mHealth

Innovations in mobile technology in low- and middle-income countries have provided effective ways to improve access to health services and health information, reduce the cost of healthcare delivery, and provide quality data for decision making.

These “mHealth” or “mobile health” technologies are usually delivered on smartphones, but some also are accessed via earlier-generation mobile devices that feature only voice and text messaging. Such devices are most common in the developing world where there is limited but fast-growing Internet connectivity.

Practical examples of mHealth applications include voice information from a provider, and mobile messaging to improve health behaviors—including, for example, medication adherence, prenatal care reminders and alerts, and chronic disease self-management. At the level of policy and health services decision making, mobile technologies have helped to improve training and service quality of healthcare workers; lower the cost of services by reducing redundancy and duplication; and enhance access to reliable data to facilitate decision making.

MEASURE Evaluation was a leader in mHealth and health informatics. The project, funded by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), strengthened health information systems in developing countries to provide evidence on health system performance and the impact of health services on people’s lives. Our work included developing best practices in mobile technology for monitoring and evaluation of health information systems, and mobile data collection (on tablets, mobile phones and other wireless devices) for a variety of research studies and routine data management. Examples include data to reach populations at high risk of HIV, data to determine if HIV services are available in identified high-risk areas, and data on programs aimed to strengthen health referral networks. For example, the project conducted research on South Africa’s national MomConnect program, which uses mobile messaging to deliver preventive health messages to pregnant women.

Still, there are constraints to mHealth programs that MEASURE Evaluation worked with USAID and its partners to address. These included developing guidelines for privacy and security for health data collected on mobile technologies and identifying new opportunities for enhanced delivery of mHealth.

mHealth is dynamic and growing, as technology always is rapidly changing. Newer basic phones can accommodate a memory card, carrying video and other media, and smartphones are becoming more and more affordable. Working with other international organizations, in-country stakeholders, and global experts, MEASURE Evaluation researched and fostered the best uses of current and promising technologies to improve global health.

Related content:

Scaling mHealth for Community-Based Health Information Systems – Lessons and Best Practices

Mobile Technology for Monitoring and Evaluation and Health Information Systems in Low- to Middle-Income Countries

An Information System for Gender-Based Violence Care and Support: Botswana

Health Informatics

Good Practices in Issuing Mobile Devices to Healthcare Workers

mHealth for Behavior Change Communication Brief: Why mHealth messaging?

Interoperability Considerations in the Design, Development, and Implementation of mHealth Projects

Assessment of an mHealth Initiative to Improve Patient Retention

Defining Electronic Health Technologies and Their Benefits for Global Health Program Managers

mHealth for Health Information Systems in Low- and Middle-Income Countries – Challenges and Opportunities in Data Quality, Privacy, and Security