Targeted client communication using mobile devices may improve maternal and child health
Citation: Palmer MJ, Henschke N, Bergman H, et al. Targeted client communication via mobile devices for improving maternal, neonatal, and child health. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews. 2020;(8):CD013679.
What is this? The COVID-19 pandemic has placed a strain on healthcare services. Existing research on client communication using mobile devices may provide useful information for healthcare providers and policymakers.
In this Cochrane review, the authors searched for studies with at least 20 participants that tested targeted client communication in pregnant women and postpartum women, and parents of young children. They did not restrict their searches by language of publication and did the search in August 2017. They included 27 studies, from Cameroon (1 study), Canada (1), Ecuador (1) Guatemala (1), India (2), Kenya (7), Nigeria (3), Tanzania (1), Thailand (1), UK (1), USA (7), and Zimbabwe (1). They also identified 21 studies in an update search in July 2019, which are awaiting classification.
What works: Women and parents who receive targeted mobile text messages may be slightly more likely to make appointments or use healthcare services than those sent non-targeted text messages or messages by other means.
What doesn’t work: Nothing noted.
What’s uncertain: The effects of mobile messaging on most health-related outcomes are uncertain.