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Developing a mHealth intervention to promote uptake of HIV testing among African communities in the UK: a qualitative study.
- Source :
-
BMC Public Health . 7/28/2016, Vol. 16 Issue 1, p1-16. 16p. 1 Diagram, 4 Charts. - Publication Year :
- 2016
-
Abstract
- <bold>Background: </bold>HIV-related mHealth interventions have demonstrable efficacy in supporting treatment adherence, although the evidence base for promoting HIV testing is inconclusive. Progress is constrained by a limited understanding of processes used to develop interventions and weak theoretical underpinnings. This paper describes a research project that informed the development of a theory-based mHealth intervention to promote HIV testing amongst city-dwelling African communities in the conditions.<bold>Methods: </bold>A community-based participatory social marketing design was adopted. Six focus groups (48 participants in total) were undertaken and analysed using a thematic framework approach, guided by constructs from the Health Belief Model. Key themes were incorporated into a set of text messages, which were pre-tested and refined.<bold>Results: </bold>The focus groups identified a relatively low perception of HIV risk, especially amongst men, and a range of social and structural barriers to HIV testing. In terms of self-efficacy around HIV testing, respondents highlighted a need for communities and professionals to work together to build a context of trust through co-location in, and co-involvement of, local communities which would in turn enhance confidence in, and support for, HIV testing activities of health professionals. Findings suggested that messages should: avoid an exclusive focus on HIV, be tailored and personalised, come from a trusted source, allay fears and focus on support and health benefits.<bold>Conclusions: </bold>HIV remains a stigmatized and de-prioritized issue within African migrant communities in the UK, posing barriers to HIV testing initiatives. A community-based participatory social marketing design can be successfully used to develop a culturally appropriate text messaging HIV intervention. Key challenges involved turning community research recommendations into brief text messages of only 160 characters. The intervention needs to be evaluated in a randomized control trial. Future research should explore the application of the processes and methodologies described in this paper within other communities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Subjects :
- *MOBILE health
*DIAGNOSIS of HIV infections
*PATIENT compliance
*TREATMENT effectiveness
*AFRICANS
*HEALTH Belief Model
*HEALTH
*FOCUS groups
*MEDICAL care research
*MEDICAL screening
*SENSORY perception
*SOCIAL marketing
*STEREOTYPES
*TELEMEDICINE
*PSYCHOLOGY of Black people
*QUALITATIVE research
*TEXT messages
*PATIENTS' attitudes
*PSYCHOLOGY
HIV infections & psychology
Subjects
Details
- Language :
- English
- ISSN :
- 14712458
- Volume :
- 16
- Issue :
- 1
- Database :
- Academic Search Index
- Journal :
- BMC Public Health
- Publication Type :
- Academic Journal
- Accession number :
- 117106144
- Full Text :
- https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-016-3278-4