A cross-sectional study to assess the feasibility of a short message service to improve adherence of outpatients undergoing sedation gastrointestinal endoscopy in the People’s Republic of China

BACKGROUND: Adherence to the prescribed preparation regimen for patients scheduled for sedation gastrointestinal endoscopy (SGIE) often fails to meet health care providers’ expectations. Therefore, the feasibility of using mobile phones to improve the adherence of outpatients was assessed among outpatients scheduled for SGIE. METHODS: The study was designed as a cross-sectional study using survey questionnaires. Outpatients who would be undergoing SGIE were enrolled. The main outcomes included proportions of outpatients who have access to mobile phones, and the use of text-messaging among outpatients. Willingness to receive text messages and personal opinions about short message service (SMS) were also investigated. Characteristics of outpatients, including socio-demographic factors, with a mobile phone (or those who could receive and read messages) compared with those without a mobile phone (or those who could not receive and read messages) were compared using the chi-square test. Logistic regression was used to analyze significant contributing factors associated with mobile phone ownership and the use of text messages. RESULTS: A large majority of outpatients owned personal mobile phones (94.9%) and could receive and read the messages (78.9%). Most of the outpatients were willing to receive a pre-procedure education via text message (81.9%). Outpatients aged 16–39 years old and those with a college education or higher were more likely to use mobile phones and read SMS than outpatients aged 60–80 years old and those with only a primary education level (P<0.0001). Outpatients who lived in an urban setting were more likely to own a mobile phone than outpatients who lived in a rural setting (P=0.002). CONCLUSION: The accessibility of mobile phones and the frequent use of message functions on mobile phones provide support for the initiation of an SMS reminder system for outpatients who will undergo SGIE in the People’s Republic of China. In addition, the characteristics of the target study population should be considered when carrying out an SMS intervention.