Improving Outcomes in HIV Patients Using Mobile Phone Based Interactive Software Support

Current estimates point towards a huge increase in the number of people that are eligible to start ART in Uganda and globally. As many of the newly eligible patients are largely asymptomatic, there are concerns about adherence and retention of these individuals and especially those starting ART with a higher CD4 counts. Urgent information is required to plan for implementation of most recent WHO and National guidelines in the most cost effective manner as well as maximizing retention of HIV positive individuals in care and achieving virological suppression. The investigators plan to undertake research designed to see if investigators can optimize adherence, virological outcomes and HIV knowledge, in order to give an overall increased quality of life in vulnerable populations starting or established on ART in Kampala, Uganda. The investigators will test implementation of an open source software-based tool to send text messages and to give access to an interactive voice response system using patients' mobile phones. The investigators' aim to undertake an open labelled randomised trial at two sites: the IDI which is an urban centre of excellence in HIV care, and Kasangati Health Centre, which is a peri-urban public health care facility. The project aims to enrol HIV positive patients starting ART, already established on first line ART or switching to second line ART, including special populations (pregnant women, discordant couples and young people). The estimated length of the project is 30 months. The technology to be evaluated in this study is based on CONNECT FOR LIFETM m-health technology (CFL2015.01 or higher), which provides text messages or Interactive Voice Response (IVR) functionalities, and allows a computer to interact with humans through the use of voice and tones input via keypad and offers pill reminders, clinic visit reminders, health tips and support symptom reporting. Primary Objective is to determine the effect of the CFL2015.01 tool on quality of