MHEALTH INTERVENTION DEVELOPMENT TO SUPPORT PATIENTS WITH ACTIVE TUBERCULOSIS

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Digital Health
• Health Behavior

Background:

• Mobile Health (mHealth) interventions are increasingly utilized for health outcome improvement.
• Limited research exists on the process and theoretical underpinnings of mHealth intervention development, particularly for tuberculosis (TB) management.
• This study addresses the gap by detailing the development of a text messaging intervention for TB treatment.

Purpose of the Study:

• To outline the methodology and considerations for creating a text message-based intervention.
• To enhance treatment adherence and provide support for individuals undergoing active TB treatment.
• To document the application of the Information-Motivation-Behavioral Skills (IMB) model in intervention design.

Main Methods:

• Employed qualitative techniques such as interviews, field notes, and thematic analysis.
• Utilized a multidisciplinary team including researchers, clinicians, administrators, and patients.
• Applied the Information-Motivation-Behavioral Skills (IMB) model to guide content analysis and intervention development.

Main Results:

• Intervention development involved establishing components, crafting culturally adapted SMS messages, and defining an implementation protocol.
• A total of 16 IMB-based educational messages were created.
• The intervention was finalized within a 3-month timeframe.

Conclusions:

• A collaborative, theory-driven approach is effective for developing responsive and culturally appropriate mHealth interventions.
• While time-intensive, collaboration enhances intervention quality.
• Findings offer guidance for similar text messaging interventions, with a need for further research on the IMB model's application in TB adherence.