Effect of mHealth Utilization on Access to Treatment by Teenagers Living with HIV/AIDS in Island Communities of Lake Victoria, Kenya

Authors: Olang' Alfred Philip Bill Okaka (PhD scholar - JKUAT); Florence Ondieki - Mwaura (PhD) (Lecturer JKUAT), & Peres NyawangaWenje (PhD) (Lecturer MMUST)

JKUAT - Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology, Kenya, and MMUST -Masinde Muliro University of Science and Technology, Kenya.

Exclusion from structural and biomedical interventions, concerns with privacy and confidentiality, location and hours of operation of health facilities, cost of services, coupled with retrogressive beliefs and attitudes of health providers, are barriers to seeking health services by teenagers living with HIV/AIDS. To bridge the gap, use mobile phones (mHealth) have emerged as an attempt to ensure care and treatment for teenagers. Despite scaling up of mHealth, over 500 pilot studies have not indicated evidence of impact for sustainability. Due to limited resources for technology in healthcare, discourse on HIV/AIDS epidemic now transcends beyond access and utilization to sustainability of healthcare services. The study sought to determine the effect of mHealth utilization by teenagers living with HIV among island communities of Lake Victoria on access to treatment. Specifically, it characterized mHealth access and determined knowledge management affecting utilization by teenagers living with HIV. To support this study, four philosophies: Theory of Reasoned Action and Knowledge Management Process Model, Technology Adoption Lifecycle Model were applied. Anchored on cross-sectional study design, stratified sampling identified the psychosocial support groups of teenagers living with HIV. Probit Model was applied to the study. With a study population of approximately 409 in Ringiti, Remba, Rusinga, Mfangano and Mageta islands, questionnaires were administered to: 173 sampled teenagers living with HIV as unit of analysis, and a control group made up of 30 percent of the sample ascertained effect of mHealth on treatment access. Five focus group discussions and key informant interviews of 10 and 3 were held in each Island. Multiple linear regression analysis were used to estimate the effect of the independent variables on the dependent. Further, the results showed that Characterization of mHealth access and Knowledge Management had a positive and significant effect on access to treatment by teenagers living with HIV/AIDS in Island communities of Lake Victoria. Consequently, this study provides organizations promoting access to access to treatment by teenagers living with HIV/AIDS through Mhealth. The study recommended that government and organizations involved in HIV/AIDs related activities should adopt a culture of enhancing M-health. This could go a long way in ensuring there is improved access to treatment by teenagers living with HIV/AIDS in Island communities of Lake Victoria.

Full document: IJISSHR-J-2-2021.pdf (seahipaj.org)