Utilizing the HITSystem for Optimizing Paediatric ART Retention and Adherence in Western Nyanza Province, Kenya

Summary

Overall, there are an estimated 98,000 children living with HIV in Kenya. Children who are initiated on ART in Kenya and other low resource settings face several challenges with ongoing care due to current limitations of paediatric HIV treatment services. High quality paediatric HIV care requires routine monitoring of clinical and virologic status, support for ART adherence, and patient outreach to optimize retention in care.

The HIV Infant Tracking System (HITSystem) is a web-based, system-level intervention that has dramatically improved EID HIV-related outcomes in Kenya, Tanzania, and Malawi.

The objective of this study is to implement and evaluate the impact of HITSystem 3.0 on paediatric clinical outcomes, adherence, retention and viral suppression over 12 months among children in HIV care. Outcome measurements will be evaluated separately in children aged ≤2 years and in those aged 3-16 years.

Primary Outcomes

1. The proportion of HIV infected children in each arm who are retained in HIV care at 12 months. Retention will be defined as regular engagement with HIV care, as measured by having attended the last three scheduled monthly appointments on time (see section 3.3 for further description).
2. The proportion of HIV infected children who are virally suppressed (VL \<50) at the end of the 12-month follow-up period.

The proposed trial design is an unblinded CRT with two arms: the HITSystem 3.0 Intervention vs. Standard of Care (SOC) as the control. The CRT will be implemented in 20 health facilities (10 intervention and 10 control) in Western Nyanza province in Kenya and will collect data from HIV-infected children aged ≤16 years. Outcomes will focus on ART retention, adherence and viral suppression.

Outcomes will be assessed among all HIV positive children aged ≤16 years attending the trial facilities for HIV care at the start of the trial, or who are diagnosed as HIV positive during the first 12 months of the trial. Follow-up data will be collected on each child for 12 months. Therefore, the total duration of the trial will be for 24 months.

All HIV-positive children and their caregivers attending health facilities randomised to the intervention arm will be monitored by the HITSystem 3.0.

The study will be conducted in Western Nyanza province, Kenya, which comprises six counties.

Conditions

• Pediatric HIV Infection

Interventions

OTHER

HITSystem 3.0

The HITSystem 3.0 is a web-based intervention that aims to improve pediatric ART retention and adherence, and viral suppression. The HITSystem 3.0 is accessed online through a computer, using mobile broadband modems that respond to a cellular signal. The primary components include: (1) action alerts to complete time-sensitive interventions; (2) real time communication of HIV PCR results to hospitals to reduce turn-around time; (3) continuous follow-up for timely ART initiation among HIV-infected infants; (4) promotion of retention in EID care via SMS text messaging and/or patient tracing; and (5) an automated and individualized SMS text messaging component to communicate with mothers. The HITSystem has a unique dashboard that proactively monitors time-sensitive interventions along the EID cascade of care, alerting clinics, laboratories and mothers when an intervention has been missed.

Sponsors & Collaborators

• London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine

  collaborator OTHER

• Kenya Medical Research Institute

  collaborator OTHER

• Global Health Innovations

  lead OTHER

Principal Investigators

• Brad Gautney, MPH · London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine

Study Design

Allocation

RANDOMIZED

Purpose

SUPPORTIVE_CARE

Masking

NONE

Model

PARALLEL

Eligibility

Min Age

1 Day

Max Age

16 Years

Sex

ALL

Healthy Volunteers

No

Timeline & Regulatory

Start

2019-08-31

Primary Completion

2021-08-31

Completion

2021-12-31