Online Program

334604
Development of a mHealth program to improve childhood illness management in a resource-limited setting in Peru


Monday, November 2, 2015

Tirza Areli Calderon, MPH, Center for Health Incentives and Behavioral Economics, Leonard Davis Institute, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA
Holly Martin, MD, Department of Pediatrics, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco General Hospital, San Francisco, CA
Kathryn Volpicelli, MPH, Center for Health Incentives and Behavioral Economics, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA
Elsa Cecilia Díaz Arroyo, Departamento Académico de Salud Pública, Administración y Ciencias Sociales, Universidad Peruana Cayetano Heredia, Lima, Peru
Ernesto Gozzer, MD, MSc, IHS, Departamento Académico de Salud Pública, Administración y Ciencias Sociales, Universidad Peruana Cayetano Heredia, Lima, Peru
Alison M. Buttenheim, PhD, MBA, Center for Health Incentives and Behavioral Economics, Leonard Davis Institute, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA
background: Extensive uptake of mobile phones offers an unprecedented opportunity to improve global healthcare delivery, especially among underserved populations. Mobile health (mHealth) is increasingly recognized as a promising approach to addressing challenges in global maternal-child health and may play an important role in accelerating progress towards improved outcomes. However, more evidence guiding development of mHealth interventions is needed. objective: To conduct a formative evaluation of a proposed mHealth program designed to educate caregivers of young children on common childhood illness management. methods: A cluster-randomized sample of 220 mothers living in Arequipa, Peru with at least one child under five completed an iPad-based survey. Descriptive statistics were used to explore trends in mobile phone ownership, feasibility of use, and interest in mHealth across sociodemographic categories. Fisher’s exact tests examined associations between ownership, feasibility, and interest and each sociodemographic group. results: Approximately 82% of participants reported mobile phone ownership. The majority of mothers were confident in their ability to use text messaging, but younger participants and those with higher education were generally more comfortable with opening, reading, writing, and sending text messages. Over 85% of mothers were motivated to use their mobile phones to receive child health advice and to seek help when someone is sick. conclusions: This study underscores the potential for mHealth to improve global healthcare delivery in the area of maternal-child health. Our findings confirm widespread access to mobile phones, sufficient ability to utilize text messaging, and substantial interest in using mobile phones for health-related purposes within this community.

Learning Areas:

Assessment of individual and community needs for health education
Communication and informatics
Planning of health education strategies, interventions, and programs

Learning Objectives:
Describe patterns of mobile phone ownership, feasibility of mobile phone use (specifically, text messaging), and interest in using mobile phones for health-related purposes among caregivers of young children in peri-urban Peru. Evaluate associations between mobile phone ownership, feasibility of mobile phone use, and interest in mobile health (mHealth) programs across different sociodemographic groups. Assess intentions among caregivers to participate in a proposed mHealth program to improve childhood illness management.

Keyword(s): International MCH, Health Promotion and Education

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Qualified on the content I am responsible for because: I have worked on many research projects in the areas of maternal-child health, globally and domestically, and innovations in healthcare delivery and maintenance at the University of Pennsylvania. I coordinate projects that analyze the effectiveness of using novel technologies to improve adherence to evidence-based treatment. I also have experience in community health education promotion in Latin America.
Any relevant financial relationships? No

I agree to comply with the American Public Health Association Conflict of Interest and Commercial Support Guidelines, and to disclose to the participants any off-label or experimental uses of a commercial product or service discussed in my presentation.