546 - “Monday Motivators”: Constructing and Evaluating an Evidenced-Based Text Messaging Program Combating Pediatric Obesity

Poster Number: 546
Publication Number: 546.245

Timothy Lukenbill, Medical University of South Carolina College of Medicine, Henrico, VA, United States; Christine SanGiovanni, Medical University of South Carolina College of Medicine, Charleston, SC, United States; Janet Carter, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC, United States

Background: Pediatric obesity is a critical issue in the United States that is exacerbated by inequalities in access to care and time constraints on in-person care. Mobile applications are both widely available to patients and caregivers, which have the potential to expand quality care to patients unable to access specialty health services, as well as to augment traditional in-person counseling. 

Objective: The purpose of this research project was to serve as a pilot study examining user satisfaction with a novel evidence-based educational text messaging program directed to pediatric specialty weight management clinic patients and their caregivers.

Design/Methods: The text messaging program was designed using input from previous literature, as well as informal interviews with primary care clinic adolescents who would not be participating in the program. Messages were named “Monday Motivator” messages in order to give an attention-grabbing name to the messages that would be easily recognizable to participants. Six evidence-based text messages were constructed, on the topics of “exercise”, “sleep”, “breakfast”, “portion control”, “water intake”, and “screen time”. Messages were sent out to patients and caregivers weekly for six consecutive weeks, who provided responses based on helpfulness of survey information and desire for further information on the subject. Participants who requested more information were tracked by their access to a pdf document which included more detail on the weekly topic. A post-intervention survey was disseminated by text the week following the completion of the program in order to gather information on general satisfaction and on which topics were found to be most helpful.

Results: Messages reached 171 patients and caregivers weekly. An average of 7 participants responded to the weekly survey, and 41 total responses were recorded. 100 percent of respondents reported finding the text messages helpful, and 85 percent (35 out of 41) of responses requested more information, with 32 out of the 35 from caregivers (80 percent). Five individuals responded to the post-survey, and indicated portion control, water, and exercise to be the most helpful messages.Conclusion(s): The Monday Motivator program was constructed in order to utilize pre-existing technology in a novel way to increase access to evidence-based weight management care. Responses to the program were overwhelmingly positive, and support further exploration of this modality in our weight management practice. Further directions include inclusion of caregivers in interviews and focus groups, as they formed a majority of respondents.