Use of SMSs to Improve Attendance to Cervical Cancer Follow-up Screening

Text Messages to Increase Attendance to Follow-up Cervical Cancer Screening Appointments Among HPV Positive Tanzanian Women (Connected2Care)

This study evaluates the effect of the SMS intervention 'Connected2Care' on the attendance rate to cervical cancer screening follow-up appointments.

Connected2Care is a non-blinded, multicentre, parallel-group, randomised controlled trial. Tanzanian Women testing positive to HR HPV at inclusion are randomly assigned in an allocation ratio of 1:1 to the SMS intervention or the control group (standard care). In a period of 10 months, the intervention group will receive 15 one-directional health educative text messages and SMS-reminders for their appointment. The total sample size will be 700 with 350 women in each study arm. Primary outcome is attendance rate for follow-up. Secondary objectives are cost-effectiveness measured through incremental ratios and knowledge of cervical cancer by a 16-item true/false scale questionnaire at baseline and follow-up.

Inclusion Criteria:

• Informed consent
• HPV positive
• Age 25 - 60 years
• Private mobile phone

Exclusion Criteria:

• Pregnant on day of enrolment
• Menstruating on day of enrolment
• Hysterectomy
• Diagnosed with cervical pre-cancer within past 12 months
• Diagnosed with cervical cancer
• Invalid mobile phone number
• Unreachable when trying to convey HPV positive result