Abstract
BackgroundMobile health (mHealth) can be beneficial in monitoring the complex healthcare regimen for people with HIV that includes adhering to medication and refraining from risky practices such as unsafe sex and injection drug use. Not only is mHealth often implemented without appropriate feasibility and acceptability research, but there is limited mHealth research among key HIV-positive populations such as men who have sex with men (MSM) and transgender women (TGW).MethodsThis study assessed access to and use of mobile technology and acceptability of mHealth among 150 HIV-positive MSM and TGW who were prescribed antiretroviral therapy (ART) in Malaysia–an emerging economy with rapid telecommunications growth and societal stigma against these groups.ResultsFindings among the 114 MSM and 36 TGW reveal high levels of depression (42%), stigma (2.53/4.00) and risky sexual behavior (30%), and suboptimal ART adherence (22%). On the other hand, the sample had excellent access to smartphones (75.3%) and the internet (78%), and had high acceptance of mHealth especially for those with suboptimal ART adherence.ConclusionIn settings like Malaysia where homosexuality and cross-dressing are socially and legally stigmatized, HIV prevention and treatment strategies delivered using an mHealth platform have the potential to overcome in-person barriers.
Highlights
Mobile health is a field of research that centers around the use of mobile devices to manage healthcare, improve health outcomes, and promote preventive health behaviors [1,2,3]
In response to international guidelines that have recommended scaling back HIV adherence interventions in terms of cost and personnel [4], Mobile health (mHealth) has been offered as a complement to existing strategies [5]. mHealth interventions have already shown efficacious results in improving health outcomes related to multiple chronic conditions [6,7,8], and they can be beneficial in managing the complexity of care for people with HIV (PWH)
In response to criticism that mHealth is often implemented in the face of a lack of acceptability work [5, 21] and in recognizing the importance of examining mHealth among vulnerable populations [11], the purpose of this study is to ascertain at a micro level the following: (1) mobile technology access and use, (2) mHealth intervention acceptability, and (3) social and health constructs including drug/ alcohol use, mental health and stigma, among HIV-positive men who have sex with men (MSM) and transgender women (TGW) in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Summary
Mobile health (mHealth) can be beneficial in monitoring the complex healthcare regimen for people with HIV that includes adhering to medication and refraining from risky practices such as unsafe sex and injection drug use. Is mHealth often implemented without appropriate feasibility and acceptability research, but there is limited mHealth research among key HIV-positive populations such as men who have sex with men (MSM) and transgender women (TGW)
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