Abstract
Life history calendars (LHCs) are able to capture large-scale retrospective quantitative data, which can be utilized to learn about transitions of behavior change over time. The Testing and Risk History Calendar (TRHC) is a version of life history calendar (LHC) which correlates critical social, sexual and health variables with the timing of HIV testing. In order to fulfill the need for time-bound data regarding HIV testing and risk of older persons in South Africa, a pilot of the TRHC was performed using a paper fold-out grid format. Though the TRHC study in this format was effective as older persons were able to recall details about their HIV testing and risk contexts, the interview process was tedious as data were collected manually. Development of a tablet application for TRHC study will improve data quality and make data entry and collection more automated. This paper presents the development of the TRHC application prototype in order to collect TRHC data electronically and provides a platform for efficient large-scale life history calendar data collection.
Highlights
Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) is a communicable disease which is a major health concern worldwide especially in Africa
This paper aims to illustrate the development of an interviewer administered tablet application which allows for the collection of calendar format Testing and Risk History Calendar (TRHC) data and associated survey data simultaneously
The TRHC pilot study showed that older Africans were able to provide information about their social life, sexual relationship and health status, and which components changed over time and which were static; but the mechanism for collecting the data was cumbersome
Summary
Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) is a communicable disease which is a major health concern worldwide especially in Africa. With the increasing number of older persons living and becoming infected with HIV, as well as the complexity of health care utilization due to the co-occurrence of HIV and non-communicable diseases (NCDs) epidemics in this population, there is a need for more detailed and time-bound data on older Africans [1,2,3,4]. HIV prevalence among those 50-plus is as high as 16%, yet reported ever-testing prevalence for HIV among South Africans 50-plus is significantly lower than those 15–49 (54 vs 78%) [5]. Many older South Africans do not know their status due to missed opportunities for HIV testing and misunderstood drivers for HIV infection at older ages [10]. Key information is needed on social, sexual, and health histories and how these align with HIV testing in order to understand risk in this population
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