Implementation and evaluation of text message prompts on vaccination uptake: lessons learned from a large vaccine ecosystem

Vaccines remain one of the most successful public health interventions in the history of medicine. However, recent declines in routine childhood vaccination call for strategies to overcome the many barriers to uptake. This study aimed to implement and assess SMS (Short Message Service) prompting as a tool to improve vaccine uptake within a large vaccine ecosystem. Utilizing data from the VaxCare ecosystem, a “Vax-to-School” SMS prompt campaign was conducted between May 31 and August 31, 2022, across 1,101 clinics, with 174 clinics participating in the SMS campaign and 927 clinics as control. Eligibility included households with children aged 4–18 years with scheduled clinic appointments. Outcomes included demographic strata, number of appointments and messages, as well as uptake of vaccines under study. A total of 80,205 SMS prompts were sent to 40,018 patients, yielding higher vaccination rates in the SMS + group (18.8%) compared to the SMS- group (15.9%, P < 0.001), though there were fewer appointments in the SMS + group compared to the SMS- group (mean 1.43 vs. 1.51, P < 0.001). Significant increases in vaccine administration were observed for Meningococcal B, and Measles Mumps Rubella vaccines, and higher vaccination rates in higher-volume clinics as well as in older children age groups. The study demonstrates that SMS prompts may enhance pediatric vaccine uptake, especially in older pediatric age groups and low-volume program clinics. This intervention holds promise for bolstering immunization coverage across diverse clinic settings and age groups, contributing to public health efforts aimed at reversing the decline in childhood vaccinations.