Prevention of sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) is critical. Despite developing treatment and prevention programs, sexually transmitted infections (STIs) are essential in developing acute and chronic diseases. Because "eHealth" (electronic-Health) has excellent potential for disseminating health information to the public regarding STDs, we aimed to identify and review all published articles focusing on preventing STIs. After constructing the design and answering population, intervention, comparison, and outcome questions, two authors conducted a systematic literature search in four online databases in January 2022. The screening process and data extraction were conducted by two authors independently, and then, a quality assessment was performed. After removing duplicates, and two rounds of shortlisting, 16 articles were included for data extraction out of 5113 entries. Included studies were of different designs and assessed six preventive outcomes categories, with condom use being the most frequent result among studies. We also extracted implementation outcomes and reviewed them. Included studies with 13,137 participants have provided reasonable evidence of the effectiveness of different types of eHealth in improving STI prevention interventions. Although this systematic review was not without limitations, it can no longer be ignored that eHealth modes offer many opportunities to prevent STDs, especially among the young population.
BACKGROUND: In addressing the sexual and reproductive health (SRH) disparities for Black and Latina women, there is a need for the development of innovative programs, framed using theoretical underpinnings that are culturally and contextually tailored so that they align with lived experiences. Mobile health (mHealth) interventions offer considerable potential as a means of providing effective SRH education and services. However, there has been a lack of research assessing culturally and contextually tailored mHealth SRH interventions for Black and Latina women.
METHOD: A comprehensive literature search was undertaken using PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses) guidelines. Literature was reviewed to evaluate whether a culturally and contextually tailored approach was utilized in the development and implementation of mHealth interventions for Black and Latina women.
RESULTS: A total of 12 articles were included in our synthesis, which encompassed mobile phone-, telephone-, and computer-based mHealth interventions for Black and Latina women. Cultural and/or gender-specific tailoring was included in 10 studies. Reduction of risky sexual behaviors and increased contraception usage were reported in 92% (n = 11) of the studies. Interventions that incorporated tailored content and fostered interaction reported high rates of follow-up.
CONCLUSIONS: Tailored mHealth interventions can be effective in promoting behavior change and improving SRH outcomes for Black and Latina women. However, there is a need for more research assessing user engagement and retention for Black and Latina women, and whether improvements in SRH outcomes are sustainable over the long term.
BACKGROUND: Globally, reproductive health programs have used mHealth to provide sexual and reproductive health (SRH) education and services to young people, through diverse communication channels. However, few attempts have been made to systematically review the mHealth programs targeted to improve young people SRH in low-and-middle-income countries (LMICs). This review aims to identify a range of different mHealth solutions that can be used for improving young people SRH in LMICs and highlight facilitators and barriers for adopting mHealth interventions designed to target SRH of young people.
METHODS: Databases including PubMed, CINAHL Plus, Science Direct, Cochrane Central, and grey literature were searched between January 01, 2005 and March 31, 2020 to identify various types of mHealth interventions that are used to improve SRH services for young people in LMICs. Of 2948 titles screened after duplication, 374 potentially relevant abstracts were obtained. Out of 374 abstracts, 75 abstracts were shortlisted. Full text of 75 studies were reviewed using a pre-defined data extraction sheet. A total of 15 full-text studies were included in the final analysis.
RESULTS: The final 15 studies were categorized into three main mHealth applications including client education and behavior change communication, data collection and reporting, and financial transactions and incentives. The most reported use of mHealth was for client education and behavior change communication [n = 14, 93%] followed by financial transactions and incentives, and data collection and reporting Little evidence exists on other types of mHealth applications described in Labrique et al. framework. Included studies evaluated the impact of mHealth interventions on access to SRH services (n = 9) and SRH outcomes (n = 6). mHealth interventions in included studies addressed barriers of provider prejudice, stigmatization, discrimination, fear of refusal, lack of privacy, and confidentiality. The studies also identified barriers to uptake of mHealth interventions for SRH including decreased technological literacy, inferior network coverage, and lower linguistic competency.
CONCLUSION: The review provides detailed information about the implementation of mobile phones at different levels of the healthcare system for improving young people SRH outcomes. This systematic review recommends that barriers to uptake mHealth interventions be adequately addressed to increase the potential use of mobile phones for improving access to SRH awareness and services.
SYSTEMATIC REVIEW REGISTRATION: PROSPERO CRD42018087585 (Feb 5, 2018).
OBJECTIVE: Digital innovations with internet/mobile phones offer a potential cost-saving solution for overburdened health systems with high service delivery costs to improve efficiency of HIV/STI (sexually transmitted infections) control initiatives. However, their overall evidence has not yet been appraised. We evaluated the feasibility and impact of all digital innovations for all HIV/STIs.
DESIGN: Systematic review.
