Developing an SMS Intervention for the Prevention of Underage Drinking: Results From Focus Groups

ABSTRACTBackground: There is growing evidence that text messaging—”short message service” (SMS)—is useful for health promotion and behavior change. SMS has become a preferred channel of communication among adolescents. Despite burgeoning interest, there remains a critical need for formative research regarding developmentally and culturally appropriate SMS-based health promotion with teenagers. Objectives. The primary objective was to develop SMS message protocols and procedures effective for reducing underage drinking among Hispanic teens. Using focus groups, we sought our target population's perspectives on SMS parameters including scheduling, frequency, content, themes, and confirmation-of-receipt. Method: We conducted, recorded, and transcribed six mixed-gender focus groups (20 adolescents, 4–5 per group) recruited from the Division of Adolescent Medicine at Miami Children's Hospital. Alcohol-related and “attention control” text messages were assembled from two sources (http://www.mobilehealth4youth.or...