Low-Income, Rural HIV/AIDS Patients Receive Regular Text Messages, Leading to Higher Quality of Life and Greater Engagement in Care

Summary

In an HIV/AIDS patient engagement pilot study, predominantly rural, low-income, African-American HIV patients who had been absent from care (or at risk of becoming disengaged) received regular, self-written text message reminders on a cell phone (provided free of charge) that encouraged them to regularly access HIV/AIDS primary care, including taking medications, keeping clinic appointments, and refilling prescriptions. While participants could receive calls from anyone, the phone allowed outbound calls only to predetermined health care providers and health-related and social service organizations. During the small, 6-month pilot study, individuals receiving cell phones experienced a significant improvement in quality of life. They were also more likely to remain in care than a group of similarly disengaged patients who would have been eligible for the study but returned to care after study enrollment ended and moderately more likely to remain in care than a formal study control group.

Evidence Rating

Moderate: The evidence consists of pre- and post-implementation comparisons of quality of life, along with results from a small, RCT pilot that compared care retention rates over a 6-month period in three groups—14 program participants, 8 similar patients comprising a formal study control group, and 32 similar patients who returned to care after study enrollment ended and hence could not enroll in the study (known as the "usual-care" group).

Developing Organizations
University of Virginia Health System