The purpose of this study is to develop behavioral interventions that provide effective tools that policy makers can use to help individuals avoid forgetting to follow-through on important behaviors and for individuals to use to help themselves. In the investigators past research, they have shown that reminders through association work in the lab setting. The investigators seek to understand how this strategy can work in the field, especially when people are trying to fulfill a health outcome.
Participants enter an online survey where they are asked to confirm that they plan to pick up a prescription, state what day they plan to pick up their prescription, and indicate the type of location where the prescription will be picked up (e.g., pharmacy, hospital, doctors office, etc.). Participants are asked to participate in a prescription reminder program in which they will receive up to eight text messages from the researchers and send up to three text messages to the researchers. Participants are then quizzed about the reminder program to ensure they understand what they are signing up for. Participants are further told that if they follow the directions outlined in the program they will be compensated for participating in this survey via their phone number. Participants who wish to enroll in the reminder program will initiate the text messaging by texting "STARTXXXX" to number provided. This validates that the participants received the message, have the capacity to text, and are willing to text. Participants are then randomly assigned to one of three conditions. In the treatment condition, participants will be prompted to think of a reminder cue that will help them remember to pick up the prescription. In the active control condition, participants will be asked to think about where they will store their prescription. Participants in the baseline control condition will simply be thanked for enrolling. Participants in the treatment and active control conditions then receive a series of text messages prior to the scheduled pick up date reminding them to pick up their medication. In addition, the text message will prompt participants to text a picture of their prescription receipt to validate that they followed-through on their behavior. If participants text us a picture of their receipt that follows the guidelines outlined in the survey, participants are compensated.
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Purpose
HEALTH_SERVICES_RESEARCH
Masking
NONE
Enrollment
777
Participants receive 8 text messages asking them to think of a reminder cue that will help them remember to pick up the prescription and use the cue.
Participants receive 8 text messages asking them to think of where they plan to store their medication once they pick it up and to think about that location on their intended date of pickup.
Participants receive 1 text message thanking participants for enrolling in the reminder program. Participants are not contacted further.
University of Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States
Picking up Prescription on Intended Date of Pickup
At the beginning of the study, participants indicate the date they plan to pick up their prescription. Participants are later asked to text a picture of their prescription receipt to the experimenter after they complete the prescription reminder program. The receipt must satisfy three criteria: 1. The receipt must show that a prescription was purchased. 2. The receipt must show the date of purchase. This date of purchase must match the participant's intended pick up date. 3. The participant must write the word "End" on their receipt. Upon receiving the picture text, one research assistant will verify that the image of the receipt satisfies all three criteria. the investigators' primary dependent variable is binary taking the value one if the participant sends a picture of their receipt to the investigators that satisfies all criteria stated above and taking the value zero if otherwise.
Time frame: The time frame can range from less than 1 day to a maximum of 7 days.
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