scholarly journals Development of an Intervention to Support the Reproductive Health of Cambodian Women Who Seek Medical Abortion: Research Protocol (Preprint)

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Elisa Oreglia ◽  
Sokhey Ly ◽  
Camille Tijamo ◽  
Amra Ou ◽  
Caroline Free ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Health Care ◽  
Reproductive Health ◽  
Mobile Phone ◽  
Mobile Phones ◽  
Participant Observation ◽  
Medical Abortion ◽  
Health Providers ◽  
Factory Workers ◽  
Related Information ◽  
Health Related

BACKGROUND In Cambodia, abortion has been legally permitted on request during the first trimester of pregnancy since 1997. However, although there has been an increase in the percentage of women having induced abortion and medical abortion, there has also been a decrease in the percentage of women who say they received help from a health worker with their abortion. These data point toward the <i>demedicalization</i> of abortion, and although medical abortion has been shown to be safe, there are concerns about safety, given the variety of available products and counseling provided. These concerns are particularly relevant for female factory workers, who typically come from rural areas where access to good health care and information about reproductive health care is limited. OBJECTIVE This study aims to understand the reproductive health needs of female Cambodian garment factory workers after medical abortion from a multidisciplinary and mixed-methods perspective, focusing on how they seek and share medical abortion- and health-related information; how they use their mobile phones for this and other purposes; what cultural challenges exist around reproductive health; and how they might be magnified or mitigated by mobile phones, linguistic challenges around health care, and mobile phone use. The main purpose of this study is to combine multidisciplinary methods, theories, and expertise to gain new, culturally grounded insights into family planning and medical abortion in Cambodia, but the findings could help inform the development of a relevant intervention to support comprehensive postabortion care. METHODS The methods proposed are interviews and participant observation among factory workers, health providers, and mobile phone providers; a linguistic analysis of relevant data (interview transcripts, web-based sources, and other fieldwork materials); and digital methods to understand what kind of information about medical abortion exists on the web in Cambodia and how it is accessed by the targeted population. RESULTS The data collection part of the project will end on December 31, 2020. The team conducted 67 semistructured interviews with female factory workers, women who sought a medical abortion, health providers, and mobile phone providers; participant observation with factory workers and health providers; and an analysis of YouTube and Facebook to understand what kind of information is available, who creates it, and how it is used. The team is currently performing data analysis, and the findings are clustered around (1) the use of mobile phones and digital resources for health-related and medical abortion-related information, (2) the experience of medical abortion care, and (3) the development of an intervention through edutainment videos. CONCLUSIONS The project highlights both the widely untapped potential of using digital platforms (especially YouTube and Facebook) to distribute accurate information on medical abortion and the challenges in providing individual information via mobile phones while respecting individuals’ privacy. INTERNATIONAL REGISTERED REPORT DERR1-10.2196/17779

scholarly journals Development of an Intervention to Support the Reproductive Health of Cambodian Women Who Seek Medical Abortion: Research Protocol

10.2196/17779 ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 9 (7) ◽  
pp. e17779
Author(s):  
Elisa Oreglia ◽  
Sokhey Ly ◽  
Camille Tijamo ◽  
Amra Ou ◽  
Caroline Free ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Health Care ◽  
Reproductive Health ◽  
Mobile Phone ◽  
Mobile Phones ◽  
Participant Observation ◽  
Medical Abortion ◽  
Health Providers ◽  
Factory Workers ◽  
Related Information ◽  
Health Related

Background In Cambodia, abortion has been legally permitted on request during the first trimester of pregnancy since 1997. However, although there has been an increase in the percentage of women having induced abortion and medical abortion, there has also been a decrease in the percentage of women who say they received help from a health worker with their abortion. These data point toward the demedicalization of abortion, and although medical abortion has been shown to be safe, there are concerns about safety, given the variety of available products and counseling provided. These concerns are particularly relevant for female factory workers, who typically come from rural areas where access to good health care and information about reproductive health care is limited. Objective This study aims to understand the reproductive health needs of female Cambodian garment factory workers after medical abortion from a multidisciplinary and mixed-methods perspective, focusing on how they seek and share medical abortion- and health-related information; how they use their mobile phones for this and other purposes; what cultural challenges exist around reproductive health; and how they might be magnified or mitigated by mobile phones, linguistic challenges around health care, and mobile phone use. The main purpose of this study is to combine multidisciplinary methods, theories, and expertise to gain new, culturally grounded insights into family planning and medical abortion in Cambodia, but the findings could help inform the development of a relevant intervention to support comprehensive postabortion care. Methods The methods proposed are interviews and participant observation among factory workers, health providers, and mobile phone providers; a linguistic analysis of relevant data (interview transcripts, web-based sources, and other fieldwork materials); and digital methods to understand what kind of information about medical abortion exists on the web in Cambodia and how it is accessed by the targeted population. Results The data collection part of the project will end on December 31, 2020. The team conducted 67 semistructured interviews with female factory workers, women who sought a medical abortion, health providers, and mobile phone providers; participant observation with factory workers and health providers; and an analysis of YouTube and Facebook to understand what kind of information is available, who creates it, and how it is used. The team is currently performing data analysis, and the findings are clustered around (1) the use of mobile phones and digital resources for health-related and medical abortion-related information, (2) the experience of medical abortion care, and (3) the development of an intervention through edutainment videos. Conclusions The project highlights both the widely untapped potential of using digital platforms (especially YouTube and Facebook) to distribute accurate information on medical abortion and the challenges in providing individual information via mobile phones while respecting individuals’ privacy. International Registered Report Identifier (IRRID) DERR1-10.2196/17779

