Researchers conducted a community-based randomized controlled trial involving 254 participants, including families with unvaccinated children aged 17 or younger. The intervention group received fully automated digital messages via a closed online platform, delivering three weekly SMS texts with culturally and linguistically tailored educational information. The control group did not receive these specific messages. The study focused on Hispanic children aged 5 to 11 years old.
The main finding was a statistically significant difference in self-reported COVID-19 vaccine uptake between the two groups. The intervention group showed a 13.3 percentage point higher uptake rate compared to the control group. Additionally, participants in the intervention group showed a 14.3 percentage point increase in trust regarding governmental approval processes for the children's vaccines.
No adverse events, serious adverse events, discontinuations, or tolerability issues were reported during the study. While the digital strategy is scalable and low-cost, readers should note that the data relied on self-reports. This study suggests that mobile phone-delivered educational interventions can measurably improve trust and uptake in populations facing persistent vaccination gaps, but further research is needed to confirm long-term real-world impact.