Intention to use mobile phone-based TB screening among HIV patients in Debre Tabor Town public health facilities, Northwest Ethiopia: a cross-sectional study.

BACKGROUND

To ensure fair access to TB screening, early diagnosis of TB infections, and timely starting of appropriate treatment, mobile technology tools provide convenience and feasibility for communities with limited infrastructure. This study aimed to assess the intention to use mobile-based TB screening among HIV patients in Debre Tabor Town Public health facilities, in Ethiopia.

METHOD: A facility-based cross-sectional study was conducted among 423 HIV patients. Data was collected from May 23 to July 11, 2022, through the use of an interviewer-administered questionnaire. Epi-data 4.6 was utilized for data entry, and analysis was performed using Stata 14. Binary logistic regression analysis was employed to assess factors associated with the outcome variable. A P-value of less than 0.05 was considered statistically significant.

RESULT: Around 70.7% of HIV patients indicated their intention to use mobile phone-based TB screening services. being employed, (AOR = 2.93; 95% CI: 1.35-6.34), experience reading received text messages (AOR = 2.81; 95% CI: 1.05-7.49), perceived usefulness (AOR = 7.29; 95% CI: 4.00 -13.31), perceived ease of use (AOR = 2.15; 95% CI: 1.17-3.95) clients having clinical follow-ups at the hospital (AOR = 3.03; 95% CI: 1.63-5.62) are significantly associated with intention to use mobile phone-based TB screening.

CONCLUSION

In conclusion, approximately 70.7% of HIV clients intend to use mobile phone-based TB screening services, which is higher compared to previous studies. Factors such as employment status, experience reading received text messages, perceived usefulness, perceived ease of use, and having clinical follow-ups at a hospital were found to be significantly associated with the intention to use mobile phone-based TB screening. Healthcare providers, mobile health developers, and policymakers should take into account these factors when developing and deploying mobile phone-based TB screening initiatives.