The Impact of Remote Patient Monitoring on Chronic-Disease Readmissions: The Role of Disparities

While prior research has found evidence of the digital divide in health IT outcomes, we do not know the combination of conditions under which health IT is more or less effective at reducing readmissions. This study examines the average and heterogeneous treatment effect of Remote Patient Monitoring (RPM) adoption on chronic-disease related readmissions. We first apply a deductive, econometric-driven approach (difference-in-differences) and then an inductive, machine learning-driven approach (casual forest). We find that RPM reduces the excess readmission ratio of pneumonia, heart failure, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Furthermore, we find heterogeneity in the impact of RPM on heart failure readmissions based on the levels of patient complexity and local competition. Our research contributes to the literature on health IT digital divide by highlighting the combination of conditions in which RPM effectively reduces chronic-disease related readmissions. This combined research approach also contributes methodological insights to IS literature

Box items or part of the report

Annexure 44 of final repor

The InclusiveMag Method: A Start Towards More Inclusive Software for Diverse Populations

How can software practitioners assess whether their software supports diverse users? Although there are empirical processes that can be used to find “inclusivity bugs” piecemeal, what is often needed is a systematic inspection method to assess software’s support for diverse populations. To help fill this gap, this thesis introduces InclusiveMag, a generalization of GenderMag that can be used to generate systematic inclusiveness methods for a particular dimension of diversity. We then present 1) a multicase study covering eight diversity dimensions, of eight teams’ experiences applying InclusiveMag to eight under-served populations and their “mainstream” counterparts and 2) the start of the application of InclusiveMag to making software more inclusive to individuals of low socioeconomic status, through means of a systematic mapping study

Young people’s participation experiences of technical and vocational education and training interventions in low- and middle-income countries: a systematic review of qualitative evidence

Technical and vocational education and training (TVET) has attracted wide attention with its potential to alleviate poverty and improve youth employment in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). However, no agreement has been reached on its impact on participants’ wellbeing and livelihoods. Most previous reviews were restricted to economic and employment-related outcomes through statistical meta-analyses and failed to examine participants’ comprehensive experiences. This systematic review investigated young people’s learning process and consequences of TVET participation in LMICs by reviewing qualitative evidence across 31 published and unpublished studies from 2000 to 2019. Adopting a framework thematic synthesis approach, this study revealed that TVET participation had a multi-dimensional impact on young people’s cultural capital (skills and knowledge, credentials and socio-emotional competencies), social capital (bonding, bridging and linking social relationships), aspirations, and health, beyond economic consequences. Participants’ mixed experiences were collectively shaped by multiple factors, including intervention features, intervention quality (curriculum and content, instructor and instruction, administration and management), learning environment (physical environment, instructor-learner relationship and peer relationship), individual characteristics, and social norms. Findings also indicated that disadvantaged youth particularly benefitted from TVET participation, which highlighted the potential of TVET to improve education access and equity. A framework was distilled from evidence synthesis to inform future research and practice that aim to design, implement and evaluate TVET in a way to enhance young people’s overall wellbeing in the developing context

Intervention or Collaboration?:Rethinking Information and Communication Technologies for Development

Over the past decades information system developers and knowledge engineers in ICT projects in wealthy regions of the world have come to realize that technical work can only be successful when situated in a broader organizational context. However, for low-resource environments (or example rural Africa), where contextual embedding is even more demanding given the complexity of these environments, practical, context-oriented methodologies how to "do" information systems engineering are still lacking. This book gives a basic but thorough insight how to develop information systems and services for people in low resource environments, from a socio-technical, information systems engineering perspective, presenting field-validated methods that cover the complete lifecycle of information systems engineering, with emphasis on context analysis, needs assessment, use case and requirements analysis and (business) sustainability analysis. Since technical development does not go without critical reflection, this book also investigates which (tacit) assumptions affect the way technologies are implemented in poor, low-resource environments. Linking collaborative sociotechnical development with theories of complexity and social networks of innovation, this book offers a reflective and critical approach to information and communication technologies for development

How telecentres contribute to women empowerment in rural communities: case of Western Cape, South Africa

Background – This study investigates how telecentres contribute to the empowerment of women in the rural communities of selected regions of the Western Cape, South Africa. Women face the problem of ICT access due to a host of socio-economic factors. Rural women lack computer skills, and there is a need for more women to be computer literate to eliminate poverty challenges and improve their economic standards. Telecentres are ICT initiatives established in disadvantaged communities for people to have access to the digital world. The aim of telecentres is to enhance information access, promote the use of ICTs for community development, provide information services to communities and provide computer skills training of individuals in communities. However, most telecentres do not focus on how women specifically can benefit from using their services provided at the telecentre. Women who have access to information gain knowledge through ICTs and may share their knowledge, concerns, best practices and experiences, gain a greater understanding of their current situation and solve issues that were previously beyond their capability and enhance their livelihood. Purpose of the research – Telecentres are ICT community development initiatives with no focus on gender aspects. Hence, the purpose of this study was to investigate how telecentres contribute to the empowerment of women in rural communities, and to provide adequate information for improving women’s livelihood. Problem statement – The scenario of men leaving their wives behind and migrating to urban centres to seek employment explains why the number of female-headed rural households varies between 50% and 80%. These women are left behind are known to be the least likely to reap the gains of ICTs in subSaharan Africa, due to the limited access to telecentres in the rural areas. Furthermore, there is limited literature on how the use of telecentres is linked to women empowerment, or the impact of ICTs on rural women's economic well-being. An attempt at addressing these problems is made here. This study has analysed the contribution of telecentres to the empowerment of women and development in the identified problems/knowledge gaps. Design/methodology/approach – The research study intends to address the question: How telecentres contribute to women empowerment in the rural communities. To address this question the research adopted a qualitative method to present the view of women respondents of the telecentre which was utilised for the data collection. The study used the following data collection techniques: Semistructured in-depth interviews, participatory observation, and focus group discussions. The study is explanatory, and the research philosophy of the study is interpretative; this is to understand the phenomenon in a given context. The study used three theories such as the Domestication Theory, Individual Difference Theory, and Dimensions of Empowerment Theory as a theoretical lens. The case study method is used to conduct an in-depth investigation of the research. Findings –. The key findings of this study signify that few women incorporated the telecentre use in their daily lives. However, socio-cultural and contextual factors hindered women from effectively using telecentres. The use of the telecentre affected the process of empowerment in women through the computer skills training offered at the telecentre which facilitated the use of the technology artefact. Originality/contributions – The study makes practical contributions for the government and Nongovernment organisations to use telecentres for enhancing other socio-economic development programmes, as well as a theoretical contribution through the creation of a conceptual model. Furthermore, the telecentre was consciously explained in this study to accommodate programmes that may contribute to women’s capabilities and digital gap