Texting And Social Media Can Help in Promoting Healthy Behaviors
In the US Latino youth are a high risk group for engaging in unhealthy behaviors. A study in Journal of Medical Internet Research shows what a health intervention aimed at this group should look like. Specifically, the study shows that a combination of texing and social media can successfully promote healthy behaviors among Latino teens.
Take aways
- Both texting and social media can be used to effectively promote healthy behavior among teenagers.
- Text messages:
- can be effective in creating a bond between teens and intervention-staff.
- should be sent only to inform youth about the intervention program.
- should be sent preferably after school or in the evening.
- should only be one-directional (i.e. from staff to youth), because of the privacy consideration of the staff.
- A Facebook intervention page:
- can be successful in keeping youngsters interested in the program, especially events are posted and there is a possibility to share pictures.
- should be accessible for members of the intervention group only, to protect their privacy and avoid cyber bullying.
- should have the opportunity for teens to respond at posts.
Study information
The question?
How can SMS and social media be used effectively to promote healthy behavior among Latino youth?
Who?
15 Latino participants, and 5 staff members of the Empowering Latino Youth Program (ELYP)
Where?
Maryland, United States
How?
Researchers recruited participants and staff of the Empowering Latino Youth Program (ELYP), an intervention program to stimulate healthy behaviors among Latino teenagers.
Researchers conducted 20 face-to-face interviews to find out about possible success factors and difficulties (according to participants) of a health intervention via SMS and social media.
Facts and findings
- Both teenage participants and staff expect SMS to be a successful addition to the ELYP-program; they believe that the use of SMS can make participants and personnel feel more connected to each other.
- Even though the staff expected SMS to be a helpful addition, there was some reluctance: the staff predicted that youngsters would think they could reach the staff 24/7 per SMS. And indeed, youth indicated that they would prefer 2-way text messaging (i.e. youth wanted to send messages back to the staff).
- Teenagers were only interested in SMS messages from staff about the content of the program (i.e. no messages about the curriculum or motivational messages).
- Both staff members and the teenagers indicated that the best time for staff members to text the youngsters of the program is after school or during the evening.
- Both staff and teenagers thought Facebook can be an effective means to keep youth engaged with the program.
- Staff was worried that an intervention page on Facebook would enlarge the likelihood of cyber bullying.
- The teenage participants stated that the opportunity to respond at messages on the Facebook intervention page is a prerequisite in order for them to visit the page