An augmented SMS intervention to improve access to antenatal CD4 testing and ART initiation in HIV-infected pregnant women: a cluster randomized trial.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Less than one-third of HIV-infected pregnant women eligible for combination antiretroviral therapy (ART) globally initiate treatment prior to delivery, with lack of access to timely CD4 results being a principal barrier. We evaluated the effectiveness of an SMS-based intervention to improve access to timely antenatal ART.

Methods

We conducted a stepped-wedge cluster randomized trial of a low-cost programmatic intervention in 20 antenatal clinics in Gaborone, Botswana. From July 2011-April 2012, 2 clinics were randomly selected every 4 weeks to receive an ongoing clinic-based educational intervention to improve CD4 collection and to receive CD4 results via an automated SMS platform with active patient tracing. CD4 testing before 26 weeks gestation and ART initiatio

SUBMITTER: Dryden-Peterson S 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4334487 | biostudies-literature | 2015

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature