Summary
Objectives: Evolving technology and infrastructure can benefit patients even in the poorest countries
through mobile health (mHealth). Yet, what makes mobile-phone-based services succeed
in low and middle-income countries (LMIC) and what opportunities does the future hold
that still need to be studied. We showcase demonstrator services that leverage mobile
phones in the hands of patients to promote health and facilitate health care.
Methods: We surveyed the recent biomedical literature for demonstrator services that illustrate
well-considered examples of mobile phone interventions for consumer health. We draw
upon those examples to discuss enabling factors, scalability, reach, and potential
of mHealth as well as obstacles in LMIC.
Results: Among the 227 articles returned by a PubMed search, we identified 55 articles that
describe services targeting health consumers equipped with mobile phones. From those
articles, we showcase 19 as demonstrator services across clinical care, prevention,
infectious diseases, and population health. Services range from education, reminders,
reporting, and peer support, to epidemiologic reporting, and care management with
phone communication and messages. Key achievements include timely adherence to treatment
and appointments, clinical effectiveness of treatment reminders, increased vaccination
coverage and uptake of screening, and capacity for efficient disease surveillance.
We discuss methodologies of delivery and evaluation of mobile-phone-based mHealth
in LMIC, including service design, social context, and environmental factors to success.
Conclusion: Demonstrated promises using mobile phones in the poorest countries encourage a future
in which IMIA takes a lead role in leveraging mHealth for citizen empowerment through
Consumer Health Informatics.
Keywords
Consumer Health Informatics - mobile health - low and middle-income countries (LMIC)
