A Mobile application for HIV education and stigma level measure: a case of Nairobi

Abstract

The world wants to reduce HIV and AIDS spread by the year 2030 as part of the sustainable development goals (SGDs). HIV and AIDS has become the world’s most devastating epidemic especially in developing countries like Kenya. Many people have died because of HIV and AIDS related illnesses since it was first reported in Kenya in 1984. To be able to achieve the sustainable development goals, HIV education and stigma reduction would be essential. The problem being studied is people living with HIV not being able to access service due to discrimination and stigma. HIV education and awareness programs have been implemented by various governmental and private bodies for which have improved the HIV prevalence rate. While the prevalence rate has improved, more needs to be done to advance access to the right information and reduce the stigma associated with HIV. The general objective of this research is to develop a mobile based application for PLHIV that will assist in information access as a means of education. The stigma is expected to go down by using anti-stigma messages and tagging of the same. The secondary objective is to reduce stigma associated with HIV through education on HIV and anti –stigma messages geo tagging. Among the main reasons for not seeking treatment include discrimination, stigma, wrong information, lack of support and drugs. Data collection involved both primary and secondary methods which included use of questionnaire, observation and literature review. The data was analysed using thematic analysis. This research sought to find how best to increase access to the right information as a means of education on HIV through use of the mobile phone. The software development life cycle was used for the development of the application. An android based mobile application was developed as a proof of concept for access to information on HIV care and geo tagging of anti-stigma messages.