Study on Mhealth and Reproductive Health in Teens

Summary

The purpose of the Study on Mhealth and Reproductive Health in Teens (SMART) is to evaluate the effectiveness of using text messages to improve the knowledge, communication, and attitudes about reproductive health among female adolescents in Greater Accra senior high schools. Previous research as well as qualitative work conducted by the Investigators shows that there are significant gaps in knowledge about reproductive health including on topics of pregnancy, sexually transmitted diseases, and contraception among secondary school students in Greater Accra. These gaps contribute to unwanted pregnancy and spread of sexually transmitted diseases. At the same time, phone ownership and use among young people has spread rapidly, especially in urban areas such as Accra. The Study on Mhealth and Reproductive Health (SMART) will seek to use mobile phone messages to increase awareness of these reproductive health issues among female adolescents in Accra. The objectives of SMART are to evaluate whether the messages can increase knowledge, increase communication, and improve attitudes towards reproductive health among adolescents in Greater Accra. By conducting a randomized controlled trial, we will be able to statistically evaluate if the messages have had any effect on improving outcomes for adolescents in the areas of knowledge, communication, and attitudes. This work can help guide future programs that can scale up this intervention and ultimately improve the health and wellbeing of adolescents across Ghana.

Conditions

• Reproductive Health

Interventions

BEHAVIORAL

Interactive Treatment

Mobile phone text messaging service about reproductive health

BEHAVIORAL

Basic Treatment

Mobile phone text messaging service about reproductive health

OTHER

Control, comparator arm

Sponsors & Collaborators

• Weiss Family Program Fund for Research in Development Economics

  collaborator UNKNOWN

• Harvard Lab for Economic Applications and Policy

  collaborator UNKNOWN

• Harvard University

  lead OTHER

Principal Investigators

• Slawa Rokicki, MS, BS · Harvard University

• Gunther Fink, PhD · Harvard School of Public Health (HSPH)

Study Design

Allocation

RANDOMIZED

Masking

NONE

Model

PARALLEL

Eligibility

Min Age

14 Years

Max Age

24 Years

Sex

ALL

Healthy Volunteers

Yes

Timeline & Regulatory

Start

2014-01-31

Primary Completion

2014-07-31

Completion

2015-07-31

Countries

• Ghana

Study Locations