scholarly journals THE ROLE OF HEALTH INFORMATION SYSTEM IN MATERNAL AND CHILD HEALTHCARE SERVICES

2017 ◽  
Vol 10 (6) ◽  
pp. 29
Author(s):  
Rakhi Chowdhury ◽  
Leena Kumari ◽  
Subhamay Panda
Keyword(s):  
Health Care ◽  
Information System ◽  
Child Health ◽  
Health Information ◽  
Maternal And Child Health ◽  
Health Information System ◽  
Health Care Sector ◽  
Related Information ◽  
Health Related ◽  
And Child Health

Health information system deals with any system that helps in capturing, storing, transmitting, and managing health-related information of an individual or to demonstrate the activities or organizations working within health-care sector. In the developing countries, maternal and child health is gaining concern due to increasing cases of morbidity and mortality. The disparities among the maternal, infant, and child health are a growing concern in India and are governed by various determinants such as socioeconomic status, literacy, quality of health care, discrimination, and biological and genetic factors. Accurate and reliable health information and data are the basis for decision-making across the health-care sector and are crucial for the development and implementation of health system policy by the policy-makers. Strict monitoring and evaluation of the present program design and its implementation is required at the microlevel to effectively utilize the resources for the improvement of maternal and child health. Our present article focuses on evaluating the coverage gap at the different levels for the provision of health-care facilities to maternal, neonatal, and child health, immunization, and treatment of poor children. Big data plays a major role in providing sound and reliable health-related information and also help in managing and recording structured and unstructured data. More concrete plans are required further to reduce the inequalities in health-care interventions for providing better maternal and child health-care services in our nation.

scholarly journals Assessing the Effectiveness and Acceptability of a Personalized Mobile Phone App in Improving Adherence to Oral Hygiene Advice in Orthodontic Patients: Protocol for a Feasibility Study and a Randomized Controlled Trial

10.2196/18021 ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (1) ◽  
pp. e18021
Author(s):  
Mohammad Owaise Sharif ◽  
Jonathon Timothy Newton ◽  
Susan J Cunningham
Keyword(s):  
Health Care ◽  
Randomized Controlled Trial ◽  
Behavior Change ◽  
Mobile Phone ◽  
Mobile Phones ◽  
Orthodontic Treatment ◽  
Controlled Trial ◽  
Phase 1 ◽  
Adherence To Treatment ◽  
Randomized Controlled

Background Orthodontic treatment is a common health care intervention; treatment duration can be lengthy (2-3 years on average), and adherence to treatment advice is therefore essential for successful outcomes. It has been reported that up to 43% of patients fail to complete treatment, and there are currently no useful predictors of noncompletion. Given that the National Health Service England annual expenditure on primary-care orthodontic treatment is in excess of £200 million (US $267 million), noncompletion of treatment represents a significant inefficient use of public resources. Improving adherence to treatment is therefore essential. This necessitates behavior change, and interventions that improve adherence and are designed to elicit behavioral change must address an individual’s capability, opportunity, and motivation. Mobile phones are potentially an invaluable tool in this regard, as they are readily available and can be used in a number of ways to address an individual’s capability, opportunity, and motivation. Objective This study will assess the effectiveness and acceptability of a personalized mobile phone app in improving adherence to orthodontic treatment advice by way of a randomized controlled trial. Methods This study will be conducted in 2 phases at the Eastman Dental Hospital, University College London Hospitals Foundation Trust. Phase 1 is feasibility testing of the My Braces app. Participants will be asked to complete the user version of the Mobile Application Rating Scale. The app will be amended following analysis of the responses, if appropriate. Phase 2 is a randomized controlled trial to test the effectiveness and acceptability of the My Braces app. Results This study was approved by the London – Bloomsbury Research Ethics Committee on November 5, 2019 (reference 19/LO/1555). No patients have been recruited to date. The anticipated start date for recruitment to phase 1 is October 2020. Conclusions Given the availability, affordability, and versatility of mobile phones, it is proposed that they will aid in improving adherence to treatment advice and hence improve treatment completion rates. If effective, the applicability of this methodology to developing behavior change/modification interventions and improving adherence to treatment across health care provides an exciting opportunity. Trial Registration ClinicalTrials.gov NCT04184739; https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT04184739 International Registered Report Identifier (IRRID) PRR1-10.2196/18021

