# Dissemination of the WiseApp for Improving Health Outcomes Across Settings

> **NIH AHRQ R18** · COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY HEALTH SCIENCES · 2022 · $394,075

## Abstract

PROJECT SUMMARY
Despite efforts to achieve UNAIDS 95-95-95 targets, marked deficits remain in antiretroviral therapy (ART) adherence
and viral suppression among persons living with HIV (PLWH). Gaps in HIV treatment success are particularly
pronounced in racial and ethnic minority populations and particularly among Latinos in the Northeast United States (US)
and the Caribbean. Progression of HIV disease and premature deaths among PLWH have been attributed foremost to
insufficient engagement in medical care and adherence to HIV treatment regimens. Timely access to ART and subsequent
sustained ART adherence are central to therapeutic success and critical determinants of long-term health outcomes (e.g.,
viral suppression) in PLWH. To that end, our team conducted extensive formative work (CDC:U01PS003715) with
racial/ethnic minority PLWH and their providers to identify the content, features, functionalities, and interface of a mobile
app to improve health outcomes, including ART adherence. Building on the findings, the Agency for Healthcare Research
and Quality (AHRQ) provided support to build this app and integrate it with a smart pill box (CleverCap) enabling PLWH
to self-monitor their medication adherence in real-time. This innovative tool, the WiseApp, supersedes current approaches
to ART adherence using a self-management mobile app linked to an electronic pill box and is currently being evaluated in
a randomized controlled trial (RCT) (NCT03205982) in New York City (NYC). At the same time, there is a strong need
for the development and testing of self-management interventions for Spanish speaking Latino PLWH since they are the
largest and fastest growing ethnic minority group in the US and are disproportionately affected by HIV. We propose to
test the transferability of the WiseApp to Latinos in the US and the Dominican Republic (DR) by translating and
culturally adapting it and conducting a multi-site RCT to assess its efficacy. The proposed project is aligned with AHRQ
Special Emphasis Notice NOT-HS-16-015 and will use health information technology to facilitate the collection and use
of patient-reported outcomes including medication adherence, quality of life, and symptom burden. The study will address
the following specific aims: 1. Adapt and ensure the usability of the WiseApp for Spanish speaking PLWH. 2. Conduct a
RCT to assess the efficacy and sustainability of the WiseApp compared to a usual care control in a transnational sample
of Spanish speaking PLWH at 3, 6, and 12 months. 3. Identify multi-level barriers and facilitators to the widespread
implementation of the WiseApp. A mixed-methods, multi-stakeholder process evaluation of the WiseApp will be
conducted guided by the Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research. The proposed project builds on our
team's robust preliminary data and capitalizes on the strong linkage between Columbia University and Clínica de Familia
in the DR. This project's significance is further enhanced by...

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10490284
- **Project number:** 5R18HS028523-02
- **Recipient organization:** COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY HEALTH SCIENCES
- **Principal Investigator:** Rebecca Schnall
- **Activity code:** R18 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** AHRQ
- **Fiscal year:** 2022
- **Award amount:** $394,075
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2021-09-30 → 2026-08-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10490284

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10490284, Dissemination of the WiseApp for Improving Health Outcomes Across Settings (5R18HS028523-02). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-24 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10490284. Licensed CC0.

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