Acceptability of Phone Calls and Texts to Promote Healthy Behaviors Among Spanish-Speaking Hispanics. Issue 3 (August 2021)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Jin, Qi; Boyce, Tawny W.; Kang, Huining; Nervi, Laura; Sussman, Andrew L.; Guest, Dolores D.
• Is Part Of: Hispanic journal of behavioral sciences. Volume 43:Issue 3(2021)
• Page Start: 278
• Page End: 293
• Publication Date: 2021-08
• Subjects: Hispanic Americans -- health education -- text messaging -- healthy lifestyle -- minority health; Hispanic Americans -- Mental health -- Periodicals; Hispanic Americans -- Psychology -- Periodicals; 300
• DOI: 10.1177/07399863211034950
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0739-9863

Abstract

Individualized short message service (SMS; i.e., text messages) and/or phone calls (PC) in Spanish were examined as an effective interventional approach to increasing daily fruits and vegetables (F&V) and physical activity (PA) among community-dwelling Spanish-speaking Hispanics. Participants were randomized to one of three ordered groups: Control ( n = 25), SMS ( n = 27), or SMS + PC ( n = 26). PA and F&V intake were measured at baseline and 12 weeks later, when acceptability and usefulness were evaluated. Using the Cochran-Armitage test, we found an increasing trend in the proportion of vegetable intake ( p = .03) and leisure time PA ( p = .004) across the interventions. Most respondents from the SMS and SMS + PC groups approved the modalities and frequency of contact and reported following the advice provided. SMS + PC was the most effective intervention to improve PA and vegetable intake among respondents. These findings support feasibility and acceptability of using remote access platforms, specifically, text and phone-based health communication strategies, with Spanish-speaking participants.