Mobile phone text messaging for improving the uptake of vaccinations: a systematic review protocol

INTRODUCTION: Low vaccine coverage is a major public health concern- the consequences of which contribute to around 1.5 million child deaths from vaccine-preventable diseases. Thus- innovative strategies to rapidly increase coverage and recall rates for vaccinations are urgently required. Mobile text messaging (or short messaging service- SMS) has the potential to help increase vaccination coverage and therefore we propose to conduct a review of the current best evidence for the use of SMS as an intervention to promote vaccination coverage. METHODS AND ANALYSIS: This article describes the protocol for a systematic review of the effectiveness of SMS in improving the uptake of vaccination. Primary and secondary outcomes of interest are prespecified. We will preferably include randomised controlled trials (RCTs). However- non-randomised studies (NRS) will be considered if there is an inadequate number of RCTs. We will search several bibliographic databases (eg-PubMed- EMBASE- CINAHL- CENTRAL- Science Citation In