ArticleSouthern African journal of HIV medicine2021
Uptake of the Ithaka mobile application in Johannesburg, South Africa, for human immunodeficiency virus self-testing result reporting.
Article in Southern African journal of HIV medicine, 2021. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 11 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.
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Who cites it
11 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it.
- Evidence on Digital HIV Self-Testing From Accuracy to Impact: Updated Systematic Review.Journal of medical Internet research · 2025Pooled it
- Should Digital Interventions for HIV Self-Testing Be Regulated with World Health Organization Prequalification?JMIR mHealth and uHealth · 2025Article
- Approaches and impacts of digital health in HIV self-testing uptake & use among populations from low- and middle-income countries: a descriptive systematic review and meta-analysis.Journal of public health and emergency · 2025Article
- Assessing the cost and utilization of SMS printers by primary health care facilities: lessons learned from South Africa.Journal of public health in Africa · 2023Article
- Scoping review of health information technology usability methods leveraged in Africa.Journal of the American Medical Informatics Association : JAMIA · 2023Article
- HIV self-test reporting using mHealth platforms: A pilot study in Johannesburg, South Africa.Frontiers in reproductive health · 2023Article
- The evolution of HIV self-testing and the introduction of digital interventions to improve HIV self-testing.Frontiers in reproductive health · 2023Article
- Article
- The Feasibility and Acceptability of an mHealth Conversational Agent Designed to Support HIV Self-testing in South Africa: Cross-sectional Study.Journal of medical Internet research · 2022Article
- Digitally supported HIV self-testing increases facility-based HIV testing capacity in Ekurhuleni, South Africa.Southern African journal of HIV medicine · 2022Article
- How mHealth Can Contribute to Improving the Continuum of Care: A Scoping Review Approach to the Case of Human Immunodeficiency Virus in Sub-Saharan Africa.Public health reviews · 2022Article
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Authors and funding
7 authors.
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Abstract
backgroundHuman immunodeficiency virus self-testing (HIVST) can reduce facility-based HIV testing barriers; however, no proven applications exist with widespread uptake for self-reporting or linkage to care. Mobile health (mHealth) applications (apps) have shown high usability and feasibility scores, so Ithaka was developed for South Africans to self-report HIVST results outside clinical settings.
objectivesThis study investigated the use of Ithaka as a support tool for HIVST users, specifically the ability to self-report results.
methodThis cross-sectional study was conducted from November 2018 to June 2019. At existing HIVST distribution sites, individuals were given HIVST kits and then invited to use Ithaka. Participants could test at home and report their results through the app anytime. Ithaka tracked when people logged-on, registered, received counselling and reported results. Post-study surveys on user experience were also conducted.
resultsOf 751 participants, 531 (70.7%) logged onto the app, 412 (54.9%) registered, 295 (39.3%) received counselling and 168 (22.4%) self-reported results. Participants strongly agreed that Ithaka was useful and that it was easy to upload results. Forty-one participants completed a post-test survey, and 39/41 (95.1%) completed the app journey. Most participants (36/41;87.8%) had no challenges, although 2/41 (4.9%) cited perceived data costs, 2/41 (4.9%) difficulty uploading results and 1/41 (2.4%) language, as challenges.
conclusionDespite the small sample size, this study has shown that HIVST participants under pragmatic conditions were willing and able to self-report results via the app, whilst also identifying areas of improvement for scaling up.
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