Access, Participation, Control, and Advantage of Digital-Based Healthcare Service for Women Living with HIV/AIDS

Abstract

Gender inequality contributes to HIV/AIDS transmission, increased number of women living with HIV/AIDS (WLHA), and women’s reduced ability of resolving this epidemic. Mobile Health (mH) is used to treat, support, and medicate more efficiently people with HIV/AIDS (PWHA) including WLHA. This research studies access, participation, control, and advantage of digital-based healthcare service to WLHA using Harvard’s gender analysis model. Informants employed in this exploratory research were Surakarta City’s Health Service Office, medical workers, nurses, administrative staffs, patients, NGO Caring for AIDS, WLHA, Peer Support Group, and Citizens caring for AIDS di Surakarta Indonesia. Data validity test was conducted using source triangulation and data was analyzed using an interactive model of analysis. Result shows that several digital platforms have been developed by Public Health Centers and Hospitals in Surakarta including telemedicine, telenursing, telepharmacy, website, youtube and social media for promotive, preventive, curative, and rehabilitative healthcare services to WLHA in Surakarta Indonesia. WLHA, public, and medical personnel in Surakarta Indonesia have participated in and access mH, despite gender inequality. The factor determining gender inequality in digital-based healthcare service is men’s domination in mastering digital-based health technology, negative stigma, and discriminative treatment given by medical personnel and public to WLHA. The use of mH by WLHA has positive impact on knowledge, stance, access, participation, decision, and changing behavior of WLHA and the medical personnel responsible for the service.