Factors affecting the use of mobile devices for remote data collection in home community based care

The health care systems of developing countries, which are already weak, have to carry an additional strain brought on by the burden of infectious diseases. This added strain means that the health care provided is not of the highest quality. The use of home community based care (HCBC) was introduced as an attempt to provide basic health care services to people through the services of community health care workers (CHCW). With the development of HCBC in developing countries and the CHCW playing a vital role in ensuring that the lives of people living with diseases are improved, the need for information and communication technology (ICT) solutions is increased. The information that is collected by the CHCW is paper-based and it cannot be analysed and used efficiently and effectively. This study embraces the adoption of a socio-technical perspective when an ICT solution is introduced in an environment. A socio-technical perspective focuses on three dimensions: the user, the environment and the technology used. These three need to be in coherence to ensure that the technology is used effectively by the user within the environment. Therefore the objective of this study is to identify a list of socio-technical factors that affect CHCWs when they are using mobile phones for data collection purposes in home community based care. In order to achieve this it was necessary to understand how the socio-technical subsystems of the HCBC environment are constituted. The study followed a qualitative approach, including interviews and observations, to collect the data which will best enable the researcher to understand the home community based care environment, its people and the use of the technology to collect data in this environment, in particular mobile phones. A qualitative content analysis approach was followed to analyse the data and constitute a list of factors affecting the use of mobile devices for remote data collection in home community based care. It is hoped that this research will assist to inform the design of appropriate mobile health applications to both ease the burden of CHCWs (i.e. it should be faster and easier to use than paper) and improve the healthcare service provided through enabling access to patient records to all partners in the care continuum

Factors affecting the use of mobile devices for remote data collection in home community based care

The health care systems of developing countries, which are already weak, have to carry an additional strain brought on by the burden of infectious diseases. This added strain means that the health care provided is not of the highest quality. The use of home community based care (HCBC) was introduced as an attempt to provide basic health care services to people through the services of community health care workers (CHCW). With the development of HCBC in developing countries and the CHCW playing a vital role in ensuring that the lives of people living with diseases are improved, the need for information and communication technology (ICT) solutions is increased. The information that is collected by the CHCW is paper-based and it cannot be analysed and used efficiently and effectively. This study embraces the adoption of a socio-technical perspective when an ICT solution is introduced in an environment. A socio-technical perspective focuses on three dimensions: the user, the environment and the technology used. These three need to be in coherence to ensure that the technology is used effectively by the user within the environment. Therefore the objective of this study is to identify a list of socio-technical factors that affect CHCWs when they are using mobile phones for data collection purposes in home community based care. In order to achieve this it was necessary to understand how the socio-technical subsystems of the HCBC environment are constituted. The study followed a qualitative approach, including interviews and observations, to collect the data which will best enable the researcher to understand the home community based care environment, its people and the use of the technology to collect data in this environment, in particular mobile phones. A qualitative content analysis approach was followed to analyse the data and constitute a list of factors affecting the use of mobile devices for remote data collection in home community based care. It is hoped that this research will assist to inform the design of appropriate mobile health applications to both ease the burden of CHCWs (i.e. it should be faster and easier to use than paper) and improve the healthcare service provided through enabling access to patient records to all partners in the care continuum

