USE OF MOBILE TECHNOLOGY TO SUPPORT PROVISION OF COMMUNITY-BASED MATERNAL AND NEONATAL CARE IN DEVELOPING COUNTRIES

Marlen Stacey Chawani, Caroline Ngoma

2011

Abstract

The health systems in many developing countries in Africa are facing critical shortages in nursing and midwifery health professionals and the situation is worse in the rural areas resulting in poor maternal and neonatal health outcomes. One of the interventions to address this challenge has been the use of Community Health Workers to supplement the provision of maternal and neonatal healthcare services within their communities. The international community is advocating for the use of Mobile technology in supporting various health service areas including community-based healthcare. This paper presents findings of a research on the information and communication needs of Community Health Workers in the provision Community -Based Maternal and Neonatal care in the rural areas of a developing country, Malawi, and it examines the potential use for adopting mobile technologies in such a setting to meet their needs.

References

  1. Chatterjee, S., Chakraborty, S., Sarker, S., Sarker, S. & Lau, F. Y. (2009) Examining the success factors for mobile work in healthcare: A deductive study.In Decision Support Systems, 46, 620-633.
  2. Derenzi, B., Parikh, T., Mitchell, M., Chemba, M., Schellenberg, D., Lesh, N., Sims, C., Maokola, W., Hamisi, Y. & Borriello, G. (2008) e-IMCI: Improving Pediatric Health Care in Low-Income Countries.In ACM, 978.
  3. Ghwa (2008) Pakistan's Lady Health Worker Programme. Country Case Study. WHO.
  4. Heatwole, A. (2010) MoTeCH: A Mobile Approach to Maternal Health Care.
  5. Illuyemi, A. & Briggs, J. S. (2010) Wireless Access and Connectivity for Community Based Health Workers in Developing Countries: Models. Question 14-2/2 Final Report: Mobile eHealth solutions for Developing Countries Geneva, ITU.
  6. Itu (2010) Measuring the Information Society 2010. IN ITU-D (Ed.).
  7. Kanjo, C. & Kaasbøll, J. (2009) Rules,Reality and Results: Inter-Institutional Coordination and Impact on Health Information Systems in Developing Countries. IN MOLKA-DANIELSEN, J. (Ed.) 32nd Information Systems Research Seminar in Scandinavia, IRIS 32, Inclusive Design. Molde, Norway.
  8. Kinkade, S. & Verclas, K. (2008) Wireless Technology for Social Change: Trends in Mobile Use by NGOs. Access to Communication Publication Series. . Washington, DC and Berkshire, UK, UN FoundationVodafone Group Foundation Partnership.
  9. Manda, T. D. (2009) Understanding Opportunities and Challenges in Using Mobile Phones as a Means for Health Information Access and Reporting: A Case Study from Malawi. Department of Informatics. Oslo, University of Oslo.
  10. Mdgafricasteeringgroup (2008) Achieving the Millennium Development Goals in Africa:Recommendations of the MDG Africa Steering Group. New York.
  11. Mechael, P., Batavia, H., Kaonga, N., Searle, S., Kwan, A., Goldberger, A., Fu, L. & Ossman, J. (2010) Barriers and Gaps Affecting mHealth in Low and Middle Income Countries: Policy White Paper. The Earth Institute Columbia University
  12. Mechael, P. N. (2005) Mobile phones for mother and child care.In Information for Development.
  13. Mechael, P. N. & Dodowahealthresearchcentre (2009) MoTECH: mHealth Ethnography Report. The Grameen Foundation.
  14. Moh (2007) Road Map for Accelerating the reduction of Maternal and Neonatal Mortality and Morbidity.
  15. Mohp (2001) Malawi National Health Accounts: A broader Perspective of the Malawian Health Sector.
  16. Musoke, M. G. N. (2002) Simple ICTs reduce maternal mortality in rural Uganda. A telemedicine case study.In Bulletin of Medicus Mundi Switzerland, 85.
  17. Nso (2008) 2008 Population and Housing Census Results. IN NSO (Ed.). Zomba, NSO.
  18. Savethechildren (2010) Women on the Front Lines of Health Care: State of the World's Mothers 2010. Save the Children.
  19. Sharan, M., Ahmed, S., Malata, A. & Rogo, K. (2009) Quality of Maternal Health Services in Malawi: Are Health Systems Ready for MDG 5. Africa Human Development, The World Bank.
  20. Unicef (2008) Countdown to 2015:Maternal, Newborn & Child Survival. Tracking Progress in Maternal, Newborn and Child Survival: The 2008 Report. New York, UNICEF.
  21. Unicef (2009) Using Mobile Phones to Improve Child Nutrition Surveillance in Malawi.
  22. Unitednations (2007) Compendium of ICT Applications on Electronic Government. Volume 1: Mobile Applications on Health and Learning. IN DESA (Ed.). New York.
  23. Vitalwaveconsulting (2009) mHealth for Development: The Opportunity of Mobile Technology for Healthcare in the Developing World. Washington, D.C.
Download


Paper Citation


in Harvard Style

Chawani M. and Ngoma C. (2011). USE OF MOBILE TECHNOLOGY TO SUPPORT PROVISION OF COMMUNITY-BASED MATERNAL AND NEONATAL CARE IN DEVELOPING COUNTRIES . In Proceedings of the International Conference on Health Informatics - Volume 1: HEALTHINF, (BIOSTEC 2011) ISBN 978-989-8425-34-8, pages 260-267. DOI: 10.5220/0003157902600267


in Bibtex Style

@conference{healthinf11,
author={Marlen Stacey Chawani and Caroline Ngoma},
title={USE OF MOBILE TECHNOLOGY TO SUPPORT PROVISION OF COMMUNITY-BASED MATERNAL AND NEONATAL CARE IN DEVELOPING COUNTRIES },
booktitle={Proceedings of the International Conference on Health Informatics - Volume 1: HEALTHINF, (BIOSTEC 2011)},
year={2011},
pages={260-267},
publisher={SciTePress},
organization={INSTICC},
doi={10.5220/0003157902600267},
isbn={978-989-8425-34-8},
}


in EndNote Style

TY - CONF
JO - Proceedings of the International Conference on Health Informatics - Volume 1: HEALTHINF, (BIOSTEC 2011)
TI - USE OF MOBILE TECHNOLOGY TO SUPPORT PROVISION OF COMMUNITY-BASED MATERNAL AND NEONATAL CARE IN DEVELOPING COUNTRIES
SN - 978-989-8425-34-8
AU - Chawani M.
AU - Ngoma C.
PY - 2011
SP - 260
EP - 267
DO - 10.5220/0003157902600267