ArticleFrontiers in public health2026
Economic evaluation of digital health interventions to improve quality-adjusted life years in adolescents living with HIV in Ethiopia.
Article in Frontiers in public health, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.
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Abstract
Introduction: The rapid expansion of mobile phone access has enabled low-cost SMS interventions to support adherence to antiretroviral therapy (ART). Although text messaging improves adherence and retention in HIV care, its cost-effectiveness for enhancing quality of life remains uncertain, particularly among adolescents in resource-limited settings. This study evaluated whether SMS reminders improve retention in care and quality-adjusted life years (QALYs) among adolescents living with HIV in Ethiopia. We hypothesized that SMS reminders would increase adherence and retention, leading to measurable gains in quality of life. Methods: A 6-month economic evaluation was conducted from the health system perspective, comparing daily SMS reminders plus standard care vs. standard care alone. HRQoL was measured using the EuroQol EQ-5D-3L instrument, which includes five domains: mobility, self-care, usual activity, pain/discomfort, and anxiety/depression. Utility values were derived using the Zimbabwean EQ-5D-3L value set as a proxy for Ethiopia and converted into QALYs. Costs were categorized as fixed (planning, system development, training) and variable (personnel, SMS communication, equipment, and overhead), valued in 2023 US dollars (USD; 1 USD = 54.7442 ETB). The Incremental Cost-Effectiveness Ratio (ICER) was calculated as ΔCost/ΔQALY. The WHO-CHOICE cost-effectiveness threshold (<3 × GDP per capita; $3,636 for Ethiopia, 2023) guided interpretation. Results: Daily SMS reminders were cost-effective according to WHO thresholds, with an ICER of $1,037.00 per QALY gained. Accounting for potential retention improvements, the ICER decreased to $864.00 per QALY gained. Intervention participants had higher utility scores (0.9515 vs. 0.9030) and QALYs (0.4760 vs. 0.4510) compared to controls. Discussion: SMS-based adherence interventions offer a cost-efficient approach to improving ART outcomes by enhancing adherence and retention. Anxiety/depression and pain/discomfort were key determinants of QALYs. Future research should assess long-term cost-effectiveness and scalability in resource-limited settings. Trial Registration: PACTR202107638293593.
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