DOT Diary: Developing a Novel Mobile App Using Artificial Intelligence and an Electronic Sexual Diary to Measure and Support PrEP Adherence Among Young Men Who Have Sex with Men

Overview

Journal AIDS Behav

Specialty Infectious Diseases

Date 2020 Oct 12

PMID 33044687

Citations 21

Authors

Albert Y Liu

Nicole D Laborde

Kenneth Coleman

Eric Vittinghoff

Rafael Gonzalez

Gretchen Wilde

Annie L Thorne

Ed Ikeguchi

Laura Shafner

Lauren Sunshine

Ariane van der Straten

Aaron J Siegler

Susan Buchbinder

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Young men who have sex with men (YMSM) are highly vulnerable to HIV. While pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) has demonstrated effectiveness, adherence has been low among YMSM and difficult to measure accurately. In collaboration with a healthcare company, we configured an automated directly-observed therapy (aDOT) platform for monitoring and supporting PrEP use. Based on interest expressed in focus groups among 54 YMSM, we combined aDOT with an electronic sexual diary to provide feedback on level of protection during sex and to motivate app use. In an 8-week optimization pilot with 20 YMSM in San Francisco and Atlanta, the app was found to be highly acceptable, with median System Usability Scale scores in the "excellent" range (80/100). App use was high, with median PrEP adherence of 91% based on aDOT-confirmed dosing. Most (84%) participants reported the app helped with taking PrEP. These promising findings support further evaluation of DOT Diary in future effectiveness studies.

Citing Articles

The mChoice App, an mHealth Tool for the Monitoring of Preexposure Prophylaxis Adherence and Sexual Behaviors in Young Men Who Have Sex With Men: Usability Evaluation.

Dos Santos F, Brin M, Tanner M, Galindo C, Schnall R JMIR Hum Factors. 2025; 12:e59780.

PMID: 40019786 PMC: 11887583. DOI: 10.2196/59780.

Acceptability of an automated directly observed therapy (DOT) application for PrEP adherence support among young men who have sex with men: a qualitative exploration.

Velloza J, Liu A, Katz A, van der Straten A, Siegler A, Scott H AIDS Care. 2024; 36(11):1704-1718.

PMID: 39222964 PMC: 11511627. DOI: 10.1080/09540121.2024.2397133.

Using an interactive web application to identify pre-exposure prophylaxis adherence among men who have sex with men.

Lin B, Feng S, Liu J, Li K, Shi G, Zhong X Int J Clin Health Psychol. 2024; 24(3):100490.

PMID: 39220117 PMC: 11365445. DOI: 10.1016/j.ijchp.2024.100490.

Adapting mHealth Interventions (PrEPmate and DOT Diary) to Support PrEP Retention in Care and Adherence Among English and Spanish-Speaking Men Who Have Sex With Men and Transgender Women in the United States: Formative Work and Pilot Randomized Trial.

Liu A, Alleyne C, Doblecki-Lewis S, Koester K, Gonzalez R, Vinson J JMIR Form Res. 2024; 8:e54073.

PMID: 38536232 PMC: 11007601. DOI: 10.2196/54073.

Results From a Pilot Study of an Automated Directly Observed Therapy Intervention Using Artificial Intelligence With Conditional Economic Incentives Among Young Adults With HIV.

Stoner M, Smith L, Ming K, Mancuso N, Patani H, Sukhija-Cohen A J Acquir Immune Defic Syndr. 2024; 96(2):136-146.

PMID: 38363868 PMC: 11108745. DOI: 10.1097/QAI.0000000000003397.

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