|
Field
Paper Abstract
|
Before
While the burden of non-communicable diseases is rising in low- and middle-income countries, the uptake of screening for these diseases remains low. We conducted a community-based RCT in Indonesia to assess whether personalized and targeted text messages can increase the demand for existing public screening services for diabetes and hypertension in the at-risk population. Our intervention increased screening uptake by approximately 6.6 percentage points compared to the pure control group. Among those, who received and read the messages, the effect size is 17 percentage points. The intervention appears to work through a reminder rather than a knowledge effect. We conclude that text messages can be a cheap and easily scalable tool to reduce testing gaps in a middle-income country setting.
|
After
As cardiovascular diseases (CVD) become the leading cause of death in low- and middleincome countries (LMICs), this raises new challenges for health systems. Regular screening is a key measure against CVD risk factors, but the uptake of such services remains low despite free provision. We conducted a randomized controlled trial in Indonesia to assess whether personalized and targeted text messages increase the usage of public screening services for diabetes and hypertension in the at-risk population. Our intervention increased screening uptake by 6.6 percentage points. Among those who received and read the messages, the effect size was 17 percentage points. We show that text messages can be effective in a context of a relatively new disease burden in LMICs, where population responses may still be shaped by low salience and missing screening routines.
|
|
Field
Paper Citation
|
Before
Marcus, M.E., Reuter, A., Rogge, L., Vollmer, S., 2021. The Effect of SMS Reminders on Health Screening Uptake: A Randomized Experiment in Indonesia (No. 284), Discussion papers. Courant Research Centre: Poverty, Equity and Growth, Göttingen.
|
After
Marcus, M.E., Reuter, A., Rogge, L., Vollmer, S., 2023. The Effect of SMS Reminders on Health Screening Uptake: A Randomized Experiment in Indonesia (No. 284), Discussion papers. Courant Research Centre: Poverty, Equity and Growth, Göttingen.
|