Using Mobile Phone Text Messaging System to Improve Exclusive Breastfeeding Rate in a Resource-poor Caribbean Island

NCT ID: NCT03853850

Last Updated: 2020-03-03

Basic Information

• Recruitment Status: COMPLETED
• Clinical Phase: NA
• Total Enrollment: 582 participants
• Study Classification: INTERVENTIONAL
• Study Start Date: 2017-09-28
• Study Completion Date: 2019-11-10

Brief Summary

This study will evaluate whether sending educational and supportive mobile phone text messages to mothers of infants, from babies' day of birth until 6 months of age, increases the rate of exclusive breastfeeding in Roatan, Honduras.

Detailed Description

Encouraging and educational text messages and animations were created based on barriers to breastfeeding found during preceding focus groups and a baseline survey. Messages were written in English and translated into Spanish, with back-translation to ensure accuracy. Mothers who plan to or are already breastfeeding will be recruited and invited to participate in the study in the post-partum ward after delivery at Public Hospital Roatán. Written informed consent will be obtained. Three animated videos will be shown to mothers at enrollment providing information regarding breastfeeding technique, breastfeeding encouragement and general breastfeeding information. SMS messages will start at time of enrollment and continue through six months after enrollment. Messages will be delivered through Telerivet, an SMS interactive platform designed to send the educational and motivational messages to mothers' cell phones.

The intervention group will be polled when infants turn two months, four months, and six months regarding their infant feeding practices through Telerivet via SMS messaging. The primary outcome of this study is exclusive breastfeeding at 2 months of age, as compared to the exclusive breastfeeding rate obtained in our baseline cross sectional survey. Exclusive breastfeeding will be defined as giving only mother's breastmilk in the 24 hours preceding the interview. Mothers will also be asked if they are breastfeeding at all, age of infant when they last gave breast milk, the incidence of diarrheal illness in the past two weeks, and any other foods / liquids given to infant.

Conditions

Breastfeeding; Breastfeeding, Exclusive

Study Design

• Allocation Method: NA
• Intervention Model: SINGLE_GROUP
• Primary Study Purpose: SUPPORTIVE_CARE
• Blinding Strategy: NONE

Study Groups

Intervention

Participating mothers will receive mobile phone text messages during their babies' first 6 months of life. Messages will educate mothers on breastfeeding and proper infant feeding.

Group Type: EXPERIMENTAL

Mobile phone text messages

Intervention Type: BEHAVIORAL

From their babies' day of birth until 6 months of age, participating mothers will receive supportive and educational text messages to promote breastfeeding. Messages will be on benefits of breastfeeding, newborn hunger cues, proper latch technique, healthy infant feeding practice, and maternal self care. Messages will be sent regularly, initially several messages every day during the babies' first few weeks of life, then few messages every week. A total of 158 (\*\*\*) messages will be sent. Messages will be sent in English or in Spanish depending on participant language preference.

Interventions

Mobile phone text messages

From their babies' day of birth until 6 months of age, participating mothers will receive supportive and educational text messages to promote breastfeeding. Messages will be on benefits of breastfeeding, newborn hunger cues, proper latch technique, healthy infant feeding practice, and maternal self care. Messages will be sent regularly, initially several messages every day during the babies' first few weeks of life, then few messages every week. A total of 158 (\*\*\*) messages will be sent. Messages will be sent in English or in Spanish depending on participant language preference.

Intervention Type: BEHAVIORAL

Eligibility Criteria

Inclusion Criteria

• Recently delivered full term infants (>37 weeks gestation, less than 72 hours old)
• 18 years of age or older, or emancipated minor, or if parent able to consent if <18 years of age
• Intent to breastfeed
• Own a phone that can receive SMS messages
• Able to send SMS reply messages

Exclusion Criteria

• Mothers who report they can not read in Spanish nor English

• Eligible Sex: FEMALE
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: No

Sponsors

Public Hospital Roatan, Honduras

UNKNOWN

Sponsor Role: collaborator

University of California, San Francisco

OTHER

Sponsor Role: collaborator

University of California, Davis

OTHER

Sponsor Role: lead

Responsible Party

Responsibility Role: SPONSOR

Principal Investigators

Caroline Chantry, MD

Role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

University of California, Davis

Lisa Rasmussen, MD

Role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

University of California, Davis

Locations

Public Hospital Roatan

Coxen Hole, Roatan, Honduras

Countries

Honduras

Provided Documents

Document Type: Study Protocol and Statistical Analysis Plan

View Document

Other Identifiers

16-19171

Identifier Type: -

Identifier Source: org_study_id