Smartphone video support to help kids and teens take hydroxyurea
Official title: ADHERE (Applying Directly observed therapy to HydroxyurEa to Realize Effectiveness)
Funded at Emocha Mobile Health, INC. · NIH-11176086 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This offers a smartphone video program to help children and teens with sickle cell disease take their hydroxyurea medicine regularly.
Quick facts
| Grant type | Sbir 2 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Emocha Mobile Health, INC. NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Owings Mills, United States) |
| Project start | September 15, 2023 |
| Project end | August 31, 2026 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $649,256 |
| NIH project number | 5R44HL169085-03 |
| Project ID | NIH-11176086 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Children and adolescents with sickle cell disease who are prescribed hydroxyurea and can use (or have caregiver access to) a smartphone are ideal candidates.
✕Less likely to help
Adults outside the pediatric age range, people not prescribed hydroxyurea, or those without reliable smartphone access are unlikely to benefit from this program.
What this research studies
Using a smartphone app you'll record short videos showing you or your child taking hydroxyurea, get reminder alerts, and receive encouraging feedback from trained observers. The program can include small monetary rewards for meeting medication goals to boost motivation. The team updated the approach after earlier participants had problems with email delivery and inconsistent phone access, and they will carefully track how much people use the app to see who benefits most. The focus is on helping children and adolescents with sickle cell disease make daily medication easier and more reliable.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If it works, young people with sickle cell disease could take hydroxyurea more consistently and experience fewer painful episodes and hospital visits.
How similar studies have gone: A previous single-arm study of video directly observed therapy showed promising adherence results but had higher-than-expected drop-out and tech-access problems, so more testing is needed.
Where this research is happening
-
Emocha Mobile Health, INC.
Owings Mills, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Seiguer, Sebastian — Emocha Mobile Health, INC.
- Study coordinator: Seiguer, Sebastian
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
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Improving methadone treatment for opioid use disorder with video check-ins
This project is exploring a new way for people receiving methadone for opioid use disorder to have flexible video check-ins instead of frequent in-person visits.
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Using smartphone technology to improve medication adherence in children with sickle cell disease
This study is testing a smartphone program that helps kids and teens with sickle cell disease remember to take their hydroxyurea medication by sending reminders and having trained observers check in with them through video, making it easier for them to stick to their treatment and feel better.
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Using video to improve methadone treatment and reduce clinic visits for opioid use disorder patients
This study is looking at a new way to help people with opioid use disorder by using video calls for methadone treatment, making it easier for patients to get their medication without having to travel to the clinic as often, especially during tough times like the COVID-19 pandemic.
-
Using a mobile app to help young heart transplant patients take their medications
This study is looking at whether a mobile app that helps teens who have had a heart transplant remember to take their medications works better than regular check-ins with doctors, to see which way helps them stay healthy and feel better overall.
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.