"Friendly Reminder: Hi! It is That Time Again ☺": Understanding PMTCT Care Text Message Design Preferences Amongst Pre- and Post-partum Women and Their Male Partners

Overview

Journal BMC Public Health

Publisher Biomed Central

Specialty Public Health

Date 2021 Aug 3

PMID 34340672

Citations 3

Authors

Natabhona M Mabachi

Melinda Brown

Catherine Wexler

Kathy Goggin

May Maloba

Dama Olungae

Brad Gautney

Sarah Finocchario-Kessler

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Background: Prevention of mother-to-child HIV transmission (PMTCT) services in Kenya can be strengthened through the delivery of relevant and culturally appropriate SMS messages.

Methods: This study reports on the results of focus groups conducted with pre and postnatal women living with HIV (5 groups, n = 40) and their male partners (3 groups, n = 33) to elicit feedback and develop messages to support HIV+ women's adherence to ART medication, ANC appointments and a facility-based birth. The principles of message design informed message development.

Results: Respondents wanted ART adherence messages that were low in verbal immediacy (ambiguous), came from an anonymous source, and were customized in timing and frequency. Unlike other studies, low message immediacy was prioritized over customization of message content. For retention, participants preferred messages with high verbal immediacy-direct appointment reminders and references to the baby-sent infrequently from a clinical source.

Conclusion: Overall, participants favored content that was brief, cheerful, and emotionally appealing.

Citing Articles

The use, adherence, and evaluation of interactive text-messaging among women admitted to prevention of mother-to-child transmission of HIV care in Kenya (WelTel PMTCT).

Nordberg B, Kaguiri E, Chamorro de Angeles K, Gabriel E, van der Kop M, Mwangi W BMC Pregnancy Childbirth. 2024; 24(1):25.

PMID: 38172881 PMC: 10763426. DOI: 10.1186/s12884-023-06194-0.

Developing contents for a digital adherence tool: A formative mixed-methods study among children and adolescents living with HIV in Tanzania.

Swai I, Bergen L, Mtenga A, Maro R, Ngowi K, Mtesha B PLOS Digit Health. 2023; 2(10):e0000232.

PMID: 37851616 PMC: 10584100. DOI: 10.1371/journal.pdig.0000232.

A Pilot Study to Evaluate the Impact of the HIV Infant Tracking System (HITSystem 2.0) on Priority Prevention of Mother-to-Child Transmission (PMTCT) Outcomes.

Finocchario-Kessler S, Brown M, Maloba M, Nazir N, Wexler C, Goggin K AIDS Behav. 2021; 25(8):2419-2429.

PMID: 33709212 PMC: 8224224. DOI: 10.1007/s10461-021-03204-0.

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