摘要：We conducted focus groups and individual interviews in a diverse population of parents to qualitatively explore preferences and readiness for text message immunization reminders. We used content analysis to review and independently code transcripts. Text message reminders were well-accepted by parents; many thought they would be more effective than standard phone or mail reminders. Parents preferred text message reminders to be brief and personalized. Most parents were able to retrieve sample text messages but many had difficulty with interactive texting. In the past few years, new vaccines targeting pertussis, meningitis, and human papillomavirus have been introduced to the routine immunization schedule for adolescents. Recent data from the 2008 National Immunization Survey demonstrate that, among adolescents aged 13 to 17 years, immunization rates for pertussis and meningitis were 41% and 42%, respectively. Only 37% of girls aged 13 to 17 years had received the first dose of the human papillomavirus vaccine. 1 Thus, interventions are needed to increase uptake of these vaccines. Immunization reminder-recalls have been recommended as a method to improve vaccine coverage in adolescents, 2 , 3 but traditional mail and phone reminders may be problematic in populations most at risk for underimmunization. 4 To date, text message immunization reminders have not been widely implemented and little is known about parental readiness for these interventions. Therefore, we sought to qualitatively evaluate parental acceptance and readiness for a novel text message reminder system.
