Two-way text messages to prevent and treat wasting in young children with HIV exposure or infection
Developing a Two-way SMS Platform to Prevent and Treat Wasting Among HIV-infected and HIV-exposed Uninfected Children
This project sends two-way text messages to caregivers to help detect and respond to undernutrition in babies and young children who have HIV or were exposed to HIV.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Washington NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Seattle, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11181179 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
Caregivers will receive and reply to SMS messages that combine a simple, mother-led malnutrition monitoring system with short feeding and child-care tips. The team will build the messages with input from parents and health workers, then run a randomized trial to compare families using the SMS program versus standard care. The trial will measure how often children develop wasting, how long wasting lasts, and the program's costs. Results will also look at which barriers to good nutrition the messages actually address.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal participants are caregivers of infants and young children (roughly birth through early childhood) who are HIV-infected or HIV-exposed uninfected and who can receive and reply to text messages on a mobile phone.
Not a fit: Families without reliable mobile phone access, children outside the target age range, or children needing urgent inpatient care for severe malnutrition may not benefit directly from this SMS program.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If it works, the SMS program could help families notice malnutrition sooner, speed up treatment, and reduce the number and length of wasting episodes in young children with HIV exposure or infection.
How similar studies have performed: Two-way SMS has helped with HIV medication adherence and clinic attendance in other programs, but using SMS specifically for caregiver-led malnutrition monitoring and treatment is relatively new.
Where this research is happening
Seattle, United States
- University of Washington — Seattle, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Means, Arianna Rubin — University of Washington
- Study coordinator: Means, Arianna Rubin
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 below.