A pilot study of delivering peer health messages in an HIV clinic via mobile media

This pilot study tested the feasibility and impact of using mobile media devices to present peer health messages to human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-positive patients.

A convenience sample of 30 adult patients from an outpatient HIV clinic serving a mostly rural catchment area in central Virginia volunteered for the study. Participants viewed short videos of people discussing HIV health topics on an Apple (Cupertino, CA) iPod® touch® mobile device. Pre- and post-intervention surveys assessed attitudes related to engagement in care and disease disclosure.

Participants found delivery of health information by the mobile device acceptable in a clinic setting. They used the technology without difficulty. Participants reported satisfaction with and future interest in viewing such videos after using the mobile devices. The majority of participants used the device to access more videos than requested, and many reported the videos "hit home." There were no significant changes in participant perceptions about engagement in care or HIV disclosure after the intervention.

This pilot study demonstrates the feasibility and acceptability of using mobile media technology to deliver peer health messages. Future research should explore how to best use mobile media to improve engagement in care and reduce perceptions of stigma.