Effect of text messages on uptake of NHS Health Checks in Southwark
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Assessing the effect of different reminder text messages on uptake of NHS Health Checks in Southwark.
IRAS ID
169739
Contact name
Tim Chadborn
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
Public Health England
Duration of Study in the UK
0 years, 6 months, 11 days
Research summary
This research looks to optimise the NHS Health Check invitation process. NHS Health Checks are offered to 40 to 74 year olds in England. These 15 million patients are invited over a rolling five year period. The programme is a priority for DH, NHS England and Public Health England. However, uptake rates are significantly lower than desired, at around 50% and research is needed to determine the most effective invite strategy to encourage uptake.
There is little research looking into the content of text messages for Health Check uptake. Yet wider research form behavioural science shows text messages to be an effective means of increasing uptake and compliance with other programmes. Indeed, this study builds on a previous trial in Southwark which indicates both primer and reminder text messages to be effective means of increasing uptake. The current study is designed to improve the effect of these text messages.
Participants will receive a primer text message one week prior to receiving an invitation letter, and a reminder text message one week after receiving the letter. It is merely the content of these texts that will vary. Participants will be randomly assigned to either intervention or control group. These text messages will be informed by behavioural science with the existing messages acting as the control. We will measure differences in uptake in response to the different invitation methods. Uptake data is collected by the local health checks programme manager according to established IG processes. Anonymised results will be analysed by the research team. The researchers will not have access to patient identifiable information.
REC name
South Central - Oxford C Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
15/SC/0210
Date of REC Opinion
8 Apr 2015
REC opinion
Favourable Opinion