MAHILA: a protocol for evaluating a nurse-delivered mHealth intervention for women with HIV and psychosocial risk factors in India. Issue 1 (December 2016)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Reynolds, Nancy; Satyanarayana, Veena; Duggal, Mona; Varghese, Meiya; Liberti, Lauren; Singh, Pushpendra; Ranganathan, Mohini; Jeon, Sangchoon; Chandra, Prabha
• Is Part Of: BMC health services research. Volume 16:Issue 1(2016)
• Page Start: 1
• Page End: 9
• Publication Date: 2016-12
• Subjects: HIV -- Women -- Mental health -- mHealth -- Antiretroviral adherence -- LMIC; Public health -- Research -- Periodicals; Medical care -- Research -- Periodicals; 362.1072
• DOI: 10.1186/s12913-016-1605-1
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1472-6963

Abstract

Abstract Background Women living with HIV are vulnerable to a variety of psychosocial barriers that limit access and adherence to treatment. There is little evidence supporting interventions for improving access and treatment adherence among vulnerable groups of women in low- and middle-income countries. TheM obile Phone-Based A pproach for H ealth I mprovement, L iteracy and A dherence (MAHILA) trial is assessing the feasibility, acceptability and preliminary efficacy of a novel, theory-guided mobile health intervention delivered by nurses for enhancing self-care and treatment adherence among HIV-infected women in India. Methods/Design Women (n = 120) with HIV infection who screen positive for depressive symptoms and/or other psychosocial vulnerabilities are randomly assigned in equal numbers to one of two treatment arms: treatment as usual plus the mobile phone intervention (experimental group) or treatment as usual (control group). In addition to treatment as usual, the experimental group receives nurse-delivered self-care counselling via mobile phone at fixed intervals over 16 weeks. Outcome measures are collected at baseline and at 4, 12, 24 and 36 weeks post-baseline. Outcomes include antiretroviral treatment adherence, HIV-1 RNA, depressive symptoms, illness perceptions, internalized stigma and quality of life. Discussion The MAHILA trial will provide information about how a mobile health counselling intervention delivered by non specialist nurses may improve access to care and support the adherence and clinical outcomes of women with HIV infection living in low- and middle-income countries such as India. Trial registration NCT02319330 (First received: July 30, 2014; Last verified: January 2016)