Conference abstract
Impact of WhatsApp forum discussion sessions on adherence to antiretroviral therapy among youths living with HIV in Fako Division, Cameroon: a quasi-experimental study
Pan African Medical Journal - Conference Proceedings. 2023:18(120).03
Oct 2023.
doi: 10.11604/pamj-cp.2023.18.120.2229
Archived on: 03 Oct 2023
Contact the corresponding author
Keywords: Adherence, quasi, experimental, WhatsApp
Oral presentation
Impact of WhatsApp forum discussion sessions on adherence to antiretroviral therapy among youths living with HIV in Fako Division, Cameroon: a quasi-experimental study
Akontai Ndip Ojong Taku1,&, Hermann Ngouakam2, Tanue Elvis Asangbeng2
1ISEC International University, Cameroon, 2University of Buea, Cameroon
&Corresponding author
Introduction: low adherence to antiretroviral therapy (ART) by young people (10 -24 years) is frequent and represents a worldwide challenge. Findings suggest that interventions using WhatsApp for sharing experiences could be useful as a reinforcement to increase adherence to ART, especially in communities with increasing use of mobile phones. The objective was to investigate the impact of weekly WhatsApp forum discussion sessions on adherence to ART among youths living with HIV in Fako Division, Cameroon.
Methods: a quasi-experimental design wherein 50 participants were allocated into the intervention group and 50 into the control group in two separate HIV treatment centers. A patient-oriented, weekly WhatsApp forum discussion sessions were held and health promotion messages on adherence to ART coupled with twice weekly reminder messages were sent to participants in the intervention group. Health promotion messages on hygienic practices were shared through WhatsApp forum discussion sessions with participants in the control group. Data was collected using questionnaires and adherence to ART was determined at baseline and at 2 months after the start of the intervention using SPSS software.
Results: the level of adherence to ART was similar between the intervention (54.0%) and control groups (58.0%) at baseline (p=0.687). Two months into the study, there was no significant change in the level of optimal adherence to ART among participants in the control arm compared to baseline (58.0% vs 58.0%, p=1.000). However, in the intervention arm, the level of optimal adherence to ART increased from 54.0% to 92.0% and was 2 times significantly higher (Relative Risk 2.30; 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.64 -3.23; p=0.000).
Conclusion: the WhatsApp forum discussion sessions and reminder messages were effective in improving adherence to ART. 75% (an increase of 19%) of youths living with HIV in the Fako Division were adherent to ART and the intervention group participants were two times more likely to report with optimal level of adherence. Therefore, the once-weekly WhatsApp forum discussion sessions and twice-weekly reminder messages could be exploited as a means of promoting optimal adherence to ART.
Impact of WhatsApp forum discussion sessions on adherence to antiretroviral therapy among youths living with HIV in Fako Division, Cameroon: a quasi-experimental study
Akontai Ndip Ojong Taku1,&, Hermann Ngouakam2, Tanue Elvis Asangbeng2
1ISEC International University, Cameroon, 2University of Buea, Cameroon
&Corresponding author
Introduction: low adherence to antiretroviral therapy (ART) by young people (10 -24 years) is frequent and represents a worldwide challenge. Findings suggest that interventions using WhatsApp for sharing experiences could be useful as a reinforcement to increase adherence to ART, especially in communities with increasing use of mobile phones. The objective was to investigate the impact of weekly WhatsApp forum discussion sessions on adherence to ART among youths living with HIV in Fako Division, Cameroon.
Methods: a quasi-experimental design wherein 50 participants were allocated into the intervention group and 50 into the control group in two separate HIV treatment centers. A patient-oriented, weekly WhatsApp forum discussion sessions were held and health promotion messages on adherence to ART coupled with twice weekly reminder messages were sent to participants in the intervention group. Health promotion messages on hygienic practices were shared through WhatsApp forum discussion sessions with participants in the control group. Data was collected using questionnaires and adherence to ART was determined at baseline and at 2 months after the start of the intervention using SPSS software.
Results: the level of adherence to ART was similar between the intervention (54.0%) and control groups (58.0%) at baseline (p=0.687). Two months into the study, there was no significant change in the level of optimal adherence to ART among participants in the control arm compared to baseline (58.0% vs 58.0%, p=1.000). However, in the intervention arm, the level of optimal adherence to ART increased from 54.0% to 92.0% and was 2 times significantly higher (Relative Risk 2.30; 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.64 -3.23; p=0.000).
Conclusion: the WhatsApp forum discussion sessions and reminder messages were effective in improving adherence to ART. 75% (an increase of 19%) of youths living with HIV in the Fako Division were adherent to ART and the intervention group participants were two times more likely to report with optimal level of adherence. Therefore, the once-weekly WhatsApp forum discussion sessions and twice-weekly reminder messages could be exploited as a means of promoting optimal adherence to ART.
