ArticlePloS one2020
A mixed methods investigation of implementation barriers and facilitators to a daily mobile phone sexual risk assessment for young women in Soweto, South Africa.
Article in PloS one, 2020. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 11 papers.
What it found
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Who cites it
11 citing papers in PubMed, 17 citations in OpenAlex.
- Building Trust and Engaging Communities for HIV Prevention Research Globally.AIDS education and prevention : official publication of the International Society for AIDS Education · 2026Article
- Associations Between Social Determinants of Health and Adherence in Mobile-Based Ecological Momentary Assessment: Scoping Review.Journal of medical Internet research · 2025Article
- Why Are They Leaving? Factors Associated With Attrition After Testing Among Young South Africans Recently Diagnosed With HIV: An Observational Study.The Journal of adolescent health : official publication of the Society for Adolescent Medicine · 2025Observational
- Burden and Inattentive Responding in a 12-Month Intensive Longitudinal Study: Interview Study Among Young Adults.JMIR formative research · 2024Article
- Implementing ecological momentary assessments to measure violence and adolescent HIV transmission risk: Lessons from Johannesburg, South Africa.PLOS digital health · 2024Article
- Barriers and facilitators of using health information technologies by women: a scoping review.BMC medical informatics and decision making · 2023Article
- Virtual healthcare services and digital health technologies deployed during coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic in South Africa: a systematic review.Global health journal (Amsterdam, Netherlands) · 2022Review
- Article
- Sexual Risk Behaviors Among Youth in Soweto, South Africa During the COVID-19 National Lockdown.Sexual medicine · 2022Article
- High cellphone use associated with greater risk of depression among young women aged 15-24 years in Soweto and Durban, South Africa.Global health action · 2021Article
- "You Are on the Right Track With the App:" Qualitative Analysis of Mobile Phone Use and User Feedback Regarding Mobile Phone Sexual Risk Assessments for HIV Prevention Research.Frontiers in digital health · 2021Article
Corrections and comments
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Authors and funding
14 authors at 3 institutions in 2 countries.
Funding
Abstract
backgroundThe HIV epidemiology in South Africa reveals stark age and gender disparities, with young women being the most vulnerable to HIV acquisition in 2017. Evaluation of HIV exposure is a challenge in HIV prevention research. Intermittent in-clinic interviewer-administered risk behaviour assessments are utilised but may be limited by social desirability and recall biases. We piloted a mobile phone application for daily self-report of sexual risk behaviour in fifty 18-25 year old women at risk of HIV infection enrolled in HIV Vaccine Trials Network 915 (HVTN 915) in Soweto, South Africa. Through a mixed-methods investigation, we explored barriers and facilitators to completing daily mobile phone surveys among HVTN 915 study participants and staff.
methodsWe analysed quantitative data on barriers and facilitators to mobile phone study completion collected during the larger HVTN 915 study as well as two post-study focus group discussions (FGDs) with fifteen former participants with a median age of 24 years (IQR 23-25) and six individual in-depth interviews (IDIs) with HVTN 915 staff. FGDs and IDIs utilised semi-structured interview guides, were audio-recorded, transcribed verbatim and translated to English. After coding, thematic analysis was performed.
resultsThe main facilitator for daily mobile phone survey completion assessed across 336 follow-up visits for 49 participants was the daily short message system (SMS) reminders (93%, 312/336). Across 336 visits, 31/49 (63%) retained participants reported barriers to completion of daily mobile phone surveys: forgetting (20%, 12/49), being too busy (19%, 11/49) and the survey being an inconvenience (15%, 9/49). Five main themes were identified during the coding of IDIs and FGDs: (1) facilitators of mobile phone survey completion, such as daily SMS reminders and follow up calls for non-completers; (2) barriers to mobile phone survey completion, including partner, time-related and technical barriers; (3) power of incentives; (4) response bias in providing sensitive information, and (5) recommendations for future mobile phone based interventions.
conclusionDespite our enthusiasm to use innovation to optimise sexual risk assessments, technical and practical solutions are required to improve implementation. We recommend further engagement with participants to optimise this approach and to further understand social desirability bias and study incentives in sexual risk reporting.
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