NCT02031575

Study on Mhealth and Reproductive Health in Teens

• Status: Completed
• Phase: N/A
• Study type: Interventional
• Enrollment: 1,419 (actual)
• Sponsor: Harvard University · Academic / Other
• Sex: All
• Age: 14 Years – 24 Years
• Healthy volunteers: Accepted

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

Type	Name	Description
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

Timeline

• Start date: 2014-01-01
• Primary completion: 2014-07-01
• Completion: 2015-07-01
• First posted: 2014-01-09
• Last updated: 2016-08-18

Locations

1 site across 1 country: Ghana