Improving Retention in Care and Promoting Adherence to HIV Treatment: Protocol for a Multisite Randomized Controlled Trial of Mobile Phone Text Messaging

BackgroundThe World Health Organization has prioritized the use of new technologies to assist in health care delivery in resource-limited settings. Findings suggest that the use of SMS on mobile phones is an advantageous application in health care delivery, especially in comm...

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Main Authors: Tanue, Elvis Asangbeng, Nsagha, Dickson Shey, Theophile, Nana Njamen, Assob, Jules Clement Nguedia
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: JMIR Publications 2020-08-01
Series:JMIR Research Protocols
Online Access:http://www.researchprotocols.org/2020/8/e15680/
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spelling doaj-6c83475191ab4d028a8cef2b9aa4a0b62021-05-03T01:43:11ZengJMIR PublicationsJMIR Research Protocols1929-07482020-08-0198e1568010.2196/15680Improving Retention in Care and Promoting Adherence to HIV Treatment: Protocol for a Multisite Randomized Controlled Trial of Mobile Phone Text MessagingTanue, Elvis AsangbengNsagha, Dickson SheyTheophile, Nana NjamenAssob, Jules Clement Nguedia BackgroundThe World Health Organization has prioritized the use of new technologies to assist in health care delivery in resource-limited settings. Findings suggest that the use of SMS on mobile phones is an advantageous application in health care delivery, especially in communities with an increasing use of this device. ObjectiveThe main aim of this trial is to assess whether sending weekly motivational text messages (SMS) through mobile phones versus no text messaging will improve retention in care and promote adherence to treatment and health outcomes among patients receiving HIV treatment in Fako Division of Cameroon. MethodsThis is a multisite randomized controlled single-blinded trial. Computer-generated random block sizes shall be used to produce a randomization list. Participants shall be randomly allocated into the intervention and control groups determined by serially numbered sealed opaque envelopes. The 156 participants will either receive the mobile phone text message or usual standard of care. We hypothesize that sending weekly motivational SMS reminders will produce a change in behavior to enhance retention; treatment adherence; and, hence, health outcomes. Participants shall be evaluated and data collected at baseline and then at 2, 4, and 6 months after the launch of the intervention. Text messages shall be sent out, and the delivery will be recorded. Primary outcome measures are retention in care and adherence to treatment. Secondary outcomes are clinical (weight, body mass index), biological (virologic suppression, tuberculosis coinfection), quality of life, treatment discontinuation, and mortality. The analysis shall be by intention-to-treat. Analysis of covariates shall be performed to determine factors influencing outcomes. ResultsRecruitment and random allocation are complete; 160 participants were allocated into 3 groups (52 in the single SMS, 55 in the double SMS, and 53 in the control). Data collection and analysis are ongoing, and statistical results will be available by the end of August 2019. ConclusionsThe interventions will contribute to an improved understanding of which intervention types can be feasible in improving retention in care and promoting adherence to antiretroviral therapy. Trial RegistrationPan African Clinical Trial Registry in South Africa PACTR201802003035922; https://pactr.samrc.ac.za/TrialDisplay.aspx?TrialID=3035 International Registered Report Identifier (IRRID)DERR1-10.2196/15680http://www.researchprotocols.org/2020/8/e15680/
collection DOAJ
language English
format Article
sources DOAJ
author Tanue, Elvis Asangbeng
Nsagha, Dickson Shey
Theophile, Nana Njamen
Assob, Jules Clement Nguedia
spellingShingle Tanue, Elvis Asangbeng
Nsagha, Dickson Shey
Theophile, Nana Njamen
Assob, Jules Clement Nguedia
Improving Retention in Care and Promoting Adherence to HIV Treatment: Protocol for a Multisite Randomized Controlled Trial of Mobile Phone Text Messaging
JMIR Research Protocols
author_facet Tanue, Elvis Asangbeng
Nsagha, Dickson Shey
Theophile, Nana Njamen
Assob, Jules Clement Nguedia
author_sort Tanue, Elvis Asangbeng
title Improving Retention in Care and Promoting Adherence to HIV Treatment: Protocol for a Multisite Randomized Controlled Trial of Mobile Phone Text Messaging
title_short Improving Retention in Care and Promoting Adherence to HIV Treatment: Protocol for a Multisite Randomized Controlled Trial of Mobile Phone Text Messaging
title_full Improving Retention in Care and Promoting Adherence to HIV Treatment: Protocol for a Multisite Randomized Controlled Trial of Mobile Phone Text Messaging
title_fullStr Improving Retention in Care and Promoting Adherence to HIV Treatment: Protocol for a Multisite Randomized Controlled Trial of Mobile Phone Text Messaging
title_full_unstemmed Improving Retention in Care and Promoting Adherence to HIV Treatment: Protocol for a Multisite Randomized Controlled Trial of Mobile Phone Text Messaging
title_sort improving retention in care and promoting adherence to hiv treatment: protocol for a multisite randomized controlled trial of mobile phone text messaging
publisher JMIR Publications
series JMIR Research Protocols
issn 1929-0748
publishDate 2020-08-01
description BackgroundThe World Health Organization has prioritized the use of new technologies to assist in health care delivery in resource-limited settings. Findings suggest that the use of SMS on mobile phones is an advantageous application in health care delivery, especially in communities with an increasing use of this device. ObjectiveThe main aim of this trial is to assess whether sending weekly motivational text messages (SMS) through mobile phones versus no text messaging will improve retention in care and promote adherence to treatment and health outcomes among patients receiving HIV treatment in Fako Division of Cameroon. MethodsThis is a multisite randomized controlled single-blinded trial. Computer-generated random block sizes shall be used to produce a randomization list. Participants shall be randomly allocated into the intervention and control groups determined by serially numbered sealed opaque envelopes. The 156 participants will either receive the mobile phone text message or usual standard of care. We hypothesize that sending weekly motivational SMS reminders will produce a change in behavior to enhance retention; treatment adherence; and, hence, health outcomes. Participants shall be evaluated and data collected at baseline and then at 2, 4, and 6 months after the launch of the intervention. Text messages shall be sent out, and the delivery will be recorded. Primary outcome measures are retention in care and adherence to treatment. Secondary outcomes are clinical (weight, body mass index), biological (virologic suppression, tuberculosis coinfection), quality of life, treatment discontinuation, and mortality. The analysis shall be by intention-to-treat. Analysis of covariates shall be performed to determine factors influencing outcomes. ResultsRecruitment and random allocation are complete; 160 participants were allocated into 3 groups (52 in the single SMS, 55 in the double SMS, and 53 in the control). Data collection and analysis are ongoing, and statistical results will be available by the end of August 2019. ConclusionsThe interventions will contribute to an improved understanding of which intervention types can be feasible in improving retention in care and promoting adherence to antiretroviral therapy. Trial RegistrationPan African Clinical Trial Registry in South Africa PACTR201802003035922; https://pactr.samrc.ac.za/TrialDisplay.aspx?TrialID=3035 International Registered Report Identifier (IRRID)DERR1-10.2196/15680
url http://www.researchprotocols.org/2020/8/e15680/
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