Background: Mobile phone text messaging has become increasingly popular and text-based systems for patients with chronic diseases like diabetes are being rapidly developed. A paucity of information exists about preferences for and acceptance of health-related text messages by patients for self-management support.

Aims: To evaluate the use of mobile phones, acceptance of text messaging, and perspectives on receiving tailored text messages in adults with diabetes.

Methods: A total of 48 subjects were recruited into a randomized controlled study to improve medication adherence; 21 individuals provided responses on technology acceptance and 12 semi-structured telephone interviews were conducted at follow-up. After 90 days of tailored text messages, intervention arm subjects provided feedback on acceptance of the technology, personal perspectives on the receipt of tailored materials, and preferences for mobile phone use as part of their diabetes self-management.

Results: On average, participants exchanged less than 10 messages per day and those texting more frequently tended to be younger and owned smartphones. Participants’ perception of the utility and ease of use of text messaging was positive, both of which were more positive among participants with greater perceived competence for managing their diabetes and lower perceived barriers to treatment. Subjects felt that receiving one message per day was appropriate and they benefitted from the content. In general, subjects indicated the messages were primarily useful as reminders rather than a source of new information.

Conclusions: Acceptance of tailored text messages was high in adults with diabetes and subjects felt they could benefit from receiving similar messages in the future.

Background: The SWAY Balance Mobile Application is an FDA-cleared balance testing system which uses the built-in tri-axial accelerometers of a mobile electronic device to objectively assess postural movement. The system was designed to provide a means of quantitative balance assessment in clinical and on-field environments. The purpose of this study was to determine the intrasession and intersession reliability, as well as the minimum difference to be considered real, of the SWAY Balance Mobile Application.

Methods: 24 individuals (15 male, 9 female; aged 25.96 (±5.78 years)) performed the SWAY Balance protocol twice per testing session over a period of three testing sessions. Each testing session was separated by a minimum of seven days. Interclass Correlation Coefficients were calculated as an indication of the test-retest reliability. The minimum difference to be considered real was calculated to determine the minimum score change necessary to indicate an actual change in balance performance.

Results: Mean SWAY Balance scores ranged from 86.90 (±14.37) to 89.90 (±11.19). Repeated measures ANOVA revealed no significant mean differences between SWAY balance scores of the experimental trials (F_(5,115) = 0.673; p = 0.65). Excellent reliability was found (ICC(3,1) = 0.76; SEM = 5.39) with a minimum difference to be considered real of approximately 15.

Conclusions: Results indicate that SWAY provides excellent overall reliability. However, it may be appropriate to have subjects perform a familiarization trial at the beginning of each testing session. Additionally, SWAY may demonstrate a ceiling effect when assessing balance improvements in those who already demonstrate good balance.