Abstract
Background: The use of mobile phones continues to rise rapidly in the provision of health related services. Many countries have adopted the use of mobiles to provide sexual and reproductive health and rights and especially among the adolescents where specific messages are tailored for various audiences with specific messages. The purpose of this paper is to present the results of a research priority setting exercise on mHealth and innovative strategies. Methods: We adapted Child Health and Nutrition Research Initiative methodology to identify and set research priorities on mHealth and innovative strategies that respond to sexual and reproductive health and rights services. General potential research questions were gathered online from multiple stakeholders in the region and sent for consolidation consolidated to technical experts in World Health Organization headquarters. The second phase involved a meeting with experts to review and thematically analyze the questions list of 33 questions producing a list of 22 research questions. The questions were scored against a six point criteria and ranked accordingly. Ten top priority research questions were identified. Results: Lists of 33 priority research questions for mHealth and innovative strategies were proposed for discussions by 67 stakeholders. The questions were reviewed, scored and ranked in a technical meeting by experts. The highest ranking questions at 87% include evaluation of mHealth for data management and sexual and reproductive health and rights decision making, assessment of innovative local financing techniques to support community based sexual reproductive health and rights and evaluation of the role of mobile technologies in referral and counter referral. Conclusions: Information and communication technology is developing drastically and has a great potential in improving health especially in sexual and reproductive health and rights service delivery. This potential must be demonstrated with more relevant and quality research on mHealth and innovative strategies priorities identified.
Highlights
The importance of health technology in health care cannot be underestimated
Many countries have adopted the use of mobiles to provide sexual and reproductive health and rights and especially among the adolescents where specific messages are tailored for various audiences with specific messages
The purpose of this paper is to present the results of a research priority setting exercise on Mobile Health (mHealth) and innovative strategies
Summary
The importance of health technology in health care cannot be underestimated. Information and communication technologies have potential opportunities for the health care community with potent tools to improve health care [1]. The information can be delivered through digital channels, such as the internet, mobile phone messaging, social media, apps, voice, video messaging, and telemedicine [2] They are designed to provide interactive programs and interventions that can be targeted to particular groups or individuals and among diverse populations and offer potential for enhancing the delivery of services across disease statuses including sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) information and support [3] [4]. A wide range of sexual and reproductive health and rights services are provided via telemedicine, including hormonal contraception, medication abortions, and sexually transmitted infection (STI) care [6] [7]. Methods: We adapted Child Health and Nutrition Research Initiative methodology to identify and set research priorities on mHealth and innovative strategies that respond to sexual and reproductive health and rights services. The highest ranking questions at 87% include evaluation of mHealth for data management and sexual and reproductive health and rights decision making, assessment of innovative local
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