Feasibility of a daily electronic survey to study prevention behavior with HIV‐infected individuals

Abstract

The daily experiences of persons living with HIV (PLWH) are important but under-studied as predictors of HIV prevention behavior. Ecological momentary assessment (EMA) is an intensive within-subjects data collection method that can be used to examine daily experiences. To determine whether PLWH would participate in EMA, we conducted a feasibility study with 21 PLWH. The method was acceptable to men and women from diverse backgrounds, with 81% (17/21) completing 2 months of daily surveys, and 67% (14/21) completing 6 months. Measures were completed on 72% of study days. Only 6% of records had missing data. Daily survey completion decreased over time. Participants reported that EMA was easy and did not influence their behaviors. Results suggest EMA is feasible with PLWH.

Predictors of Adherence to Glaucoma Treatment in a Multisite Study

“…Specific barriers were identified based on our team’s prior adherence research (17,21,39) and evaluated with items on alcohol use, drug use, side effects, treatment burden, uncertainty about the need for treatment, and distress or confusion. Because the Barriers to Care instrument was new in this study, we calculated Cronbach’s alpha for all items together and then examined the contribution of each individual item to the measure’s internal consistency reliability.…”

“…Participants’ level of perceived control over everyday situations was measured using a 3-item subscale from the Diary of Ambulatory Behavioral States (DABS: 21,40; e.g. , feelings today – Are you able to handle difficulties?…”

“…). Anxiety was also measured using the state version of the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (43: e.g., I feel anxious ), and depressed mood was measured using a 4-item scale from the DABS (21,40: e.g., How are you feeling today? Sad?…”

“…The information-motivation-behavioral skills model (IMB: 20), on the other hand, suggests that knowledge does affect adherence, along with behavioral skills (self-efficacy and/or functional ability) and motivation for treatment. Finally, a newer motivational model of adherence (21) suggests a central role for treatment motivation, which is in turn influenced by perceived control, mood states such as anxiety and depression, level of stress, coping efforts, and social support. In this model, knowledge is again seen as peripheral to predicting adherence behavior.…”

A risk factor analysis of accumulated postoperative pain and swelling sensation after dental implant surgery using a cellular phone-based real-time assessment

“…If answer was not obtained at every time point, the mean score calculated using the previous and immediately after the blank point was regarded as an alternative score to the blank point. Since the previous report indicated that shorter time-intervals increase the burden to patients, and consequently induce a decrease in response rates [8], this study adopted the protocol to send the questionnaire at 2-h interval. The outcome variables were the accumulated postoperative pain and subjective swelling sensation at operated sites.…”