mHealth
Rachel L. Bacon, MPH
12.23.14
Outline
Mobile Technology in Healthcare
- Background
- Impact of mHealth in public health programs
- What is the evidence base?
- Conclusion: International and domestic initiatives and the way forward
The Importance of Evidence
Impact of mHealth
mHealth - mobile technology and health
- Majority of evidence needed in measuring acceptability, feasibility and impact on health outcomes
- Majority of present studies focus on acceptability and feasibility....
1989
2014
Research Gaps
Source: GSMA, State of mHealth evidence 2011
M + anything = mobile devices can support anything
"medical and public practice supported by mobile devices, such as mobile phones, patient monitoring devices, personal digital assistants (PDAs) and other wireless devices"
- mHealth
- mFinance
- mGovernance
- mLearning
- Long term studies that examine health and patient outcomes
- Cost benefit studies
- Comparison and cross-country studies
- Role of integrated technology
- Replicable study design and adequate sample samples
- WHO 2011
Mechael et al, "Barriers and Gaps" 2010
Diagram Courtesy: Free et al., 2010
Applied Interventions
The expanding global mobile market
Take Home Messages
Case Study Example: Project mUbumi, Zambia
Adherence Moinitoring and Appointment Reminders
Clinical Decision Making - CommCare, Textit etc.
Challenges at the point of use
Ratio of total mobile phone connections to the population, (20011-2014)
Source: GSMA, https://mobiledevelopmentintelligence.com/statistics/76-market-penetration-total
Accessed - 11.24.14
- Who accesses the phone?
- Literacy
- Language barriers
- Cultural norms
- Balance of Power
- Privacy and confidentiality
- Supervision and maintaining interest
- Familiarity with technology
Training healthcare workers via SMS
Mobile Device Data Entry & Submission
THANK YOU
Looking Forward
Rachel L. Bacon, MPH
- In 2011, there were 6 billion mobile cellular subscriptions, global penetration of 86%
- Nearly 75% of the global population has access to a mobile phone
- 80% of all new mobile cellular subscriptions in 2011 were in developing countries
- The field is rapidly growing - moving towards scale up
- There is a need for integrated programming with traditional health measures
- Field is still rapidly producing evidence - need for linkage to health outcomes
- National standards and guidelines being put into place
Also...
HIV Test Results to Clinics
Supply Chain Management and Counterfeit Drugs
Source: ITU Key Statistics, 2013
Credit: Rachel Bacon, James Michiel, Nwando Dike, Alyssa Taylor, Christina Rios, Meryn Robinson