SETTING/PARTICIPANTS: All settings/all participants.
INTERVENTION: We classified digital innovations into (1) mobile health-based (mHealth: SMS (short message service)/phone calls), (2) internet-based mobile and/or electronic health (mHealth/eHealth: social media, avatar-guided computer programs, websites, mobile applications, streamed soap opera videos) and (3) combined innovations (included both SMS/phone calls and internet-based mHealth/eHealth).
PRIMARY AND SECONDARY OUTCOME MEASURES: Feasibility, acceptability, impact.
METHODS: We searched databases MEDLINE via PubMed, Embase, Cochrane CENTRAL and Web of Science, abstracted data, explored heterogeneity, performed a random effects subgroup analysis.
RESULTS: We reviewed 99 studies, 63 (64%) were from America/Europe, 36 (36%) from Africa/Asia; 79% (79/99) were clinical trials; 84% (83/99) evaluated impact. Of innovations, mHealth based: 70% (69/99); internet based: 21% (21/99); combined: 9% (9/99).All digital innovations were highly accepted (26/31; 84%), and feasible (20/31; 65%). Regarding impacted measures, mHealth-based innovations (SMS) significantly improved antiretroviral therapy (ART) adherence (pooled OR=2.15(95%CI: 1.18 to 3.91)) and clinic attendance rates (pooled OR=1.76(95%CI: 1.28, 2.42)); internet-based innovations improved clinic attendance (6/6), ART adherence (4/4), self-care (1/1), while reducing risk (5/5); combined innovations increased clinic attendance, ART adherence, partner notifications and self-care. Confounding (68%) and selection bias (66%) were observed in observational studies and attrition bias in 31% of clinical trials.
CONCLUSION: Digital innovations were acceptable, feasible and generated impact. A trend towards the use of internet-based and combined (internet and mobile) innovations was noted. Large scale-up studies of high quality, with new integrated impact metrics, and cost-effectiveness are needed. Findings will appeal to all stakeholders in the HIV/STI global initiatives space.
eHealth, mHealth and nullWeb 2.0null social media strategies can effectively reach and engage key populations in HIV prevention across the testing, treatment, and care continuum. To assess how these tools are currently being used within the field of HIV prevention and care, we systematically reviewed recent (2013null2014) published literature, conference abstracts, and funded research. Our searches identified 23 published intervention studies and 32 funded projects underway. In this synthesis we describe the technology modes applied and the stages of the HIV care cascade addressed, including both primary and secondary prevention activities. Overall trends include use of new tools including social networking sites, provision of real-time assessment and feedback, gamification and virtual reality. While there has been increasing attention to use of technology to address the care continuum, gaps remain around linkage to care, retention in care, and initiation of antiretroviral therapy.
Despite the increased use of social media and text messaging among adolescents, it is unclear how effective education transmitted via these mechanisms is for reducing sexual risk behavior. Accordingly, we conducted a systematic review of the literature to examine the effectiveness of social media and text messaging interventions designed to increase sexually transmitted disease (STD) knowledge, increase screening/testing, decrease risky sexual behaviors, and reduce the incidence of STDs among young adults aged 15 through 24 years. Eleven studies met our inclusion criteria. Most of the included studies used a control group to explore intervention effects and included both young men and women. Sample sizes ranged from 32 to 7606 participants, and follow-up periods ranged between 4 weeks and 12 months. These studies provide preliminary evidence indicating that social media and text messaging can increase knowledge regarding the prevention of STDs. These interventions may also affect behavior, such as screening/testing for STDs, sexual risk behaviors, and STD acquisition, but the evidence for effect is weak. Many of these studies had several limitations that future research should address, including a reliance on self-reported data, small sample sizes, poor retention, low generalizability, and low analytic rigor. Additional research is needed to determine the most effective and engaging approaches for young men and women.
Prevention of sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) is critical. Despite developing treatment and prevention programs, sexually transmitted infections (STIs) are essential in developing acute and chronic diseases. Because "eHealth" (electronic-Health) has excellent potential for disseminating health information to the public regarding STDs, we aimed to identify and review all published articles focusing on preventing STIs. After constructing the design and answering population, intervention, comparison, and outcome questions, two authors conducted a systematic literature search in four online databases in January 2022. The screening process and data extraction were conducted by two authors independently, and then, a quality assessment was performed. After removing duplicates, and two rounds of shortlisting, 16 articles were included for data extraction out of 5113 entries. Included studies were of different designs and assessed six preventive outcomes categories, with condom use being the most frequent result among studies. We also extracted implementation outcomes and reviewed them. Included studies with 13,137 participants have provided reasonable evidence of the effectiveness of different types of eHealth in improving STI prevention interventions. Although this systematic review was not without limitations, it can no longer be ignored that eHealth modes offer many opportunities to prevent STDs, especially among the young population.
