Table 1 A description of trials of sexual health interventions delivered by mobile devices

Delamere 2006 [26]

Study Design: Parallel group RCT

60 young people aged 17–18 yrs. attending a sexual health clinic.

Determine the acceptability and impact of text messages to promote condom use in adolescents.

Participants received weekly SMS reminding them to use a condom. SMS were written and sent by the study team. Post intervention assessment included a follow up telephone survey. Duration: 3 months.

No Treatment

Mobile technology: Mobile telephone

Control: n = 30

Media: SMS

Intervention: SMS n = 30

Country: Ireland

De Tolly 2012 [22]

Parallel group RCT; Mobile technology: Mobile telephone; Media: SMS Country: South Africa

2,533 anonymous mobile phone owners. Age data not available.

The aim of this study was to investigate the effectiveness of using SMSs to facilitate uptake of HIV Counselling and Therapy (HCT) in South Africa.

Four intervention groups that received 3 or 10 informational (INFO) or motivational (MOTI) SMSs. After the intervention, participants were prompted to go for HIV Counselling and Testing (HCT). Post-intervention assessment of HIV testing (yes or no) was done after 3 weeks by SMS. Duration: Approx. 2 months

The control group were prompted to go for HIV Counselling and Testing (HCT).

Downing 2013 [24]

Parallel group RCT; Mobile technology: Mobile telephone; Media: SMS Country: Australia

94 patients aged at least 16 years who attended a clinic for treatment of Chlamydia

To assess the effectiveness of using short messaging service (SMS) reminders with and without incentive payments to increase Chlamydia re-testing rates versus the usual care of verbal reminder after initial screening.

Intervention subjects received an SMS reminder for a Chlamydia re-test or an SMS reminder for Chlamydia re-test and a $10 incentive if they returned to the clinic for retesting. Post intervention Chlamydia testing was measured for all participants, (although how it was done was not stated). Duration: Approx. 4 months

The control group received the usual care of verbal reminder after initial screening for a Chlamydia re-test.

Control: n = 32 <25yo = 62.5 %, ≥25 = 37.5 %. Female 56.3 % Aboriginal and Torres Straight Island =31.3 % Non- Aboriginal and Torres Straight Island =62.5 % Not-stated = 6.3 %

Intervention: SMS-Only: n = 32 <25yo = 56.3 %, ≥25 = 43.7 %. Female 50 %. Aboriginal and Torres Straight Island =28.1 % Non- Aboriginal and Torres Straight Island =59.4 % Not-stated = 12.5 %

Intervention: SMS+Incentive: n = 30 <25yo = 70 %, ≥25 = 30 %. Female 46.7 %. Aboriginal and Torres Straight Island =26.7 % Non- Aboriginal and Torres Straight Island =73.3 % Not-stated = 0 %

Gold 2011 [29]

Parallel group RCT; Mobile technology: Mobile telephone; Media: SMS and MMS Country: Australia

7606 people aged 16–29 years who subscribed to a mobile advertising service offered by an Australian mobile telecommunication operator.

To evaluate the use of SMS to (i) evaluate the effectiveness of messages related to safer sex and sun safety and (ii) pilot the use of mobile advertising for health promotion

The intervention subjects were sent a series of eight SMS / MMS sex related healthy behaviour. Duration: 4 months

The control group were sent a series of eight SMS / MMS about sun related healthy behaviour.

Control: n = 3803 (final sample n = 200)

Range: 16–19yo = 7 % 20–24yo = 35 % 25–29yo = 58 %, Female 40.5 %.

Intervention: n = 3803 (final sample n = 158) Range: 16–19yo = 4 % 20–24 yo = 42.4 % 25–29yo = 53.2 %, Female 39.2 %.

Jones 2013 [21]

Parallel group RCT; Mobile technology: Mobile telephone; phone; Media: Video and SMS Country: USA

295 women identified as at high-risk of contracting HIV through sex behaviour.

To evaluate the use of SMS versus a 12-episode weekly soap opera video that was created to reduce HIV sex risk behaviour in young urban women.

The intervention subjects were sent weekly trigger emails with videos and received an honorarium of $125 at 3 months and $125 at 6 months. Duration: 6 months

The control group received 12 weekly HIV health promotion written messages over the smartphone and received an honorarium of $125 at 3 months and $125 at 6 months.

