Mobile health data collection at primary health care in Ethiopia: a feasible challenge

• Published in: Journal of clinical epidemiology 2015, Vol.68 (1), p.80-86
• Main Authors: Medhanyie, Araya Abrha, Moser, Albine, Spigt, Mark, Yebyo, Henock, Little, Alex, Dinant, GeertJan, Blanco, Roman
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adult; Cell Phone; Community health workers; Data analysis; Data collection; Data Collection - instrumentation; Data Collection - methods; Data processing; Electronic forms; Epidemiology; Ethiopia; Feasibility studies; Female; Health care; Health facilities; Health Personnel; Health services; Humans; Internal Medicine; Internet access; Interviews; Laboratories; Maternal health; Maternal Welfare; mHealth; Midwifery; Mobile technologies; Pregnancy; Prenatal care; Primary care; Primary health care; Primary Health Care - methods; Qualitative research; Registration; Rural Health; Smartphones; Supervisors; Telemedicine - instrumentation; Telemedicine - methods; Workers
• ISSN: 0895-4356; 1878-5921
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jclinepi.2014.09.006

Abstract Objectives Feasibility assessment of mobile health (mHealth) data collection at primary health care in Ethiopia. Study Design and Setting A total of 14 health workers were recruited from 12 primary health care facilities to use smartphones, installed with customized data collection application and electronic maternal health care forms for assessing pregnant women's health for 6 months. Qualitative approaches comprising in-depth interviews and field notes were used to document the users' perception and experience in using the application and forms. Results All health workers had never had previous exposure to smartphones and electronic forms, but they got used to them easily. Over 6 months, all health workers completed a total of 952 patient records using the forms on smartphones. Health workers' acceptability and demand for the application and forms were high. In introducing the application, nontechnical challenges were more difficult to solve than technical challenges. Conclusion Introducing an mHealth application at primary health care for routine collection of health data relevant to maternal health at a small scale was feasible. Nonetheless, implementing a system of assigning unique and consistent patient identifier, standardization of health services, and improving mobile network coverage would be prerequisites for scaled-up usage of such an application.