Sabine Hermans|Sawsan Elbireer|Harriet Tibakabikoba|Bas Hoefman|Yukari C. Manabe
Text messaging to decrease tuberculosis treatment attrition in TB-HIV coinfection in Uganda
Makerere University|University Medical Center Utrecht|MUJHU Research Collaboration|Makerere University
background low tuberculosis tb treatment completion rates subsaharan africa important driver multidrug resistancemobile technologybased interventions shown improve adherence antiretroviral therapy subsaharan africawe aimed test effect shortmessage service sms intervention loss followup lfu materials methodsin quasiexperimental study adult literate hivinfected patients mobile phone access diagnosed tb november 2010 october 2011 urban clinic uganda eligible receive adherence appointment reminders educational quizzes first 8 weeks tb treatmenttheir risk lfu first 8 weeks treatment compared patients starting treatment march 2009 august 2010 using logistic regressionresults one 183 05 enrolled patients lost fu intervention compared six 302 20 preintervention control group rr 027 95 ci 003207p022the sms intervention rated helpful 96barriers identified included interrupted phone access 26 median 14 days difficulties responding smsthe response rate educational quizzes 10there unintentional disclosures tb hiv status due interventionconclusion sms reminder service show clear effect shortterm risk lfu study underpowered due lower baseline risk control group expectedthe smsreminder service rated highly breaches confidentialityimportant technological barriers implications largerscale implementation tb also disease modalities