Engagement with a Text-Based, Bilingual Blood Pressure Monitoring Program during Postpartum among a Multiethnic Population.
Sarah Y Nowlin, Natalie Boychuk, Nicole Essein and 12 others
PMID 40960287WHAT IT FOUND
Spanish-language Asian, Black, and Hispanic postpartum patients were more likely to keep up with a blood pressure text-messaging program than English-language patients.
Among follow-up respondents, satisfaction was high in both groups. Busy childcare and unpredictable prompt timing were common barriers.
Key findings
01Participants who chose Spanish prompts were more likely to meet the adequate engagement level (68.7% vs. 56.4%; adjusted risk ratio 1.21).
02Satisfaction and ease of use were high and did not differ significantly by language among follow-up respondents (92.6% English and 96.1% Spanish satisfied).
03Common barriers to sending blood pressure readings were being busy with children or other activities, being out of the home when prompted, and inconsistent text-message timing.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for RNs
Read the rest of this summary
You get three full summaries a month, free, and we do not ask for a card. Search, the TL;DRs and your library stay unlimited either way.
What it does not show
This was an observational cohort, so it cannot show that Spanish-language prompts caused higher engagement or better blood pressure control. Language choice was self-selected, not assigned, so differences between groups may explain the engagement association. The engagement measure did not fully account for prompts returned versus not returned, which the authors said could underestimate responses and bias results toward no association. The Spanish-language group was smaller, limiting analysis of factors within that group. Thirty-one of 419 enrolled participants were excluded for missing key data, leaving 388 for the main model. Only 71.9% of participants completed the follow-up survey used for satisfaction and ease of use. The study did not report blood pressure control, hospital visits, or other clinical outcomes. A $25 incentive may have influenced engagement, including in high-risk participants. Non-Hispanic White postpartum patients were not included, and participants had to speak English or Spanish and have a working cell phone.
The easy way to misread this
Do not conclude that Spanish-language messages improved blood pressure control or caused higher engagement. This observational cohort measured response to text prompts and satisfaction, not blood pressure outcomes.