Abstract
Background: Growth in mobile phone penetration has created new opportunities to reach and improve care to underserved, at-risk populations including those with tuberculosis (TB) or HIV/AIDS. Purpose: This paper summarizes a proof-of-concept pilot designed to provide remote Mobile Direct Observation of Treatment (MDOT) for TB patients. The MDOT model combines Clinic with Community DOT through the use of mobile phone video capture and transmission, alleviating the travel burden for patients and health professionals. Methods: Three healthcare professionals along with 13 patients and their treatment supporters were recruited from the Mbagathi District Hospital in Nairobi, Kenya. Treatment supporters were asked to take daily videos of the patient swallowing their medications. Patients submitted the videos for review by the health professionals and were asked to view motivational and educational TB text (SMS) and video health messages. Surveys were conducted at intake, 15 days, and 30 days. Data were collected in 2008 and analyzed in 2009. Results: All three health professionals and 11 patients completed the trial. All agreed that MDOT was a viable option, and eight patients preferred MDOT to clinic DOT or DOT through visiting Community Health Workers. Conclusions: MDOT is technically feasible. Both patients and health professionals appear empowered by the ability to communicate with each other and appear receptive to remote MDOT and health messaging over mobile. Further research should be conducted to evaluate whether MDOT (1) improves medication adherence, (2) is cost effective, and (3) can be used to improve treatment compliance for other diseases such as AIDS.
| Original language | English (US) |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 78-80 |
| Number of pages | 3 |
| Journal | American Journal of Preventive Medicine |
| Volume | 39 |
| Issue number | 1 |
| DOIs | |
| State | Published - Jul 1 2010 |
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All Science Journal Classification (ASJC) codes
- Epidemiology
- Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health
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Mobile Direct Observation Treatment for Tuberculosis Patients. A Technical Feasibility Pilot Using Mobile Phones in Nairobi, Kenya. / Hoffman, Jeffrey A.; Cunningham, Janice R.; Suleh, Andrew J.; Sundsmo, Aaron; Dekker, Debra; Vago, Fred; Munly, Kelly Ann; Igonya, Emmy Kageha; Hunt-Glassman, Jonathan.
In: American Journal of Preventive Medicine, Vol. 39, No. 1, 01.07.2010, p. 78-80.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article
TY - JOUR
T1 - Mobile Direct Observation Treatment for Tuberculosis Patients. A Technical Feasibility Pilot Using Mobile Phones in Nairobi, Kenya
AU - Hoffman, Jeffrey A.
AU - Cunningham, Janice R.
AU - Suleh, Andrew J.
AU - Sundsmo, Aaron
AU - Dekker, Debra
AU - Vago, Fred
AU - Munly, Kelly Ann
AU - Igonya, Emmy Kageha
AU - Hunt-Glassman, Jonathan
PY - 2010/7/1
Y1 - 2010/7/1
N2 - Background: Growth in mobile phone penetration has created new opportunities to reach and improve care to underserved, at-risk populations including those with tuberculosis (TB) or HIV/AIDS. Purpose: This paper summarizes a proof-of-concept pilot designed to provide remote Mobile Direct Observation of Treatment (MDOT) for TB patients. The MDOT model combines Clinic with Community DOT through the use of mobile phone video capture and transmission, alleviating the travel burden for patients and health professionals. Methods: Three healthcare professionals along with 13 patients and their treatment supporters were recruited from the Mbagathi District Hospital in Nairobi, Kenya. Treatment supporters were asked to take daily videos of the patient swallowing their medications. Patients submitted the videos for review by the health professionals and were asked to view motivational and educational TB text (SMS) and video health messages. Surveys were conducted at intake, 15 days, and 30 days. Data were collected in 2008 and analyzed in 2009. Results: All three health professionals and 11 patients completed the trial. All agreed that MDOT was a viable option, and eight patients preferred MDOT to clinic DOT or DOT through visiting Community Health Workers. Conclusions: MDOT is technically feasible. Both patients and health professionals appear empowered by the ability to communicate with each other and appear receptive to remote MDOT and health messaging over mobile. Further research should be conducted to evaluate whether MDOT (1) improves medication adherence, (2) is cost effective, and (3) can be used to improve treatment compliance for other diseases such as AIDS.
AB - Background: Growth in mobile phone penetration has created new opportunities to reach and improve care to underserved, at-risk populations including those with tuberculosis (TB) or HIV/AIDS. Purpose: This paper summarizes a proof-of-concept pilot designed to provide remote Mobile Direct Observation of Treatment (MDOT) for TB patients. The MDOT model combines Clinic with Community DOT through the use of mobile phone video capture and transmission, alleviating the travel burden for patients and health professionals. Methods: Three healthcare professionals along with 13 patients and their treatment supporters were recruited from the Mbagathi District Hospital in Nairobi, Kenya. Treatment supporters were asked to take daily videos of the patient swallowing their medications. Patients submitted the videos for review by the health professionals and were asked to view motivational and educational TB text (SMS) and video health messages. Surveys were conducted at intake, 15 days, and 30 days. Data were collected in 2008 and analyzed in 2009. Results: All three health professionals and 11 patients completed the trial. All agreed that MDOT was a viable option, and eight patients preferred MDOT to clinic DOT or DOT through visiting Community Health Workers. Conclusions: MDOT is technically feasible. Both patients and health professionals appear empowered by the ability to communicate with each other and appear receptive to remote MDOT and health messaging over mobile. Further research should be conducted to evaluate whether MDOT (1) improves medication adherence, (2) is cost effective, and (3) can be used to improve treatment compliance for other diseases such as AIDS.
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=77953476042&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=77953476042&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1016/j.amepre.2010.02.018
DO - 10.1016/j.amepre.2010.02.018
M3 - Article
C2 - 20537846
AN - SCOPUS:77953476042
VL - 39
SP - 78
EP - 80
JO - American Journal of Preventive Medicine
JF - American Journal of Preventive Medicine
SN - 0749-3797
IS - 1
ER -