Author and date | Country | Geographical setting (rural/urban/semi-urban) | Study setting | Study design | Target population | Aim of the study | Type of mHealth devices | Nature of mHealth intervention | Purpose of mHealth intervention | Treatment support |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Kaunda-Khangamwa et al. [17] | Malawi | Urban | Government hospitals and Christian Health Association of Malawi hospitals | Cluster randomized trial study | Health workers | The study aimed to assess the effect of mobile phone text message reminders on health workers’ adherence to case management guidelines for malaria and other diseases | Mobile phones | Short messaging service (SMS) | To assist health workers to adhere to patients’ case management in malaria, pneumonia, and diarrhoea treatment | Reminders |
Larissa et al. [31] | Kenya | Urban | Kendu Bay and Rachuonyo districts hospitals | Descriptive qualitative study | Community health workers | The study aimed to examine what specific content and forms of mobile communication are acceptable to support the prevention of mother-to-child transmission (PMTCT) | Mobile phones | SMS and voice calls | To help infected HIV pregnant mothers to adhere to ART medication procedure to improve PMTCT | Reminders |
Marufu et al. [34] | Zimbabwe | Urban | District hospital | Quantitative study | Health workers | The study aimed to determine the use of mHealth and identifying and describing the opportunities and the challenges faced by medical doctors in using mHealth at a specific health care facility | Cell phones | Voice calls and mobile website | Voice calls were used for appointments and medication reminders Mobile website for medical/clinical research | Reminders |
Moodley et al. [33] | South Africa | Urban | Cape Town tertiary hospital | Mixed method study | Primary health workers | The study aimed to determine the feasibility of mobile health technology to improve management and follow-up of clients with cervical cancer precursor lesions | Mobile phones | SMS | For delivering test results in cervical cancer and appointment reminders | Reminders and follow-ups |
Nelissen et al. [32] | Nigeria | Urban | University teaching hospital and Pharmacy-based care model | Mixed method study | Health workers | The study aimed to investigate the feasibility of a pharmacy-based hypertension care model using mHealth | Mobile phones | Mobile apps and phone calls | For monitoring and ensuring that patients adhere to medication procedures of hypertension | Reminders and follow-ups |
Nhavoto et al. [1] | Mozambique | Semi-urban | Machava II health centre, Matolla I & II health centres, Namaacha health centre, and Ndlavela Health centre | Qualitative study | Health workers | The study aimed to examine patients' and healthcare workers' views on an mHealth intervention aiming to support retention in antiretroviral therapy (ART) and tuberculosis (TB) treatment | Mobile phones | SMS | For appointments, collection of antiretroviral therapy (ART) and tuberculosis drugs, and medication adherence | Reminders and follow-ups |
Smillie et al. [30] | Kenya | Semi-urban | Kibera Community health centre (KCHC) and Research Foundation (AMREF) clinic | Qualitative study | Community health workers | The study aimed to explore the experiences of people living with HIV and their perceptions of communicating via text message with healthcare providers | Mobile phones | SMS (WelTel) and voice calls | To monitor HIV patients’ conditions and provide medication guidelines | Reminders and follow-ups |
Lester et al. [4] | Kenya | Urban, semi-urban and rural | University of Nairobi Pumwani clinic, Coptic Hope Centre for Infectious Diseases and Kajiado clinic | Randomized controlled trial study | Health workers | The study aimed to assess whether mobile phone communication between health workers and patients starting ART improved drug adherence and suppression of plasma HIV1 | Mobile phones | SMS | To assist HIV diagnosed patients to adhere to treatment compliance and medication adherence | Reminders and follow-ups |
Hirsch-Moverman et al. [14] | Lesotho | Semi-urban | Berea district health facilities | Cluster randomized controlled trial study | Health workers | The study aimed to describe the use and acceptability of mHealth by patients with HIV/TB and health care providers | Mobile phones | SMS | For clinic appointments and support patients on HIV and TB medication adherence | Reminders and follow-ups |
Zurovac et al. [11] | Kenya | Rural | Rural government health centres | Cluster randomized controlled trial study | Health workers | This study aimed to assess whether text-message reminders sent to health workers’ mobile phones could improve and maintain their adherence to treatment guidelines for outpatient paediatric malaria | Mobile phones | SMS | To assist health workers to adhere to malaria treatment guidelines | Reminders |
Hardy et al. [36] | Malawi | Rural | Village clinics within Mzimba & Rumphi districts | Cluster randomized controlled trial study | Community health workers | To evaluate the added value of the Supporting LIFE electronic Community Case Management Application (SL eCCM App) compared to paper-based Community Case Management on urgent referral, re-consultation, and hospitalization rates, in two districts in Northern Malawi | Mobile phones | Mobile apps | To help community health workers to adhere to referral recommendations or guidelines in treating sick children under 5-years | Reminders and follow-ups |
Yahya., 2019 (37) | Nigeria | Urban | Public, private and faith-based hospitals | Quantitative study | Health workers | To examine ownership, frequency and pattern of use and problems encountered in the use of smartphones among all category of medical doctors in hospitals in Kaduna, Nigeria | Smart-phones | Mobile apps | To assist medical doctors in checking details of diseases, making differential diagnoses of diseases, determining drugs that might be useful for a particular condition, and assessing their interactions with other drugs | Reminders |