Toward Universal Broadband in Rural Alaska

The TERRA-Southwest project is extending broadband service to 65 communities in the Bristol Bay, Bethel and Yukon-Kuskokwim regions. A stimulus project funded by a combination of grants and loans from the Rural Utilities Service (RUS), TERRA-Southwest has installed a middle-mile network using optical fiber and terrestrial microwave. Last-mile service will be through fixed wireless or interconnection with local telephone networks. The State of Alaska, through its designee Connect Alaska, also received federal stimulus funding from the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) for tasks that include support for an Alaska Broadband Task Force “to both formalize a strategic broadband plan for the state of Alaska and coordinate broadband activities across relevant agencies and organizations.” Thus, a study of the impact of the TERRA project in southwest Alaska is both relevant and timely. This first phase provides baseline data on current access to and use of ICTs and Internet connectivity in rural Alaska, and some insights about perceived benefits and potential barriers to adoption of broadband. It is also intended to provide guidance to the State Broadband Task Force in determining how the extension of broadband throughout the state could contribute to education, social services, and economic activities that would enhance Alaska’s future. Results of the research could also be used proactively to develop strategies to encourage broadband adoption, and to identify applications and support needed by users with limited ICT skills.Connect Alaska. The National Telecommunications and Information Administration. General Communications Incorporated.Part 1: An Analysis of Internet Use in Southwest Alaska / Introduction / Previous Studies / Current Connectivity / Analytical Framework and Research Methodology / Demographics / Mobile Phones: Access and Use / Access to the Internet / Internet Useage / Considerations about Internet Service / Interest in Broadband / Sources of News / Comparison with National Data / Internet Use by Businesses and Organizations / What Difference may Broadband make in the Region? / Conclusiongs / Part 2 Literature Review / Reference

A comparative study of mobile technology adoption in remote Australia

The paper presents a comparative study of mobile technology adoption\ud and use by two communities – one Aboriginal and the other non-Aboriginal –\ud both located in a remote region of Australia, the Bloomfield River Valley of Cape\ud York. Both communities have high levels of ownership of mobile phones relative\ud to, on the one hand, the low uptake of other ICT such as fixed-line phones by the\ud Aboriginal community at Wujal Wujal and, on the other hand, the poor mobile\ud coverage in the non-Aboriginal community at Bloomfield. For both groups\ud communication is of paramount importance, followed by listening to music. In\ud addition, the Aboriginal community make extensive use of other multimedia and\ud Internet features of their devices. Key factors in the motivation to acquire mobile\ud phones, in comparison to other ICT, are the superior cost management that\ud mobiles offer for Aboriginal people and the convenience of being able to\ud communicate while away from home for Bloomfield residents. The authors\ud conclude that mobile technology needs to be taken seriously, even in areas of\ud limited coverage such as the Bloomfield River Valley

Beyond Infrastructure: Broadband for Development in Remote and Indigenous Regions

Recent telecommunications stimulus projects in the U.S. and Canada were intended to increase availability of broadband through funding infrastructure investments, largely in rural and remote regions. However, true access involves more than availability; it also includes affordability and adoption. This paper presents a framework for analyzing broadband adoption that takes into consideration geographical, economic and cultural environments in indigenous communities. It includes an overview of potential social and economic impacts of broadband in remote areas, using examples from the Alaska study and the Canadian North. It then reports on results of an evaluation of Internet use and potential adoption of broadband in remote indigenous communities of southwest Alaska. Finally, the paper provides a comparative analysis of U.S. and Canadian policies intended to achieve affordable access to broadband for rural users and sustainable business models for rural broadband providers.Ye

Already at a disadvantage? ICT in the home and children's preparation for primary school. (ICT Research Bursaries 2004 - Final Report)

The aim of this study is to investigate the impact of socio-economic disadvantage on pre-school children's development of competences in information and communications technologies (ICT). The study focuses on children's experiences of ICT in the home and in pre-school settings in the year before they begin formal education, and seeks to investigate concepts of advantage and disadvantage in this context. The study also aims to investigate teachers' perceptions of children's ICT competences on entry to school

Disease surveillance and patient care in remote regions: an exploratory study of collaboration among healthcare professionals in Amazonia

The development and deployment of information technology, particularly mobile tools, to support collaboration between different groups of healthcare professionals has been viewed as a promising way to improve disease surveillance and patient care in remote regions. The effects of global climate change combined with rapid changes to land cover and use in Amazonia are believed to be contributing to the spread of vector-borne emerging and neglected diseases. This makes empowering and providing support for local healthcare providers all the more important. We investigate the use of information technology in this context to support professionals whose activities range from diagnosing diseases and monitoring their spread to developing policies to deal with outbreaks. An analysis of stakeholders, their roles and requirements, is presented which encompasses results of fieldwork and of a process of design and prototyping complemented by questionnaires and targeted interviews. Findings are analysed with respect to the tasks of diagnosis, training of local healthcare professionals, and gathering, sharing and visualisation of data for purposes of epidemiological research and disease surveillance. Methodological issues regarding the elicitation of cooperation and collaboration requirements are discussed and implications are drawn with respect to the use of technology in tackling emerging and neglected diseases

