JMIR mHealth and uHealth
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JMIR mHealth and uHealth · Apr 2021
An Implementation Strategy to Expand Mobile Health Use in HIV Care Settings: Rapid Evaluation Study Using the Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research.
Mobile health (mHealth) apps can provide support to people living with a chronic disease by offering resources for communication, self-management, and social support. PositiveLinks (PL) is a clinic-deployed mHealth app designed to improve the health of people with HIV. In a pilot study, PL users experienced considerable improvements in care engagement and viral load suppression. To promote its expansion to other HIV clinics, we developed an implementation strategy consisting of training resources and on-demand program support. ⋯ The CFIR is a useful framework for evaluating mHealth interventions. Although PL training resources were viewed favorably, we identified important barriers to PL implementation in a sample of Ryan White clinics. This enabled our team to expand guidance on identifying information technology stakeholders and procuring and managing mobile resources. Ongoing evaluation results continue to inform improvements to the PL implementation strategy, facilitating PL access for future expansion sites.
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JMIR mHealth and uHealth · Apr 2021
Staff Perceptions of Preimplementation Barriers and Facilitators to a Mobile Health Antiretroviral Therapy Adherence Counseling Intervention in South Africa: Qualitative Study.
South Africa adopted a universal test and treatment program for HIV infection in 2015. The standard of care that people living with HIV receive consists of 3 sessions of readiness counseling delivered by lay counselors (LCs). In the largest antiretroviral therapy (ART) program worldwide, effective and early HIV and ART education and support are key for ensuring ART adoption, adherence, and retention in care. Having LCs to deliver readiness counseling allows for the wide task-sharing of this critical activity but carries the risks of loss of standardization, incomplete content delivery, and inadequate monitoring and supervision. Systems for ensuring that a minimum standard of readiness counseling is delivered to the growing number of people living with HIV are essential in the care cascade. In resource-constrained, high-burden settings, mobile health (mHealth) apps may potentially offer solutions to these treatment gaps by providing content structure and delivery records. ⋯ mHealth apps, such as Masivukeni, were perceived as being well placed to address some of the needs of those who deliver ART adherence counseling in South Africa. However, the successful implementation of mHealth apps appeared to be dependent on overcoming certain barriers in this setting.