Table 1.
Demographic, Behavioral, and Phone Characteristics of Patients Completing Questionnaires and Formative Interviews
| Characteristics (n = 19) | Mean (SD) | n (%) |
|---|---|---|
| Drug Abuse Screening Test (DAST) | ||
| Mean Total Score | 7.4 (5.9) | |
| Potential substance use disorder | 10 (52.6) | |
| Definite substance abuse | 4 (21.1) | |
| Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT) | ||
| Mean Total Score | 5.7 (7.1) | |
| Harmful drinking | 5 (26.3) | |
| Likely alcohol dependence | 3 (15.8) | |
| Fagerstrom Test of Nicotine Dependence | ||
| Mean Total Score | 4.0 (2.0) | |
| Not applicable | 3 (15.8) | |
| Low Dependency | 6 (31.6) | |
| Medium Dependency | 9 (47.4) | |
| High Dependency | 1 (5.3) | |
| ACTG Adherence Questionnaire: Last Dose Missed | ||
| Within the past week | 7 (36.8) | |
| 1–2 weeks ago | 3 (15.8) | |
| 2–4 weeks ago | 7 (36.8) | |
| 1–3 months ago | 1 (5.3) | |
| More than 3 months ago | 1 (5.3) | |
| Reasons for Missing Medication Doses (“sometimes or often”) | ||
| Fell asleep | 8 (42.1) | |
| Away from home | 6 (31.6) | |
| Felt it was toxic | 6 (31.6) | |
| Had problems taking at specified times | 5 (26.3) | |
| Busy | 5 (26.3) | |
| Forgot | 4 (21.0) | |
| Side effects | 4 (21.0) | |
| Did not want others noticing | 4 (21.0) | |
| Felt depressed or overwhelmed | 4 (21.0) | |
| Too many pills to take | 3 (15.8) | |
| Felt sick | 3 (15.8) | |
| Felt good | 3 (15.8) | |
| Routine change | 2 (10.5) | |
| Ran out of pills | 2 (10.5) | |
| Type of Phone Plan | ||
| Contract | 11 (57.9) | |
| Pay as you go (no contract) | 7 (36.8) | |
| None | 1 (5.3) | |
| Phone with text messaging* | ||
| Yes | 16 (84.2) | |
| No | 1 (5.3) | |
| Not applicable | 1 (5.3) | |
| Text Messaging Charges * | ||
| Unlimited | 10 (52.6) | |
| Per text | 2 (10.5) | |
| Capped amount | 2 (10.5) | |
| Not sure | 2 (10.5) | |
| Not applicable | 2 (10.5) | |
| Phone Internet Plan * | ||
| Yes | 4 (21.1) | |
| No | 13 (68.4) | |
| Not applicable | 1 (5.3) | |
| How often do you carry your cell phone? | ||
| Frequently | 12 (63.2) | |
| All the time | 6 (31.6) | |
| Not applicable | 1 (5.3) | |
| Text messages sent per day | 10.6 (23.8) ** | |
| Text messages received per day | 15.9 (29.0) ** | |
| How comfortable are you with your phone’s features, especially text messaging? | ||
| Not comfortable at all | 4 (21.1) | |
| Somewhat comfortable | 1 (5.3) | |
| Comfortable | 1 (5.3) | |
| Very comfortable | 4 (21.1) | |
| Completely comfortable | 8 (42.1) | |
| Not applicable | 1 (5.3) | |
| Any concerns about using a cell phone to participate in this study? * | ||
| None | 15 (78.9) | |
| Do not know how to text | 2 (10.5) | |
| Cost | 1 (5.3) | |
| How many text messages are you willing to receive from the study team daily? * | ||
| 1 | 1 (5.3) | |
| 2–3 | 3 (15.8) | |
| 4–5 | 5 (26.3) | |
| 10–12 | 2 (10.5) | |
| 20 | 1 (5.3) | |
| It doesn’t matter to me | 2 (10.5) | |
| I don’t know | 2 (10.5) | |
| As many as needed | 2 (10.5) | |
*
indicates n=18; data from one participant missing
**
indicates n=17; data from two participants missing