The (m)Health Connection: An Examination of the Promise of Mobile Phones for HIV/AIDS Intervention in Sub-Saharan Africa

This thesis offers an examination of the complex opportunities and challenges that characterize the development of innovative, locally appropriate, sustainable, and scalable uses of mobile phones as instruments to support and advance HIV/AIDS work in sub-Saharan Africa. Drawing together the fields of ICT4D and health communication, this thesis establishes a theoretical framework for mobile health (mHealth) interventions in developing countries from a critical media studies perspective. It interrogates the varied applications of mobile phones vis-à-vis health that have been identified, promoted, or piloted in sub-Saharan Africa and elsewhere in the Global South, focusing on the potential for mobile phones to enhance two interrelated aspects of HIV/AIDS work: 1) scaling-up prevention and awareness programs; and 2) enhancing access to treatment, care, and support for people living with HIV. By critically examining real-life applications, focusing in particular on a case study from South Africa (the pioneering mHealth organization Cell-Life), this thesis explores both the opportunities presented by the increasing ubiquity of mobile phones in this region, and the corresponding challenges, limitations, and critical issues that inhibit effective realization of mHealth’s potential in this context

M-health adoption by healthcare professionals : a systematic review

Objective The aim of this systematic review was to synthesize current knowledge of the factors influencing healthcare professional adoption of mobile health (m-health) applications. Methods Covering a period from 2000 to 2014, we conducted a systematic literature search on four electronic databases (PubMed, EMBASE, CINAHL, PsychInfo). We also consulted references from included studies. We included studies if they reported the perceptions of healthcare professionals regarding barriers and facilitators to m-health utilization, if they were published in English, Spanish, or French and if they presented an empirical study design (qualitative, quantitative, or mixed methods). Two authors independently assessed study quality and performed content analysis using a validated extraction grid with pre-established categorization of barriers and facilitators. Results The search strategy led to a total of 4223 potentially relevant papers, of which 33 met the inclusion criteria. Main perceived adoption factors to m-health at the individual, organizational, and contextual levels were the following: perceived usefulness and ease of use, design and technical concerns, cost, time, privacy and security issues, familiarity with the technology, risk-benefit assessment, and interaction with others (colleagues, patients, and management). Conclusion This systematic review provides a set of key elements making it possible to understand the challenges and opportunities for m-health utilization by healthcare providers

"Slow and steady wins the race" : a case study on infrastructural development of telemedicine services at Dhulikhel Hospital, Nepal

The use of ICT in the medical field has given rise to a new dimension so called telemedicine. Telemedicine is not a new concept, but the level of use differs between the developed and the developing countries, because of the limited infrastructural development and high expenses of technology in the later case. Though it is certain that using ICT in healthcare will improve health status of the nation, answers to the questions like which technology to choose; and what strategy to follow in order to achieve maximum benefit from minimum investment is still under consideration for developing countries. This study was carried out at Dhulikhel Hospital to explore the infrastructural development of telemedicine, its usage, benefits and users’ perspectives on the stability and sustainability of the services in future with context to hospitals in Nepal. A qualitative method with interpretive research approach was chosen for the study using informal discussions, observation and semi-structured interviews with open-ended questionnaires as data collection tools. The empirical findings have been generalized via Information Infrastructure (II) and Actor Network Theory (ANT) as theoretical framework. The findings from the study indicate that telemedicine is not simply technology; rather it is teamwork which requires good relationship between the users and good understanding of the setup. Furthermore, the study concludes that even a simple technology if implemented with proper vision and strategy can save many lives, and sustainability with telemedicine for developing countries can be achieved through slow and steady progression. Key words: Telemedicine, Nepal, sustainability, strategy, slow and steady progression