EFFECT OF MHEALTH COMMUNICATION ON STIGMA AND RETENTION IN CARE AMONG YOUTH LIVING WITH HIV AND LINKED TO CARE IN UGANDA

Viral suppression is the main pathway to reduction of new cases and HIV elimination. Suppression requires high medication adherence, which also requires high levels of retention in care, implying that any antagonists to retention ought to be prevented. Stigma is one of the main antagonists of retention in care in Uganda, especially among adolescents, who are worryingly among the most affected by HIV, and yet exhibit higher propensity to transmit the virus once not suppressed. Interventions to reduce stigma and foster retention have therefore been implemented, most notable among which is standard of care health education at the facility. With the apparent gaps in healthcare access, plus non-adherence to facility-based health communication programs, that have reduced in impact, eHealth (electronic health) approaches have been adopted to provide it. However, gaps in retention in care and stigma among youth still remain even with increasing use of mHealth (mobile health) interventions in Uganda and globally to promote health. A mobile health communication app will be developed and implemented using Intervention Mapping. It is not known whether an intervention of mHealth communication will be of effect on the two outcomes, if fully rolled out.