SynthesisSystematic reviews2019
Effectiveness of text messaging interventions on prevention, detection, treatment, and knowledge outcomes for sexually transmitted infections (STIs)/HIV: a systematic review and meta-analysis.
Synthesis in Systematic reviews, 2019. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 25 papers, 3 of them syntheses that pooled it.
What it found
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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
25 citing papers in PubMed, 3 syntheses or guidelines pooled it.
- Mobile phone interventions to improve health outcomes among patients with chronic diseases: an umbrella review and evidence synthesis from 34 meta-analyses.The Lancet. Digital health · 2024Pooled it
- Mobile phone-based interventions for improving contraception use.The Cochrane database of systematic reviews · 2023Pooled it
- Effectiveness and acceptability of conversational agents for sexual health promotion: a systematic review and meta-analysis.Sexual health · 2022Pooled it
- Effectiveness of an online sexual and reproductive health educational program on knowledge, attitudes, and behaviours among senior primary school students: a cluster randomized controlled trial.Reproductive health · 2025Trial
- Effectiveness of an mHealth Intervention With Short Text Messages to Promote Treatment Adherence Among HIV-Positive Mexican Adults: Randomized Controlled Trial.JMIR mHealth and uHealth · 2025Trial
- Optimal strategies to improve uptake of and adherence to HIV prevention among young people at risk for HIV acquisition in the USA (ATN 149): a randomised, controlled, factorial trial.The Lancet. Digital health · 2024Trial
- Observational
- Healthcare Appointments as Commitment Devices.Economic journal (London, England) · 2025Article
- Mobile Phone-Based Confidential Social Network Referrals for HIV Testing (CONSORT): Protocol for a Randomized Controlled Trial.JMIR research protocols · 2024Article
- Nurse-Led Brief Intervention for Enhancing Safe Sex Practice Among Emerging Adults in Hong Kong Using Instant Messaging: Feasibility Study.JMIR formative research · 2024Article
- Efficiency of the EmERGE Pathway of Care in Five European HIV Centres.PharmacoEconomics · 2022Article
- Using machine learning approaches to predict timely clinic attendance and the uptake of HIV/STI testing post clinic reminder messages.Scientific reports · 2022Article
- The cost of care for people living with stable HIV in Croatia and the efficiency of EmERGE.Croatian medical journal · 2021Article
- A Review of Interventions to Enhance HIV Medication Adherence.Current HIV/AIDS reports · 2021Review
- Understanding Technology Fit Among People with HIV Based on Intersections of Race, Sex, and Sexual Behavior: An Equitable Approach to Analyzing Differences Across Multiple Social Identities.AIDS and behavior · 2021Article
- Text message reminders and peer education increase HIV and Syphilis testing among female sex workers: a pilot quasi-experimental study in Uganda.BMC health services research · 2021Article
- Opportunities to Harness Technology to Deliver HIV Prevention / Healthy Sexuality Programming to Sexual and Gender Minority Adults Living in East Africa.AIDS and behavior · 2021Article
- Pills, PrEP, and Pals: Adherence, Stigma, Resilience, Faith and the Need to Connect Among Minority Women With HIV/AIDS in a US HIV Epicenter.Frontiers in public health · 2021Article
- Utility of Short Message Service (SMS) for Remote Data Collection for HIV in Low- and Middle-Income Countries.Current HIV/AIDS reports · 2020Review
- Digitized HIV/AIDS Treatment Adherence Interventions: A Review of Recent SMS/Texting Mobile Health Applications and Implications for Theory and Practice.Frontiers in communication · 2020Article
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
9 authors.
Funding
Abstract
backgroundRates of STIs continue to rise worldwide, and novel evidence-based interventions such as text messaging aimed at improving client services are needed. We conducted a meta-analysis to evaluate text messaging to support STI/HIV prevention and treatment interventions.
methodsWe included articles that reported findings from randomized controlled trials (RTCs) involving adults and youth who were at risk of acquiring (or who currently had) a STI and/or HIV, a text message and comparator intervention, and reported provided outcome data on adherence to STI/HIV treatments. Articles were excluded if they were not published in English. We only included studies that have full-text publications so certainty and risk of bias assessments could be performed. Eight databases were searched to retrieve articles published between 1996 and March 2017. The Cochrane risk of bias tool was used and certainty of the evidence was assessed using GRADE. Effect estimates were pooled using a random effects model.
resultsA total of 35 RCTs were found, 6 of which were considered at low risk of bias. Eight studies found an increased association using text messaging in appointments attended compared to standard care (OR 1.64, 95% CI 1.28 to 2.10). Participants receiving text messages had an increase in HIV testing compared to standard care (n = 6; OR 1.73, 95% CI 1.39 to 2.15). Ten text messaging RCTs measuring adherence using micro-electro-mechanical systems (MEMS) pill counts has a non-significant association (OR 1.17, 95% CI 0.95-1.45) while five studies measuring adherence by self-report was found to be significant (OR 1.64, 95% CI 1.28-2.11).
conclusionsThe effectiveness of text message interventions is equivocal. While text messaging has the potential to enhance the delivery of STI/HIV interventions, program planners are encouraged to evaluate any SMS intervention to ensure it is achieving the desired result. SYSTEMATIC REVIEW REGISTRATION: PROSPERO CRD42013006503.
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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.