Dive Brief:
- Clinical psychologist Frederick Muench has been researching what types of SMS texting are most likely to have an impact on health behaviors.
- His research, which was conducted as an online study, concluded that 75 percent of respondents prefer statements to questions, that most prefer plain English in messages, and that happy emoticons and correct grammar increase satisfaction.
- Capital letters were preferred to lower-case letters when those letters were associated with specific goals, Dr. Muench told Healthcare IT News.
Dive Insight:
Research is increasingly suggesting that texting by providers can help patients stick to medication regimens, manage chronic illnesses like diabetes and asthma better and detect dangerous changes in their health status. So it's definitely a positive development to see a professional researcher take a hard look at which types of texts have the biggest impact on patients. Let's hope other researchers follow Dr. Muench's lead.