Amsterdam 2015
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| Abstract #2077 - Generation 2.0 - using the internet in the fight against HIV | ||||
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Session: 37.4: Generation 2.0 - using the internet in the fight against HIV (Symposium) on Thursday @ 14.30-16.00 in C002 Chaired by Tawanda Makusha, Alastair van Heerden Authors: Presenting Author: Dr. Keith Horvath - University of Minnesota, United States |
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| Additional Authors: | ||||
| Aim: Achieving high antiretroviral therapy (ART) adherence is critical for reducing morbidity and mortality among persons living with HIV (PLWH) and to effectively scale up Treatment as Prevention (TasP). Drug use - especially stimulant use - is associated with poor ART adherence, promoting calls for innovative adherence interventions. Smartphone applications (or “apps”), while widely used by persons in the US and worldwide, are an underutilized mode for delivering ART adherence information and messaging. To inform development and implementation of smartphone-based ART adherence interventions for HIV+ stimulant-using men who have sex with men (HIV+ SU-MSM), we conducted focus groups to 1) assess smartphone app features and functions that promote their downloading and sustained use over time and 2) determine preferences for features and functions to include in a general health and ART adherence smartphone app. | ||||
| Method / Issue: Five focus groups of HIV+ SU-MSM in San Francisco, CA (n=16) and Minneapolis, MN (n=10) were conducted between February-April, 2014. Focus groups were audio recorded, transcribed, and reviewed for themes related to the primary research questions. | ||||
| Results / Comments: Men in focus groups were on average 41 years of age and 88% adherent to their ART regimen in the past 2 months, and were primarily white (96%) and non-Hispanic (88%). Drug use varied, with 23% using less than once a month, 23% using once a month, 12% using every couple of weeks, 30% using one to five times a week, and 12% using almost every day or every day. The following themes emerged with respect to the men’s decisions about downloading and sustaining use of smartphone apps over time: 1) how useful or relevant the app is in their lives, 2) ease of navigation of the app, 3) the degree of control men had over app features, 4) how engaging the app was, 5) the time it took for men to download and update the app, 6) the credibility of the app developer, 7) how often the app is updated, 8) the ability of the app to integrate with other software, 9) security features of the app, and 10) how much the app costs. Men provided input into features and functions they would like to see in a general health and ART adherence app, including an app that: 1) stored a range of medical information, 2) reminded them at critical times to take their medications, 3) provided feedback about their own adherence performance, 4) reminded them of upcoming medical appointments, 5) allowed them to socialize with other HIV+ men, 6) and provided resources and updated HIV information. These themes will be discussed and supported with participant quotes. | ||||
| Discussion: Themes elicited during the focus groups were similar for HIV+ MSM in San Francisco and Minneapolis. Relevancy of a smartphone app to the lives of HIV+ SU-MSM and its ease of navigation were key components of its sustained use over time. Discussion of these results will help identify and explore ways to leverage key smartphone app features and functions for the purpose of optimizing ART adherence for substance-using HIV+ MSM. | ||||
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