mHealth Intervention for Increasing COVID-19 Prevention Practices With Urban Refugee and Displaced Youth in Uganda

Kukaa Salama is a 8-week social group program of COVID-19 prevention messaging, which includes sending informational SMS once per week and holding secure group discussions on COVID-19 prevention. Weekly SMS messages will focus on COVID-19 knowledge, including information about transmission, hand washing, respiratory hygiene (coughing and sneezing in ways that won't spread germs), face masks, and physical distancing. Participants can also respond to the SMS with any questions about COVID-19, and the study team will respond with further information and/or additional resources. Weekly group chats will be administered using the customized WelTel platform, and will focus on discussions of how participants can apply and practice the information on COVID-19 prevention in their daily lives. Each group chat will be composed of 15-20 participants, and will be facilitated by a research assistant in Kampala as well as a peer navigator.

Participants will be offered the opportunity to pick up a parcel that contains a face mask, bar of soap, and a small parcel of food from the partner agency YARID.