Effect of Community Health Support Systems and Technology Obsolescence on Utilization of mHealth Information by Teenagers Living with HIV/AIDS in Island Communities of Lake Victoria, Kenya

Abstract

The emergence of mHealth as an alternative access point for care and treatment is lauded by development agencies as ingenious innovation for bridging health care access for teenagers living with HIV/AIDS among detached communities like the islands of Lake Victoria. It is also presumed that mHealth transcends beyond teenagers’ concerns with location and unfriendly hours of operation of health facilities. mHealth is alleged to increase privacy and confidentiality, reduce the cost of service delivery, and loops over retrogressive cultural beliefs and attitudes exhibited by health care providers and caregivers, consequently increasing access to health information, care, and treatment. Specifically, the study sought to determine the technology obsolescence and explore community-based health support systems that facilitate suitable utilization of mHealth by teenagers living with HIV from the island communities of Lake Victoria and its effect on treatment access. To support this study, two philosophies: The theory of Reasoned Action and the Technology Adoption Lifecycle Model were applied. Anchored on cross-sectional study design, stratified sampling identified the psychosocial support groups of teenagers living with HIV. The probit model was applied to the study. With a study population of approximately 409 in Ringiti, Remba, Rusinga, Mfangano, and Mageta Islands, questionnaires were administered to 173 sampled teenagers living with HIV as a unit of analysis, and a control group made up of 30 percent of the sample ascertained effect of mHealth on treatment access. Five focus group discussions and key informant interviews of 10 and 3 were held on each Island. Multiple linear regression analysis was used to estimate the effect of the independent variables on the dependent variable. Further, the results showed that technology obsolescence and community-based health support systems had a significant effect on access to treatment by teenagers living with HIV/AIDS in the Island communities of Lake Victoria. Consequently, this study provides organizations promoting access to access to treatment by teenagers living with HIV/AIDS through mHealth. The study recommended that government and organizations involved in HIV/AIDS related activities should adopt a culture of enhancing mHealth by focusing on technology obsolescence and community-based health support systems. This could go a long way in ensuring there is improved access to treatment by teenagers living with HIV/AIDS in Island communities of Lake Victoria.