of general internal medicine · 2018Trial
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
8 authors.
Funding
Abstract
objectives(1) To develop methods for conducting cluster randomised trials of text messaging interventions utilising routine electronic health records at low cost; (2) to assess the effectiveness of text messaging influenza vaccine reminders in increasing vaccine uptake in patients with chronic conditions.
designCluster randomised trial with general practices as clusters.
settingEnglish primary care.
participants156 general practices, who used text messaging software, who had not previously used text message influenza vaccination reminders. Eligible patients were aged 18-64 in 'at-risk' groups.
interventionsPractices were randomly allocated to either an intervention or standard care arm in the 2013 influenza season (September to December). Practices in the intervention arm were asked to send a text message influenza vaccination reminder to their at-risk patients under 65. Practices in the standard care arm were asked to continue their influenza campaign as planned. BLINDING: Practices were not blinded. Analysis was performed blinded to practice allocation.
main outcome measuresPractice-level influenza vaccine uptake among at-risk patients aged 18-64 years.
results77 practices were randomised to the intervention group (76 analysed, n at-risk patients=51,121), 79 to the standard care group (79 analysed, n at-risk patients=51,136). The text message increased absolute vaccine uptake by 2.62% (95% CI -0.09% to 5.33%), p=0.058, though this could have been due to chance. Within intervention clusters, a median 21.0% (IQR 10.2% to 47.0%) of eligible patients were sent a text message. The number needed to treat was 7.0 (95% CI -0.29 to 14.3).
conclusionsPatient follow-up using routine electronic health records is a low cost method of conducting cluster randomised trials. Text messaging reminders are likely to result in modest improvements in influenza vaccine uptake, but levels of patients being texted need to markedly increase if text messaging reminders are to have much effect. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER: ISRCTN48840025.
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Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.