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Randomized Controlled Trial
. 2018 Oct;22(10):3373-3383.
doi: 10.1007/s10461-017-2014-0.

Mobile Health Technology for Improving Symptom Management in Low Income Persons Living with HIV

Rebecca Schnall  1 , Hwayoung Cho  2 , Alexander Mangone  2 , Adrienne Pichon  2 , Haomiao Jia  2
Affiliations
Randomized Controlled Trial

Mobile Health Technology for Improving Symptom Management in Low Income Persons Living with HIV

Rebecca Schnall et al. AIDS Behav. 2018 Oct.

Abstract

Persons living with HIV (PLWH) are living longer but experiencing more adverse symptoms associated with the disease and its treatment. This study aimed to examine the impact of a mHealth application (app) comprised of evidence-based self-care strategies on the symptom experience of PLWH. We conducted a 12-week feasibility study with 80 PLWH who were randomized (1:1) to a mHealth app, mobile Video Information Provider (mVIP), with self-care strategies for improving 13 commonly experienced symptoms in PLWH or to a control app. Intervention group participants showed a significantly greater improvement than the control group in 5 symptoms: anxiety (p = 0.001), depression (p = 0.001), neuropathy (p = 0.002), fever/chills/sweat (p = 0.037), and weight loss/wasting (p = 0.020). Participants in the intervention group showed greater improvement in adherence to their antiretroviral medications (p = 0.017) as compared to those in the control group. In this 12-week trial, mVIP was associated with improved symptom burden and increased medication adherence in PLWH.

Keywords: Feasibility trial; Mobile technology; Self-care; Symptom management; mHealth.

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Conflict of interest statement

Conflict of interest

All authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Sample self-care strategies for 13 symptoms
Figure 2
Figure 2
a mVIP shortcut, b Log-in, c Avatar selection, d Symptom assessment, e Animated video, f Summary of strategies
Figure 3
Figure 3
Enrollment Summary Diagram
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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