Cognitive evaluation of a mobile HIV telemanagement system utilizing multiple health communication channels

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Developing affordable technology that supports comprehensive self-management of HIV poses great challenges as it has to address complex care needs including prevention of risky behavior, slowing of disease progression and medication adherence for antiretrovirals, opportunistic infection medication and possibly other chronic disease medication. The combination of multiple health communication channels with improved means of feedback to patients and providers have a potential to facilitate global access to self-management support tools and to increase patient confidence in their clinician's ability to provide high quality care based on their responses to disease diary questions. The goal of this project was development of a working prototype of a mobile HIV telemanagement system utilizing multiple health communication channels, and evaluation of this system using cognitive walkthrough methodology. Using this approach we were able to finalize interface and content specifications for the HIV telemanagement system providing global affordable access to its users for HIV self-care support tools. The cognitive evaluation highlighted areas for further improvement and revealed that most of the problems identified during research team inspection were unlikely to compromise patient acceptance and ability to use the system. We concluded that an affordable technology delivering comprehensive HIV self-management support via multiple health communication channels is likely to succeed, and that the delivery through different channels is the way to avoid overburdening end users while promoting flexibility and patient-centered care.