Brown W, Lopez Rios J, Sheinfil A, Frasca T, Cruz Torres C, Crespo R, Dolezal C, Giguere R, Lentz C, Balán IC, Rael CT, Febo I, Carballo-Diéguez A. Disaster Med. Public Health Prep. 2020; ePub(ePub): ePub.
Affiliation
HIV Center for Clinical and Behavioral Studies, Division of Gender, Sexuality and Health, NY State Psychiatric Institute and Columbia University, New York, NY.
OBJECTIVE: Hurricanes can interrupt communication, exacerbate attrition, and disrupt participant engagement in research. We used text messaging and disaster preparedness protocols to re-establish communication, re-engage participants, and ensure retention in a human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) self-test study.
METHODS: Participants were given HIV home test kits to test themselves and/or their non-monogamous sexual partners before intercourse. A daily text message-based short message service computer-assisted self-interview (SMS-CASI) tool reminded them to report 3 variables: (1) anal sex without a condom, (2) knowledge of partners' testing history, and (3) proof of partners' testing history. A disaster preparedness protocol was put in place for hurricanes in Puerto Rico. We analyzed 6315 messages from participants (N = 12) active at the time of Hurricanes Irma and Maria. Disaster preparedness narratives were assessed.
RESULTS: All participants were able to communicate sexual behavior and HIV testing via SMS-CASI within 30 days following María. Some participants (n = 5, 42%) also communicated questions. Re-engagement within 30 days after the hurricane was 100% (second week/89%, third week/100%). Participant re-engagement ranged from 0-16 days (average = 6.4 days). Retention was 100%.
CONCLUSIONS: Daily SMS-CASI and disaster preparedness protocols helped participant engagement and communication after 2 hurricanes. SMS-CASI responses indicated high participant re-engagement, retention, and well-being.
Language: en
Keywords
SMS; communication; disasters; engagement; hurricane; mHealth; re-engagement; retention; text messaging