title: The Acceptability and Perceived Usefulness of a Weekly Clinical SMS Program to Promote HIV Antiretroviral Medication Adherence in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa.
abstract: Short message service (SMS) text messages have been used to remind and encourage patients to take ART in research studies. However, few studies have assessed the feasibility and acceptability of SMS in routine clinical practice. We report patient perspectives on a weekly SMS adherence support program after implementation into clinical care at an HIV clinic in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. We conducted structured interviews with a cross-sectional convenience sample of 100 adult patients who were invited to join the program, 88 of whom had received a program SMS. Of these respondents, 81 (92 %) would recommend the program to a friend. Sixty-eight (77 %) felt the program helped them remember clinic appointments, a response associated with male gender [odds ratio (OR) 5.88, 95 % confidence interval (CI) 1.52-23.26, P = 0.011] and HIV disclosure outside the home [OR 3.40, 95 %CI 1.00-11.60, P = 0.050]. This clinical SMS adherence program was found to have high patient-perceived usefulness.
authors.affiliation: Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.
authors.forename: Nathan
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Georgette
authors.affiliation: Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.|Center for Global Health, Massachusetts General Hospital, 100 Cambridge St, 15th Floor, Boston, MA, USA.|Department of Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA.
authors.forename: Mark J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Siedner
authors.affiliation: Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.|Center for Global Health, Massachusetts General Hospital, 100 Cambridge St, 15th Floor, Boston, MA, USA.|Department of Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA.
authors.forename: Brian
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Zanoni
authors.affiliation: University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, South Africa.
authors.forename: Thobekile
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Sibaya
authors.affiliation: Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA.
authors.forename: Carter R
authors.initials: CR
authors.lastname: Petty
authors.affiliation: Don McKenzie Hospital, Botha's Hill, South Africa.
authors.forename: Stephen
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Carpenter
authors.affiliation: Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA. jhaberer@partners.org.|Center for Global Health, Massachusetts General Hospital, 100 Cambridge St, 15th Floor, Boston, MA, USA. jhaberer@partners.org.|Department of Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA. jhaberer@partners.org.
authors.forename: Jessica E
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Haberer
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D019380:Anti-HIV Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D003906:Developing Countries; D005260:Female; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000523:psychology*; D006801:Humans; D007406:Interview, Psychological; D008297:Male; D055118:Medication Adherence / Q000523:psychology*; D016017:Odds Ratio; D010342:Patient Acceptance of Health Care / Q000523:psychology*; D013019:South Africa; D060145:Text Messaging
chemical_list: D019380:Anti-HIV Agents
keywords: Adherence; HIV; KwaZulu-Natal; Routine care; SMS program; mHealth