Mobile health-based digital intervention to improve ARV compliance and nutritional intake in PLHIV at Bandarharjo Health Center

Rahayu Winarti* -  Universitas Widya Husada Semarang, Indonesia
Rozaq Isnaini Nugraha -  Universitas Widya Husada Semarang, Indonesia
Iq Balurrochman -  Universitas Widya Husada Semarang, Indonesia
Nanang Bagus Setiawan -  Universitas Widya Husada Semarang, Indonesia
Niken Sukesi -  Universitas Widya Husada Semarang, Indonesia
DOI : 10.30867/action.v10i2.2658

Low adherence to antiretroviral (ARV) therapy and inadequate nutritional intake remain persistent challenges among People Living with HIV/AIDS (PLHIV) in Indonesia, contributing to suboptimal treatment outcomes and reduced quality of life. Mobile health (mHealth), which utilizes mobile devices for health interventions, offers a promising solution by facilitating personalized, accessible, and continuous patient support. This study aimed to assess the effectiveness of an Android-based mHealth application, SEHAT+, in improving ARV adherence and nutritional intake among PLHIV at the Bandarharjo Health Center, Semarang. A total of 41 active PLHIV undergoing ARV therapy were recruited from March to May 2025. Descriptive and paired t-test analyses were conducted to compare adherence and intake before and after the intervention. The mean ARV adherence score increased from 62,3 (SD = 10,5) to 84,9 (SD = 8,1), and the nutritional intake score improved from 58,7 (SD = 11,2) to 79,2 (SD = 9,6), both showing statistically significant changes (p < 0,001). SEHAT+ features included medication reminders, dietary logs, multimedia-based nutrition education, and online consultation forums. The findings indicate that mHealth interventions can significantly enhance both medication compliance and nutritional behavior in PLHIV. Community-driven digital tools such as SEHAT+ have the potential to strengthen primary healthcare responses to HIV/AIDS in resource-constrained settings.

Keywords : mHealth, ARV Adherence, HIV/AIDS, Mobile App-Based Adherence Support, Nutrition Monitoring, SEHAT+ Application

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Open Access Copyright (c) 2025 Rahayu Winarti, Rozaq Isnaini Nugraha, Iq Balurrochman, Nanang Bagus Setiawan, Niken Sukesi
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This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.

AcTion: Aceh Nutrition Journal
Published by: Department of Nutrition at the Health Polytechnic of Aceh, Ministry of Health.
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