ICT Framework to Support a Patient-Centric approach in Public Healthcare: A Case Study of Malawi

Although Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) in the healthcare sector are extensively deployed globally, they are not used effectively in developing countries. Many resource poor countries face numerous challenges in implementing the ICT interventions. For instance, many health applications that have been deployed are not user-centric. As a result, such ICT interventions do not benefit many health consumers. The lack of an ICT framework to support patient-centric healthcare services in Malawi renders the e-health and mhealth interventions less sustainable and less cost effective. The aim of the study was therefore to develop an ICT Framework that could support patient-centric healthcare services in the public health sector in Malawi. The comprehensive literature review and semi-structured interviews highlighted many challenges underlying ICT development in Malawi. An ICT framework for patient-centric healthcare services is therefore proposed to ensure that eHealth and mobile health interventions are more sustainable and cost effective. The framework was validated by five experts selected from different areas of expertise including mhealth application developers, ICT policy makers and public health practitioners. Results show that the framework is relevant, useful and applicable within the setting of Malawi. The framework can also be implemented in various countries with similar settings

Characterization of End-users’ Engagement and Interaction Experience with Social Media Technologies

People, particularly digital citizens, gain more technological experiences from their frequent usage of social media technologies. Their experience as end-users occurs before, during, and after their engagement and interaction with the technologies and is popularly described using behaviour-related definitions. However, an end-user\u27s experience with technologies goes beyond the \u27click-and-type definition. This prompts the question, what are the user experience elements that define and characterise end-users\u27 engagement and interaction with social media technologies? . Using a case study-based approach, end-users\u27 engagement and interaction with social media technologies were identified. The study\u27s findings indicated that several user experience elements were characterised by emotions, cognitive, and behavioural dimensions. Combining the characteristics of the dimensions resulted in a more holistic view of the engagement and interaction that end-users have with social media technologies

Challenges, Benefits, and Adoption Dynamics of Mobile Banking at the Base of the Pyramid (BOP) in Africa: A Systematic Review

Increased mobile penetration in Africa offers great potential to accelerate financial inclusion through increased adoption of mobile banking by people at the base of the pyramid (BOP) on the continent. This article provides results from a systematic review of existing research findings on the challenges, benefits and adoption dynamics of mobile banking at the BOP in Africa. The systematic review, which followed PRISMA (preferred reporting items for systematic reviews and meta-analyses) guidelines, identifies the following key challenges for mobile banking diffusion at the BOP on the continent: poor mobile connectivity; lack of awareness of mobile banking services; illiteracy; poverty; lack of trust due to perceived security risks; legal and regulatory frameworks; and cultural factors. Based on analysis of these challenges, and of the benefits and adoption dynamics also identified, the article provides recommendations for how mobile banking services can be more sustainably implemented for the benefit of people at the BOP in Africa.CA201

A qualitative investigation of student experience in a gamified course at the Open University of Mauritius

The COVID-19 pandemic has caused a paradigm shift from traditional on-campus presence learning to online learning. While the transition to digital education and online learning has been embraced worldwide, the biggest challenge remains the lack of motivation and engagement of the online student. Gamification is the use of game design elements in non-game contexts and in an online learning context; it is an innovative strategy to encourage motivation and engagement. This study shows the findings of qualitative research that aims to examine students’ experience in an online gamified course. The gamified online course, Music and Movement, was offered to Bachelor in Education (Honours) Early Childhood Education and Care (ECEC) students at the Open University of Mauritius in the semester August to December 2021. The course was redesigned using a gamification theoretical framework called D6. Out of 46 ECEC students, 15 volunteered to further contribute through semi-structured interviews. The collected data was transcribed and analysed using open coding. The findings reveal that the perception and experience of students about the gamified online course can be categorised into five main themes, namely gamified course elements, general feelings and experience of students, personality of the tutor, traits of the students and collaborative work

The reticent effect of ICT on tourism: A case study of Zimbabwe

The rapid developments in ICT have revolutionised tourism operations and the way companies and countries lure tourists, resulting in stiff competition in the global tourism industry. ICT has become the ‘umbilical cord’ of tourism as it has assumed a crucial role in the survival and performance of tourism destinations. However, ICT is a double-edged sword as it can be used with considerable effect either in promoting or downgrading tourism destinations. For example, in situations where a tourism destination is receiving negative publicity, ICT has the disadvantage of spreading that adverse information quickly to a global audience. This study is an important contribution to the body of knowledge on the demise of tourism in Zimbabwe in general but specifically focusing on the role of ICTs between 2000 and 2016.This research was conducted through a comprehensive literature review,mainly focusing on multiple peer-reviewed journal articles, books and conference papers from 2000 to 2016, before the Emmerson Mnangagwa-led government came to power. The selection of articles was purposive. Only those that provided deep insights and in-depth understanding as well as a proper representation of Zimbabwe’s tourism sector in line with the purpose of the research were selected. The available literature strongly points out that a combination of ICT, especially the internet, government policies deemed retrogressive and economic refugees emigrating from tourist-seeking countries have contributed to the soiling of the image, reputation and identity of Zimbabwe as an attractive tourism destination on a global scale. This has had an adverse effect on the growth of the tourism sector in the country. Thus, ICT can negatively impact tourism, and thus, countries intending to lure visitors to their tourism destinations should avoid policies, events and activities that can result in bad publicity in the international media. On the other hand, there is no denying that if used properly ICT can also help to successfully rebrand a tourism destination. For this reason, it is important for national tourism strategies to encompass and interconnect both physical and virtual tourism promotion methods

