Text messaging could be effective in delivering sexual health information and preventing the spread of sexually transmitted diseases and infections, according to a recent study from Washington State University.

"What we found is that teens identified as 'at-risk' use this text messaging service at a higher rate that other teens," Jessica Willoughby, lead investigator on the project and an assistant professor at the Murrow College, said in a statement. "This is a critical first step in helping prevent negative sexual outcomes such as sexually transmitted disease and unwanted pregnancy."

For the study, researchers looked at more than 2,000 students in six public schools where a statewide text message service that connects teens to sexual health educators was promoted. Teens identified as "at-risk" -- more likely to have had sex, to have been in a relationship and to have come from a lower socioeconomic background -- were more likely to use the service.

Their findings suggest that sexual health text message services are reaching the teens who may be most likely to benefit.

"With these new tools being provided as a possible option for sexual health information, we felt it was critical to examine how well they are working and for whom they are useful," Willoughby said. "What we can now say is that text messaging services that allow teens to reach out to a health educator can be an effective option to get critical information into the hands of teens that may need it most."

The findings are detailed in the journal Health Education and Behavior.