Acceptability of using mobile Health (mHealth) as an intervention tool for people with drug use disorders in Tanga, Tanzania

Abstract

Evidence on the additional benefit in treatment and recovery process among PWDUD using digital health interventions is lacking. This study aimed to describe the acceptability of using a digital intervention to increase information access for PWDUD in Tanga region, Tanzania. This study was conducted among 465 participants in Tanga, a coastal region on the Northeast of Tanzania has the second highest number of PWDUD in Tanzania. This cross-sectional descriptive study used both quantitative and qualitative approaches. The majority of the PWDUD 67.6% do not own mobile phones. Out of the 156 participants with mobile phones, only 6.4% owned a smartphone. Most of the participants, 83.6%, reported living with someone who owns a mobile phone. Importantly, a significant number of participants, 98.5% from both areas showed readiness to use mobile phones to access information about the harmful use of substance and substance use disorder treatment options. Participants described how mobile phones can be useful to them in accessing information related to treatment and access to treatment options. The findings of this study helped to inform the target audience for the developed Huru App that should not be only PWDUD but the community at large.

Castory MunishiID(1)*, Harrieth P. Ndumwa(1), Josephine E. Massawe(1), Belinda J. Njiro(1), Jackline NgowiID(1), Sanita Suhartono(2), Anja Busse(2), Giovanna Campello(2), Giovanna Garofalo(3), Pietro Cipolla(3), Cassian Nyandindi(4), Omary Ubuguyu(5), Bruno Sunguya(1)  (1Muhimbili University of Health and Allied Sciences, P.O Box 65001, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, 2 Prevention, Treatment and Rehabilitation Section, United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, Vienna, Austria, 3 Association Casa Famiglia Rosetta, Italy, 4 Drug Control and Enforcement Authority, P.O. Box 80327, Tanzania, 5 Ministry of Health, Dodoma, Tanzania.

(1) Muhimbili University of Health and Allied Sciences, P.O Box 65001, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, (2 Prevention, Treatment and Rehabilitation Section, United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, Vienna, Austria, (3) Association Casa Famiglia Rosetta, Italy, (4) Drug Control and Enforcement Authority, P.O. Box 80327, Tanzania, 5 Ministry of Health, Dodoma, Tanzania.