Development of the Mobile Technology Vulnerability Scale among Youth and Young Adults Living with HIV

Abstract

Introduction: Youth and young adults living with HIV (YLWH) in the US have the lowest viral suppression percentage. Lack of sufficient technology access may be correlated with HIV health outcomes in this population. Methods: We developed a Mobile Technology Vulnerability Scale (MTVS; 18 items) among 18–29-year-olds. Exploratory factor analysis (EFA) was performed on baseline data (N = 79), followed by a confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) of 6-month follow-up data (N = 69). Cronbach’s alpha for internal consistency and test-retest reliability were examined. We also correlated the scale with self-report antiretroviral therapy (ART) adherence. Results: EFA yielded a single-factor solution at baseline after dropping one item. CFA at follow-up corroborated the single-factor. Cronbach’s alpha was high and MTVS was correlated with ART adherence at both time points. MTVS at baseline and 6 months were correlated. Conclusion: The 17-item MTVS scale was found to be valid and reliable and related to ART adherence.

Exploration of a Mobile Technology Vulnerability Scale’s association with antiretroviral adherence among young adults living with HIV in the United States

“…MTVS was developed to evaluate access to mobile technology to meet personal needs among 18–29-year-old living with HIV ( 18 ). The MTVS is analogous to the food insecurity scale ( 22 ); however, instead of food insecurity, it examines how vulnerable an individual feels with regard to their personal access to mobile technology in the past 6 months.…”

“…The MTVS is analogous to the food insecurity scale ( 22 ); however, instead of food insecurity, it examines how vulnerable an individual feels with regard to their personal access to mobile technology in the past 6 months. Seventeen questions are asked on a response scale of 0= “No”, 1= “Yes” and summed and divided by 17 to yield a mean technology vulnerability score with higher scores indicating higher levels of technology vulnerability (α =0.84) ( 18 ). Items are listed in the Results section.…”

“…Participant characteristics were described using univariate analyses [means, standard deviations (SD), frequencies, and percentages]. Based on the scale development ( 18 ), we used the mean of the 17 MTVS items to compute a single MTVS per participant. The single MTVS was correlated with each self-reported ART adherence question, the self-reported ART adherence composite, and the single item regarding missing ART four days in-a-row.…”

“…Latinx 48 [18] White non-Latinx 27 [10] Asian non-Latinx 9 [3] Other non-Latinx, American Indian non-Latinx, Native Hawaiian non-Latinx, prefer not to answer 20 [7] Financial situation, n [%]…”

“…We developed the Mobile Technology Vulnerability Scale (MTVS) to better describe mobile technology access and consistency of access and explore competing needs to pay mobile phone bills and afford data plans ( 18 ). Given the relative importance of mobile technologies in the lives of YLWH (particularly during the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic ( 19 , 20 ) and the increasing prominence of mobile health interventions, it is critical to measure the level of mobile technology vulnerability that individuals experience and how this vulnerability may be associated with clinical outcomes.…”