REMIND pregnancy
This was a pilot study that investigated the acceptability and feasibility of sending SMS reminders to help remind pregnant and breastfeeding women living with HIV (WLHIV) in Kilimanjaro, Tanzania to take their medication. Those women often have difficulties in maintaining adequate levels of ART adherence. We conducted a 6-months observational pilot-study among WLHIV attending antenatal and postnatal care. Participants received a SMS reminder before actual time of intake. Later, a follow-up SMS was sent, asking participants whether medication was taken or not to which women had to reply. Twenty-five women were enrolled and we conducted exit-interviews to explore their experience with the SMS-reminders.
Technically, almost all the SMS were sent and delivered meaning that SMS reminders in this resource-limited setting are feasible. Few had concerns about privacy regarding the SMS content, specifically the risk of unwanted disclosure and the experience of stigma. Recommendation was made that more neutral content of the SMS might be a way to improving the intervention. We published this study in the East African Health Research Journal.
