Perceptions of Nurses and Counselors Regarding the Use of Telehealth in HIV Care.

Abstract

Background: The human immunodeficiency virus continues to pose a significant global health challenge. The coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic disrupted efforts to end HIV/AIDS as a public health threat by 2030 but also accelerated the adoption of telehealth services to support care for people living with HIV (PLWH). However, in some settings, the effective deployment of telehealth was limited by insufficient evidence on how to engage diverse patient populations.

Objective: The objective of this study was to explore the perspectives of Ugandan nurses and counselors on the use of telehealth for follow-up care and treatment of PLWH.

Methods: This descriptive qualitative study was conducted in 2022 among nurses and counselors in Kampala, Uganda. Data were collected through face-to-face focus group discussions and analyzed using a conventional qualitative approach. Participants' perspectives are organized into four levels: individual, interpersonal, health facility, and public policy.

Results: The study included 36 participants, of whom 80.6% were female and 52.8% were nurses, with ages ranging from 29 to 57 years and a mean age of 37.6 years (SD = 7.8). Participants perceived telehealth as beneficial in several areas, including reducing healthcare costs, improving the quality of care, strengthening patient-provider relationships, minimizing loss to follow-up, and supporting medication adherence. In addition, telehealth was considered suitable for various services, such as counseling, monitoring medication adherence, providing health education, and facilitating patient triage.

Conclusions: Telehealth holds significant potential to enhance HIV healthcare delivery and should be considered by all health systems providing HIV care.