COVID-19 Pandemic Accelerates Use of Mobile Health Interventions for Youth Living with HIV

Strategic Insights -

During the COVID-19 pandemic, the use of mobile health (mHealth) interventions to maintain continuity of care for youth living with HIV (YLH) accelerated. According to a recent study, the implementation of mHealth during the pandemic can inform the optimization of use among healthcare workers (HCWs) beyond emergencies. The study evaluated the feasibility, acceptability, and reach of a mobile phone-delivered HIV care transition intervention, the Adolescent Transition Package (ATP), among Kenyan YLH.

Key Takeaways:

  • The study conducted 50 semi-structured interviews with frontline healthcare workers (HCWs) from intervention sites participating in the Adolescent Transition to Adult Care for Adolescents living with HIV (ATTACH) study between June 2020 and January 2021.
  • Out of 1,444 call attempts, 82% successfully reached YLH being contacted, and providers successfully discussed the ATP during 79% of calls where YLH were reached.
  • Determinants influencing perceived acceptability, feasibility, and reach of phone delivery of the ATP were concentrated in intervention characteristics, inner and outer setting domains of the Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research (CFIR).
  • HCWs felt phone calls were acceptable and feasible for reaching most youth, but limited ability to assess client comprehension and inability to share ATP booklet pictures in real-time negatively influenced acceptability.
  • Inner setting factors such as few phones at the clinic, missing or inaccurate contact information, and HCW self-efficacy drove perceptions of feasibility.
  • Outer setting barriers to reach and acceptability included limited phone ownership and incomplete disclosure to others in the home environment.
  • The ease of implementation, convenience, and flexibility afforded by calls positively influenced perceived acceptability and feasibility, and reach.

Statistics:

  • 82% of phone calls to YLH were successfully returned.
  • 79% of calls where YLH were reached discussed the ATP.
  • 1,444 call attempts were made to YLH.
  • 50 semi-structured interviews were conducted with HCWs.

Sources:

  • Determinants of feasibility, acceptability and reach of mobile phone delivery of an Adolescent Transition Package (ATP) supporting the transition of youth living with HIV to adult HIV care in Kenya during the COVID-19 pandemic. BMC Health Services Research, 2025;25(1):1311.
  • NewsRx LLC. Researchers at University of Washington Have Reported New Data on HIV/AIDS [Determinants of feasibility, acceptability and reach of mobile phone delivery of an Adolescent Transition Package (ATP) supporting the transition of youth living with ...]. AIDS Weekly. October 20, 2025; p 203.