Ibrahim A. Mwammenywa; Shubi F. Kaijage

Towards Enhancing Access of HIV/AIDS Healthcare Information in Tanzania: Is a Mobile Application Platform a Way Forward?

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Author(s)

Ibrahim A. Mwammenywa ^1,* Shubi F. Kaijage ²

1. Nelson Mandela – African Institution of Science and Technology, P. O. Box 447, Arusha, Tanzania

2. The University of Dar es Salaam, P. O. Box 35131, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania

* Corresponding author.

DOI: https://doi.org/10.5815/ijitcs.2018.07.04

Received: 29 May 2018 / Revised: 11 Jun. 2018 / Accepted: 20 Jun. 2018 / Published: 8 Jul. 2018

Index Terms

HIV/AIDS, Mobile Health (m-health), Mobile Application, HIV/AIDS Healthcare Information, Online HIV/AIDS Healthcare Information

Abstract

This survey study evaluates the peoples’ acceptance and comfortability on accessing the HIV/AIDS healthcare information through visiting HIV/AIDS Care and Treatment Centers (CTCs). Furthermore, the survey examines whether a mobile application platform can be the way forward towards enhancing HIV/AIDS healthcare information delivery in Tanzania. This study was conducted in Dar es Salaam city in Tanzania. The structured questionnaire-based survey was carried-out involving a total of 208 respondents, among them, 45 were the HIV/AIDS healthcare practitioners. The collected data were analyzed by using WEKA and Python computer programming software. The study findings indicated that: 24.5% of the respondents claimed that they were not comfortable going to HIV/AIDS CTCs indicating that they were afraid of being exposed and stigmatized; almost one-third (31.3%) of respondents prefer to seek HIV/AIDS related information from online sources; 78.5% of respondents preferred to have an official mobile application for access the HIV/AIDS healthcare information; 64.4% of HIV/AIDS practitioners indicated the need of having a mobile application platform for HIV/AIDS healthcare information delivery; and more than two-third of HIV/AIDS practitioners claimed to be able to serve people with HIV/AIDS healthcare information online. It is concluded that there is a need for the HIV/AIDS healthcare providers to have a mobile application platform for HIV/AIDS healthcare information delivery. The mobile application platform will consequently help people to confidentially access the HIV/AIDS healthcare information in their mobile electronic gadgets frequently without fear of being exposed as if they would frequently visit CTCs.

Cite This Paper

Ibrahim A. Mwammenywa, Shubi F. Kaijage, "Towards Enhancing Access of HIV/AIDS Healthcare Information in Tanzania: Is a Mobile Application Platform a Way Forward?", International Journal of Information Technology and Computer Science(IJITCS), Vol.10, No.7, pp.31-38, 2018. DOI:10.5815/ijitcs.2018.07.04

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International Journal of Information Technology and Computer Science (IJITCS)