COMMUNITY HEALTH SUPPORT SYSTEMS AND UTILIZATION OF MHEALTH INFORMATION BY TEENAGERS LIVING WITH HIV/AIDS IN ISLAND COMMUNITIES OF LAKE VICTORIA, KENYA

Abstract

The emergence of mHealth as an alternative access point for care and treatment is lauded by
development agencies as ingenious innovation for bridging health care access for teenagers
living with HIV/AIDS among detached communities like the islands of Lake Victoria. It is also
presumed that mHealth transcends beyond teenagers’ concerns with location and unfriendly
hours of operation of health facilities. The mHealth is alleged to increase privacy and
confidentiality, reduce cost of service delivery, and loops over retrogressive cultural beliefs
and attitudes exhibited by health care providers and caregivers, consequently increasing access
to health information, care and treatment. Specifically, the study sought to establish the
community-based health support systems that facilitate suitable utilization of mHealth by
teenagers living with HIV from the island communities of Lake Victoria and its effect on
treatment access. To support this study, the study was anchored to Theory of Reasoned Action.
This was anchored to the cross-sectional study design, stratified sampling identified the
psychosocial support groups of teenagers living with HIV. Probit Model was applied to the
study. With a study population of approximately 409 in Ringiti, Remba, Rusinga, Mfangano
and Mageta islands, questionnaires were administered to the 173 sampled teenagers living with
HIV as unit of analysis, and a control group made up of 30 percent of the sample ascertained
effect of mHealth on treatment access. Five focus group discussions and key informant
interviews of 10 and 3 were held in each Island. The study adopted multiple linear regression
analysis to determine the relationship between the community health support systems and
utilization of mHealth information by teenagers living with HIV/AIDS in Island Communities
of Lake Victoria, Kenya. The study results revealed that community-based health support
systems had a significant effect on access to treatment by teenagers living with HIV/AIDS in
Island communities of Lake Victoria. Consequently, this study provides organizations
promoting access to treatment by teenagers living with HIV/AIDS through mHealth. The study
recommended that government and organizations involved in HIV/AIDS related activities
should adopt a culture of enhancing community-based health support systems. This could go a
long way in ensuring there is improved access to treatment by teenagers living with HIV/AIDS
in Island communities of Lake Victoria.