Primary studies included in this systematic review

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Evaluating feasibility, reach and potential impact of a text message family planning information service in Tanzania.

Journal Contraception
Year 2013
Links Pubmed DOI

This article is included in 3 Systematic reviews Systematic reviews (3 references)

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BACKGROUND: The objective of this research was to evaluate the feasibility, reach and potential behavioral impact of providing automated family planning information via mobile phones to the general public in Tanzania. STUDY DESIGN: Data from users of the Mobile for Reproductive Health (m4RH) program were collected during the 10-month pilot period. First, contraceptive methods queried by each user were electronically logged by the mobile phone system. Second, four text questions assessing gender, age, promotion point and potential family planning impact were sent to every user. RESULTS: During the pilot period, 2870 unique users accessed m4RH in Tanzania, resulting in 4813 queries about specific contraceptive methods. Among those responding to text questions, 56% were female and approximately 60% were 29 or younger years in age. A variety of changes in family planning use were mentioned after using m4RH, with reported changes consistent with where users are in their reproductive life cycle. CONCLUSIONS: Reaching younger people, women and men of reproductive age with family planning information delivered via mobile phone is recommended.

Primary study

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You have an important message! Evaluating the effectiveness of a text message HIV/AIDS campaign in Northwest Uganda.

Journal Journal of health communication
Year 2012
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This article is included in 3 Systematic reviews Systematic reviews (3 references) 1 Broad synthesis Broad syntheses (1 reference)

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There is a growing interest in the effect of mobile phones in health care (mHealth) service delivery, but more research is needed to determine whether short message service (SMS)-based campaigns are appropriate for developing countries. This pilot study explored the efficacy of an mHealth campaign using SMS as a platform to disseminate and measure HIV/AIDS knowledge, and to promote HIV/AIDS testing at clinics in rural Uganda. Over a 1-month period, 13 HIV/AIDS quiz questions were sent to 10,000 mobile subscribers. Despite participation incentives, only one-fifth of the mobile subscribers responded to any of the questions. The campaign had proportionately limited success in increasing knowledge levels on a mass scale. Furthermore, the program design may be reinforcing entrenched knowledge gaps. The results suggest that it is important to be conservative when considering the potential overall effect of SMS-based programs. However, the authors recognize the potential of mHealth tools when extended to millions of mobile phone users as part of an integrated health campaign approach. The authors propose several steps to improve the program design to reach a larger portion of the intended audience and increase campaign effectiveness.

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Opportunities and limitations for using new media and mobile phones to expand access to sexual and reproductive health information and services for adolescent girls and young women in six Nigerian states.

Journal African journal of reproductive health
Year 2012
Links Pubmed

This article is included in 2 Systematic reviews Systematic reviews (2 references)

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Reproductive health problems are a challenge affecting young people in Nigeria. Education as a Vaccine (EVA) implements the My Question and Answer Service, using mobile phones to provide sexual and reproductive health (SRH) information and services. Use of the service by adolescent girls and young women is low. Focus group discussions were held with 726 females to assess their access to mobile phones, as well as the barriers and limitations to the use of their phones to seek SRH information and services. Results demonstrate high mobile phone access but limited use of phones to access SRH information and services. Barriers to use of these services include cost of service for young female clients, request for socio-demographic information that could break anonymity, poor marketing and publicity, socio-cultural beliefs and expectations of young girls, individual personality and beliefs, as well as infrastructural/network quality. It is therefore recommended that these barriers be adequately addressed to increase the potential use of mobile phone for providing adolescent and young girls with SRH information and services. In addition, further initiatives and research are needed to explore the potentials of social media in meeting this need.

Primary study

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The mobile phone as a tool in improving cancer care in Nigeria.

Journal Psycho-oncology
Year 2012
Links Pubmed DOI

This article is included in 3 Systematic reviews Systematic reviews (3 references) 1 Broad synthesis Broad syntheses (1 reference)

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OBJECTIVE: The use of mobile phone as a tool for improving cancer care in a low resource setting. METHODS: A total of 1176 oncology patients participated in the study. Majority had breast cancer. 58.4% of the patients had no formal education; 10.7 and 9.5% of patients had college or graduate education respectively. Two out of every three patients lived greater than 200 km from hospital or clinic. One half of patients rented a phone to call. RESULTS: At 24 months, 97.6% (1132 patients) had sustained their follow-up appointments as against 19.2% (42 patients) who did not receive the phone intervention. 72.8% (14 102 calls) were to discuss illness/treatment. 14% of the calls were rated as emergency by the oncologist. 86.2% of patients found the use of mobile phone convenient/excellent/cheap. 97.6% found the use of the phone worthwhile and preferred the phone to traveling long distance to hospital/clinic. Also the patients felt that they had not been forgotten by their doctors and were been taken care of outside the hospital/clinic. CONCLUSIONS: Low resource countries faced with the burden of cancer care, poor patient follow-up and poor psychosocial support can cash in on this to overcome the persistent problem of poor communication in their healthcare delivery. The potential is enormous to enhance the use of mobile phones in novel ways: developing helpline numbers that can be called for cancer information from prevention to treatment to palliative care. The ability to reach out by mobile phone to a reliable source for medical information about cancer is something that the international community, having experience with helplines, should undertake with colleagues in Africa, who are experimenting with the mobile phone potential.

Primary study

Unclassified

Uninor: Empowering Women through an Innovative Distribution Model.

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Report Evaluation by the GSMA mWomen Programme
Year 2011
Links http://www.gsma.com/

This article is included in 1 Systematic review Systematic reviews (1 reference)

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ABSTRACT : Evaluation of Uninor’s innovative pilot program, Citizen Centre Enterprises (CCEs), which delivers business service through a network of women entrepreneurs in partnership with non governmental organisation Hand in Hand. The study focuses on the value that the CCE model creates for all parties by bringing women into the mobile value chain. This includes bringing increased sales for the operator and empowering and improving livelihoods for the women entrepreneurs.

Primary study

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Using mobile phones to promote lifelong learning among rural women in Southern India

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Journal Distance Education
Year 2010
Links DOI Google Scholar

This article is included in 2 Systematic reviews Systematic reviews (2 references)

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This article is an attempt to study the role of mobile phones in the non formal and informal context among rural women from resource poor communities. In particular, it focuses on the women's control over the mobile phone as a learning tool through the domestication of technologies. The distance learning, gender dimensions, and use of technologies have been analysed vis-à-vis the concept of social capital. The article demonstrates that the transition from powerlessness to empowerment is possible in no formal learning settings and low cost technologies offer means to accelerate this process in the context of social capital.

Primary study

Unclassified

"Ligne Verte” toll-free hotline: using cell phones to increase access to family planning information in the Democratic Republic of Congo

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Authors Corker, J
Journal Cases in Public Health Communication & Marketing
Year 2010
Links http://sphhs.gwu.edu/ Google Scholar

This article is included in 1 Systematic review Systematic reviews (1 reference)

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ABSTRACT : In 2005, Population Services International launched the Ligne Verte toll-free family planning hotline in the Democratic Republic of Congo as part of its the family planning program. This pilot pro- gram provides confidential, accurate family planning information, and refers potential users to the Confiance network of family plan- ning clinics and pharmacies. From 2005-2008, the Ligne Verte re- ceived greater than 80,000 calls, over 80% of which were from men. The hotline is an effective, low-cost intervention that can be easily replicated in even the most challenging settings. It is particularly effective tool for reaching men.