The Use of Mobile Phone for HIV/AIDS Patients Clinical Attendance and Follow-up in Art Providing Hospitals in Addis Ababa,Ethiopia
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2011-06
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Abstract
Background: HIV/AIDS is a lifelong disease and the treatment and follow-up of PLWHA over time requires daily administration of antiretroviral drugs as well as monitoring of clinical progression and lab results to prevent multi-drug resistance. Mobile phone technology has a potential to address many health challenges facing resource-poor countries including the barriers HIV patients encounter when accessing ART.
The magnitude of mobile phone utilization and factors affecting utilization of mobile phone among patients attending ART clinic for health-care services particularly in management of HIV/AIDS patient clinical attendance, follow up and adherence is not well assessed in Ethiopia and Addis Ababa.
Objective of the study: The overall objective of this study was to assess utilization of mobile phone and factors affecting utilization of mobile phone for HIV patients’ clinical attendance and follow up at public hospitals in Addis Ababa
Methodology: A cross sectional study employing both quantitative and qualitative methods was utilized. And structured questionnaires and in depth interview were used to collect data.
Epi info16 and SPSS statistical software package were used for data entry and analysis respectively.
Descriptive statistics using frequency and summary statistic were used to describe the respondents. And logistic analysis for the quantitative study and content analysis for qualitative study were used to analyze data.
Result: A total of 422 patients were participated in the study. Of those 85.5% had access to mobile phones, about 48.3% have no information about the service provided in ART, 37.4% were receive calls and 23.0% were had history of calls to adherence supporter.
The utilization rate of mobile phone was 46.8% for all respondents. Miss appointment date [OR, 7.51 (95% CI 3.58, 15.77)], know about the service providing [OR, 9.25 (95%CI 4.89, 17.47)] and current adherence status [OR, 3.35 (95%CI 1.28, 8.80)] were found significant association with mobile phone utilization.
Conclusion: Our study shows that information about the availability of the service; adherence status and missed appointment date were the major predictors of mobile phone utilization for patient clinical attendance and follow up.
We recommend that the system should be integrated with the general ART service and responsible bodies should allocate budget for mobile phone service and motivate adherence supporters.
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HIV/AIDS