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Uganda Virus Research Institute

REPUBLIC OF UGANDA

POCIS

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  1. About the Project

Viral suppression is the main pathway to reduction of new cases and HIV elimination. Suppression requires high medication adherence, which requires high levels of retention in care, implying that any antagonists to retention ought to be prevented. Stigma is one of the antagonists of retention in care in Uganda, especially among adolescents, who are worryingly among the most affected by HIV, and yet exhibit higher propensity to transmit the virus once not suppressed. Interventions to reduce stigma and foster retention have been implemented in Uganda, most notable among which is standard of care health education at health facilities. With the apparent gaps in healthcare access, plus non-adherence to facility-based health education, electronic health approaches have been increasingly adopted to provide the health education. However, gaps in retention in care and stigma among youth remain. A mobile health (mHealth) communication app will be developed and implemented using Intervention Mapping. The effect of the intervention on retention in care and on stigma will be measured in an effect evaluation.

Study population

The study population will be youths (15-24 years) living with HIV and on ART.

  1. The study objective(s) and research question(s)This study aims to design, implement, and evaluate the effect of mHealth communication on stigma and retention in care among youth living with HIV and linked to care in Uganda.

Specific objectives:

  1. To investigate the design features and content an app designed should have to reduce stigma and foster retention in care among youth living with HIV and linked to care in Uganda according to these youth and health care workers.
  2. To examine the most important determinants of stigma and retention in care among youth living with HIV and linked to care in Uganda.
  3. To assess the effect of an mhealth communication app on stigma among youth living with HIV and linked to care in Uganda.
  4. To assess the effect of an mhealth communication app on retention in care among youth living with HIV and linked to care in Uganda.

Clinical Trial Study Registry

Extra details about the study are available at the Pan African Clinical Trial Registry (pactr.samrc.ac.za) database, and it's unique identification number for the registry is PACTR202410859610343.