TY - JOUR
T1 - Using mHealth to Improve Usage of Antenatal Care, Postnatal Care, and Immunization
T2 - A Systematic Review of the Literature
AU - Watterson, Jessica L.
AU - Walsh, Julia
AU - Madeka, Isheeta
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2015 Jessica L. Watterson et al.
Copyright:
Copyright 2018 Elsevier B.V., All rights reserved.
PY - 2015
Y1 - 2015
N2 - Mobile health (mHealth) technologies have been implemented in many low- and middle-income countries to address challenges in maternal and child health. Many of these technologies attempt to influence patients', caretakers', or health workers' behavior. The purpose of this study was to conduct a systematic review of the literature to determine what evidence exists for the effectiveness of mHealth tools to increase the coverage and use of antenatal care (ANC), postnatal care (PNC), and childhood immunizations through behavior change in low- and middle-income countries. The full text of 53 articles was reviewed and 10 articles were identified that met all inclusion criteria. The majority of studies used text or voice message reminders to influence patient behavior change (80%, n=8) and most were conducted in African countries (80%, n=8). All studies showed at least some evidence of effectiveness at changing behavior to improve antenatal care attendance, postnatal care attendance, or childhood immunization rates. However, many of the studies were observational and further rigorous evaluation of mHealth programs is needed in a broader variety of settings.
AB - Mobile health (mHealth) technologies have been implemented in many low- and middle-income countries to address challenges in maternal and child health. Many of these technologies attempt to influence patients', caretakers', or health workers' behavior. The purpose of this study was to conduct a systematic review of the literature to determine what evidence exists for the effectiveness of mHealth tools to increase the coverage and use of antenatal care (ANC), postnatal care (PNC), and childhood immunizations through behavior change in low- and middle-income countries. The full text of 53 articles was reviewed and 10 articles were identified that met all inclusion criteria. The majority of studies used text or voice message reminders to influence patient behavior change (80%, n=8) and most were conducted in African countries (80%, n=8). All studies showed at least some evidence of effectiveness at changing behavior to improve antenatal care attendance, postnatal care attendance, or childhood immunization rates. However, many of the studies were observational and further rigorous evaluation of mHealth programs is needed in a broader variety of settings.
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84941084295&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1155/2015/153402
DO - 10.1155/2015/153402
M3 - Review Article
C2 - 26380263
AN - SCOPUS:84941084295
SN - 2314-6133
VL - 2015
JO - BioMed Research International
JF - BioMed Research International
M1 - 153402
ER -