Impact of Text Message Reminders on Attendance at a Health Center-Based Produce Market: A Quasi-Experimental Study

Top Things to Know

Access to food-based interventions depends not only on availability but also on consistent, clear communication from trusted health care partners.

Relying solely on text-based engagement may unintentionally reinforce existing inequities, highlighting the need for multimodal outreach (e.g., in-person reminders, care team referrals, or home delivery).

Reminder systems help transform produce markets from one-time assistance into ongoing Food Is Medicine interventions.

Summary of Conclusion/Findings

This quasi-experimental study examined whether bilingual text message reminders increased attendance at a health center–based mobile produce market serving a predominantly low-income, Hispanic/Latino population. Using interrupted time series analysis of attendance data from 2021–2025, the authors found that initiating monthly text message reminders was associated with a sustained increase in market attendance of approximately 81 additional participants per month, representing a 7.4% increase over baseline levels. The effect was gradual rather than immediate, indicating that reminders built engagement over time rather than producing a one-time spike. Patient-level analyses showed that reattendance after a gap of three or more months was significantly less likely among men, Medicaid enrollees, and uninsured individuals, even after adjusting for time in the program. Older adults were more likely to return than younger participants. Overall, the study demonstrates that low-cost digital outreach can meaningfully improve engagement in health care–based food access programs, while also revealing persistent disparities in who benefits from such interventions.