A Review of Interoperability Standards in E-health and Imperatives for their Adoption in Africa

The ability of healthcare information systems to share and exchange information (interoperate) is essential to facilitate the quality and effectiveness of healthcare services. Although standardization is considered key to addressing the fragmentation currently challenging the healthcare environment, e-health standardization can be difficult for many reasons, one of which is making sense of the e-health interoperability standards landscape. Specifically aimed at the African health informatics community, this paper aims to provide an overview of e-health interoperability and the significance of standardization in its achievement. We conducted a literature study of e-health standards, their development, and the degree of participation by African countries in the process. We also provide a review of a selection of prominent e-health interoperability standards that have been widely adopted especially by developed countries, look at some of the factors that affect their adoption in Africa, and provide an overview of ongoing global initiatives to address the identified barriers. Although the paper is specifically aimed at the African community, its findings would be equally applicable to many other developing countries

Effects of a school-based health intervention program in marginalized communities of Port Elizabeth, South Africa (the KaziBantu Study): protocol for a randomized controlled trial

The burden of poverty-related infectious diseases remains high in low- and middle-income countries, while noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) are rapidly gaining importance. To address this dual disease burden, the KaziBantu project aims at improving and promoting health literacy as a means for a healthy and active lifestyle. The project implements a school-based health intervention package consisting of physical education, moving-to-music, and specific health and nutrition education lessons from the KaziKidz toolkit. It is complemented by the KaziHealth workplace health intervention program for teachers.; The aim of the KaziBantu project is to assess the effect of a school-based health intervention package on risk factors for NCDs, health behaviors, and psychosocial health in primary school children in disadvantaged communities in Port Elizabeth, South Africa. In addition, we aim to test a workplace health intervention for teachers.; A randomized controlled trial (RCT) will be conducted in 8 schools. Approximately 1000 grade 4 to grade 6 school children, aged 9 to 13 years, and approximately 60 teachers will be recruited during a baseline survey in early 2019. For school children, the study is designed as a 36-week, cluster RCT (KaziKidz intervention), whereas for teachers, a 24-week intervention phase (KaziHealth intervention) is planned. The intervention program consists of 3 main components; namely, (1) KaziKidz and KaziHealth teaching material, (2) workshops, and (3) teacher coaches. After randomization, 4 of the 8 schools will receive the education program, whereas the other schools will serve as the control group. Intervention schools will be further randomized to the different combinations of 2 additional intervention components: teacher workshops and teacher coaching.; This study builds on previous experience and will generate new evidence on health intervention responses to NCD risk factors in school settings as a decision tool for future controlled studies that will enable comparisons among marginalized communities between South African and other African settings.; The KaziKidz teaching material is a holistic educational and instructional tool designed for primary school teachers in low-resource settings, which is in line with South Africa's Curriculum and Assessment Policy Statement. The ready-to-use lessons and assessments within KaziKidz should facilitate the use and implementation of the teaching material. Furthermore, the KaziHealth interventions should empower teachers to take care of their health through knowledge gains regarding disease risk factors, physical activity, fitness, psychosocial health, and nutrition indicators. Teachers as role models will be able to promote better health behaviors and encourage a healthy and active lifestyle for children at school. We conjecture that improved health and well-being increase teachers' productivity with trickle-down effects on the children they teach and train.; International Standard Randomized Controlled Trial Number (ISRCTN): 18485542; http://www.isrctn.com/ISRCTN18485542.; DERR1-10.2196/14097

An African Rural Internet Network, and its interactions with Academics

Creating ICT access in the rural areas of Africa is a complex challenge. In these areas, telecommunications infrastructure is provided at a very high cost that may not be justified by the resulting use and effects of the telecommunications network. Affordable access to ICTs in rural areas can be frustrated at the supply as well as the demand end of the service-provision chain. To supply ICTs and related services in rural areas, the main challenge is the high level of capital and operating expenditures incurred by service providers. On the demand side, rural adoption of ICTs in developing countries is curtailed by low availability of complementary public services, such as electricity and education, and by the relative scarcity of locally relevant content. This paper highlight the various aspects of the challenges of setting up a First Mile project in rural Zambia. It takes a rather unique angle in that it introduces the perspectives on the value of academic interventions in a manner that not only addresses some of the complex issues but also accommodates cultural adjustment. The paper introduces the rural internet project in Macha, rural Zambia and demonstrates the impact of such an initiative on setting up not only connectivity in a rural community but also dealing with the challenges that come with this

van Heerden et al. Culture and the Information Architecture of Web-based Learning Culture and the Information Architecture of Web-based Learning

The South African population varies greatly with regard to the cultural background of its inhabitants. This poses a challenge for Higher Education institutions (HE) catering for the diverse needs of these students. Web-based learning (WBL) management tools such as Moodle are used in some HE institutions in South Africa. Research has already been conducted with regard to the effects of culture on usability, but contributions concerning the impact of culture, specifically uncertainty avoidance, on the information architecture of web-based learning appear to be lacking. This paper investigates cultural dimensions, with specific emphasis on uncertainty avoidance and its impact on the information architecture of a WBL environment. The paper presents criteria to consider when designing for uncertainty avoidance and presets a categorization of the web-based learning management tool, Moodle, in terms of these criteria. The paper concludes with the results of the cultural profile of a group of students within a HE institution. Key words Culture; uncertainty avoidance; information architecture; web-based learnin