SSMART – Supporting Self-Management in Adolescents to be Resilient and Thrive

Supporting Self-Management in Adolescents to be Resilient and Thrive

Overview

S-SMART, an acronym for 'Supporting Self-Management in Adolescents to be Resilient and Thrive,' embodies the essence of fostering self-management skills among adolescents facing chronic llnesses. Self-management refers to the dynamic processes and behaviours through which adolescents, with the support of caregivers, health professionals, family, friends, peers, and educators, take charge of their chronic conditions. Introducing S-SMART digital, a cutting-edge smartphone application designed to empower adolescents dealing with chronic illnesses, with a specific focus on HIV.

This application serves as a comprehensive tool, aiming to enhance adolescents' knowledge, beliefs, coping mechanisms, self-regulation skills, and social support structures. By leveraging the capabilities of S-SMART digital, adolescents can navigate the challenges of living with a chronic illness more effectively, promoting resilience and enabling them to thrive despite the complexities of their health conditions.

Objective

Adolescents living with HIV (ALHIV), particularly those between 15 and 19 years old, face challenges in their health outcomes. They require assistance to enhance their skills in managing their chronic disease, especially as they shift towards taking full responsibility for their own care. The S-SMART digital program is designed to offer a personalized self-management experience specifically tailored for ALHIV.

Grounded in Theory and Supported by Evidence

The foundation of the S-SMART program is rooted in research initiated in 2015. This journey includes the creation of a tool to gauge the self-management of Adolescents Living with HIV (ALHIV) in 2020, a comprehensive review of interventions promoting self-management for ALHIV in 2021, the introduction of an intervention to bolster self-management published in the Journal of Vulnerable Children and Youth Studies in 2023, a systematic assessment of the efficacy of technology-based interventions for ALHIV in low and middle-income countries (LMIC) in 2023, and a scoping review exploring the preferences of ALHIV regarding the use of digital technology for self-management in LMIC. Our work has resulted in the publication of several articles, demonstrating the rigour and depth of our evidence-based approach.

References - click to view

1. Crowley, T., van der Merwe, A., & Skinner, D. (2019).
Adolescent HIV Self-management: Lived experiences of adolescents, caregivers and health care workers in a South African context.
Journal of the Association of Nurses in AIDS Care, 30(4), e7–e19.
https://doi.org/10.1097/jnc.0000000000000098

2. Crowley, T., van der Merwe, A. S., Esterhuizen, T., & Skinner, D. (2022).
Resilience of adolescents living with HIV in the Cape Metropole of the Western Cape.
AIDS care, 34(9), 1103–1110.
https://doi.org/10.1080/09540121.2021.1961115

3. Crowley, T., van der Merwe, A. van der, Kidd, M., & Skinner, D. (2019).
Measuring Adolescent HIV Self- management: An Instrument Development Study.
AIDS and Behavior, 1–15.
https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1007/s10461-019-02490-z

4. Crowley, T., van der Merwe, A., Kidd, M., & Skinner, D. (2020).
Adolescent human immunodeficiency virus self-management: Associations with treatment adherence, viral suppression, sexual risk behaviours and health-related quality of life.
Southern African journal of HIV medicine, 21(1), 1054.
https://doi.org/10.4102/sajhivmed.v21i1.1054

5. Crowley, T. & Rohwer, A. (2021).
Self-management interventions for adolescents living with HIV: a systematic review.
BMC Infect Dis, 21, 431.
https://doi.org/10.1186/s12879-021-06072-0

6. Crowley, T., Petinger, C., Nchendia, A. I., & van Wyk, B. (2023).
Effectiveness, Acceptability and Feasibility of Technology-Enabled Health Interventions for Adolescents Living with HIV in Low- and Middle-Income Countries: A Systematic Review.
International journal of environmental research and public health, 20(3), 2464.
https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph20032464

7. Crowley, T., de-Lange Cloete, F. (2023).
Supporting HIV Self-Management in Adolescents to be Resilient and Thrive: An Intervention Development Study. Vulnerable Children and Youth Studies.
Published online – 11 May 2023.
https://doi.org/10.1080/17450128.2023.2206172

Future Directions

Our ongoing research is dedicated to evaluating the acceptability, feasibility, and effectiveness of the S-SMART application. Looking ahead, we aspire to broaden the application's scope to cater to all adolescents grappling with long-term health conditions.

Our Reseach Team

Prof Talitha Crowley, PhD
S-SMART Principal Investigator & Founder
Associate Professor, School of Nursing,
University of the Western Cape

Prof Brian van Wyk, DPhil
S-SMART Co-Investigator
Professor, School of Public Health,
University of the Western Cape

Miss Charné Petinger, MA
S-SMART Project Manager, Coordinator & Researcher
PhD Candidate, School of Public Health,
University of the Western Cape

Dr Lwandile Tokwe, PhD
Researcher
HIV Mental Health Research Unit, Division of Neuropsychiatry, University of Cape Town

Ms Leonie Weyers, MNursing
Researcher
School of Nursing,
University of the Western Cape

Mr Siphelele Ntanjana, BNursing
Research and fieldwork assistant
MNursing Candidate, School of Nursing,
University of the Western Cape

Sponsorship

Our ultimate objective is to offer the application entirely free of charge to adolescents. If you're interested in supporting this initiative, please reach out to us. Your sponsorship can play a pivotal role in making a positive impact on the lives of adolescents managing chronic health challenges.

Enquiries

Talitha Crowley
Associate Professor
School of Nursing
Faculty of Community and Health Sciences
University of the Western Cape
14 Blanckenberg Street, Belville, 7535
Email: tcrowley@uwc.ac.za

Enquiries

Talitha Crowley
Associate Professor
School of Nursing
Faculty of Community and Health Sciences
University of the Western Cape
14 Blanckenberg Street, Belville, 7535
Email: tcrowley@uwc.ac.za