Control: n = 146, Mean age 22.0 (SD 3.4)

Intervention: n = 149, Mean age 22.1 (SD 3.6)

Lim et al. 2010 [30]

Parallel group RCT; Mobile technology: Mobile Smartphone; Media: SMS Country: Australia

72 participants aged 16–29 who had previously participated in a study about sex/drugs at a music festival.

To evaluate the use of SMS, paper and online diaries of sexual behaviour on response rate, timeliness, completeness of data and acceptability

The participants in the intervention groups completed weekly sexual behaviour diaries for 3 months by SMS and online. Duration: 3 months

The control participants completed weekly sexual behaviour diaries for 3 months on paper that was then submitted by post.

Control: n = 24 Mean age = 20, Female 75 %.

Intervention: Online surveys n = 24 Mean age = 20, Female 72.7 %.

Intervention: SMS n = 24, Mean age = 21, Female 69.6 %.

Odeny 2012 [25]

Parallel group RCT; Mobile technology: Mobile telephone; Media: SMS Country: Kenya

1200 men >18 years who underwent male circumcision.

To evaluated the effect of short message service (SMS) text messages on post-operative clinic visits after adult male circumcision.

Intervention subjects received daily SMS text messages for 7 days on postoperative care and appointment reminders. Duration: 1 mo

Control subjects were advised to return to the clinic within 7 days, but did not receive any SMS messages or a reminder.

Control: n = 600 Mean age =24.8 (IQR 21.5–30.5) Men 100 %

SMS: n = 600, Mean age =25.0 (IQR 21.4–30.7) Men 100 %

Odeny 2014 [27]

Parallel group RCT; Mobile technology: Mobile telephone; Media: SMS Country: Kenya

1200 men >18 years who underwent male circumcision.

To examine the effect of text messaging to deter resumption of sex before 42 days post-circumcision

Intervention subjects received usual care (which consisted of HIV testing and counseling, screening and treatment for sexually transmitted infections, condom promotion and provision, risk reduction and safe sex counseling, the MC procedure, and postoperative review) and SMS about postoperative care, appointment reminders and healthy sex behaviours (including abstinence) for the first 7 days and on days 8, 14, 21, 28, 35, 41, and 42 post-procedure. Duration: 2 mo

Control subjects received usual care (which consisted of HIV testing and counseling, screening and treatment for sexually transmitted infections, condom promotion and provision, risk reduction and safe sex counseling, the MC procedure, and postoperative review) only.

Control: n = 600 Range: 18–20yo = 17.8 % 21–30yo = 56.8 % 31–40yo = 16 % >40 = 9.3 %, Mean age = 25.14 (IQR 22.0–31.1), Men 100 %

Intervention: n = 600, Range: 18–20yo = 17.3 % 21–30yo = 56.4 % 31–40yo = 18.7 % >40 = 7.5 %, Mean age = 25.4 (IQR 22.0–31.2) Men 100 %

Shahkolahi 2013 [23]

Parallel group RCT; Mobile technology: iPad; Media: Electronic survey Country: USA

450 patients aged 18–70 years from the Howard University Hospital Emergency Department with non-life-threatening illnesses and whose HIV status was either negative or unknown were randomised into two groups. (Median age 35–44 yo), Female 53.1 %

To determine the impact of paper-based and mobile technology-based (iPad) surveys intervention on patients’ desire to receive free rapid HIV screening.

Intervention subjects received the mobile survey and a supplemental video. Duration: 3 mo

Control subjects received the paper-based survey and a supplemental video.

Control: n = 242

Intervention: n = 208

Suffoletto 2013 [28]

Parallel group RCT; Mobile technology: Mobile telephone; Media: SMS Country: USA

A convenience sample of 52 female patients (18–25 yo) with hazardous drinking behaviour and recent risky sexual encounters were recruited from an urban Emergency Department.

To examine the effect of a text message (SMS) sex risk reduction program among at-risk young adult female patients discharged from an emergency department (ED).

Intervention subjects were weekly SMS for 12 weeks asking them to report whether they had a risky sexual encounter in the past week. They then received theory-based feedback, and were asked if they were willing to set a goal to refrain from having another risky encounter. Duration: 3 mo

Control subjects received the following SMS for 12 weeks, “Please look for our text in X weeks to complete your web-based follow-up,” where [X] was the number of weeks until study completion.

Control: n = 29 Mean age = 21 (SD 2)

Intervention: n = 23 Mean age = 22 (SD 2)