G. Otieno|Sophie Githinji|Caroline Jones|Robert W. Snow|Ambrose Talisuna|Dejan Zurovac
The feasibility, patterns of use and acceptability of using mobile phone text-messaging to improve treatment adherence and post-treatment review of children with uncomplicated malaria in western Kenya
Kenya Medical Research Institute|Kenya Medical Research Institute|Kenya Medical Research Institute|Kenya Medical Research Institute|Nuffield Orthopaedic Centre|University of Oxford|Kenya Medical Research Institute
trials evaluating impact mobile phone textmessaging support management acute diseases malaria urgently needed africa however concern feasibility interventions rely access mobile phones among caregivers rural areas assess feasibility inform development intervention improve adherence malaria medications posttreatment review mobile phone network access ownership use among caregivers western kenya assessed crosssectional survey based outpatient exit interviews undertaken among caregivers children malaria four trial facilities main outcomes proportions caregivers mobile signal home access mobile phones able read use textmessaging willingness receive textmessage reminders also explored descriptive analyses performed 400 interviewed caregivers majority female 935 mothers sick children 878 able read 973 17 caregivers without education nearly 998 reported access mobile signal home 930 site range 8998 access mobile phone within household 738 site range 6678 possessed personal phone among caregivers mobile phone access 936 site range 8599 used phone receive textmessages despite 19 electricity home nearly 997 caregivers reported would able permanent phone access receive textmessages next 28 days willingness receive textmessage reminders nearly universal 997 417 caregivers preferring texts english 323 kiswahili 261 dholuo despite concerns feasibility textmessaging interventions targeting caregivers may compromised rural high malaria risk areas kenya favourable conditions found respect mobile network access ownership phones use textmessaging minimum literacy levels required successful intervention delivery moreover high willingness caregivers receive textmessage reminders impact evaluations carefully tailored textmessaging interventions targeting caregivers children malaria timely justified