Development of an Intervention to Support Reproductive Health of Garment Factory Workers in Cambodia

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Chris Smith ◽  
Ly Sokhey ◽  
Camille Tijamo ◽  
Megan McLaren ◽  
Caroline Free ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Reproductive Health ◽  
Rural Areas ◽  
Intervention Mapping ◽  
Intervention Development ◽  
Community Support ◽  
Medical Abortion ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Factory Workers ◽  
Garment Factory ◽  
Garment Factory Workers

Abstract Background: Garment factory workers in Cambodia are potentially a vulnerable population in terms of support for reproductive health issues and access to services, as the majority are young women aged under 30 years who have migrated from rural areas away from their family and community support. The aim of this paper was to describe the development of an intervention to support the reproductive health of garment factory workers in Cambodia.Methods: The research was conducted by a multidisciplinary team with backgrounds in public health, linguistics, digital cultures and service delivery in a suburb of Phnom Penh where many garment factories cluster. Informed by intervention mapping approaches, we conducted a needs assessment with general and participant observation and semi-structured interviews, followed by intervention development activities including specifying possible behaviour change, designing the intervention and producing and refining intervention content.Results: Our research identified some challenges that Cambodian garment factory workers experience regarding contraception and abortion. Concerns or experience of side-effects were identified as an important determinant leading to non-use of effective contraception and subsequent unintended pregnancy. Financial constraints or a desire to space pregnancies were the main reported reasons to seek an abortion. Information about medical abortion given to women by private providers was often verbal, with packaging and the drug information leaflet withheld. Given the observed widespread use of social media among factory workers, we developed three short ‘edutainment’ videos about contraception which were evaluated after one month. In addition we adapted three informative videos made by Marie Stopes International (MSI) from English to the Khmer language, and also adapted the MSI medical abortion ‘Mariprist’ instruction leaflet to a simple video format.Conclusions: We describe the development of an intervention to support reproductive health among garment factory workers in Cambodia. These videos could be further improved and additional videos could be developed. More work is required to develop appropriate and effective interventions to support reproductive health of garment factory workers in Cambodia.

Lifetime Enhancement and Reliability in Wireless Body Area Network

2021 ◽  
pp. 88-101
Author(s):  
Saranya Vasanthamani ◽  
S. Shankar
Keyword(s):  
Health Care ◽  
Health Care Professionals ◽  
Health Care Service ◽  
Wireless Body Area Network ◽  
Body Area Network ◽  
Area Network ◽  
Body Area ◽  
Related Information ◽  
Critical Issues ◽  
Health Related

The wireless body area network (WBAN) consists of wearable or implantable sensor nodes, which is a technology that enables pervasive observing and delivery of health-related information and services. The network capability of body devices and integration with wireless infrastructure can result in pervasive environment deliver the information about the patients to health care service providers. WBAN has a major part in e-health observing system. Due to sensitivity and critical of the data carried and handled by WBAN, reliability becomes a critical issues. WBAN loads a high degree of reliability as it openly affects the quality of patient observing. A main requirement is that the health care professionals receive the monitored data correctly. Thus reliability can be measured to achieve reliable network are fault tolerance, QoS, and security. As WBAN is a special type of WSN. The objective is to achieve a reliable network with minimum delay and maximum throughput while considering power consumption by reducing unnecessary communication.

scholarly journals Brief Intervention to prevent HIV, STI and unintended pregnancies: preliminary results of a feasibility study from the perspective of healthcare providers in Peru

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jean Pierre Jiron ◽  
Clara Sandoval ◽  
Juan Carlos Enciso ◽  
Ana Sofía Vasconcelos ◽  
Karel Blondeel ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Health Care ◽  
Reproductive Health ◽  
Feasibility Study ◽  
Health Care Providers ◽  
Sexual And Reproductive Health ◽  
Health Problems ◽  
Northern Coast ◽  
Health Providers ◽  
Care Providers ◽  
Unintended Pregnancies

Abstract Background Brief interventions have proven to be valuable instruments for the treatment and care of clients with diverse health needs, due to their potential to impact both the individual and the population. In this regard, the Brief Sexuality-Related Communication (BSC) is presented as a viable and effective alternative for addressing sexual and reproductive health problems, assessing risk behaviors and motivating clients to generate behavioral change. Since health providers are key actors in treatment and prevention, it is essential to know their perceptions about the BSC intervention, as well as its acceptability in different contexts, with diverse client populations. Thus, the following paper reflects the findings of the perceptions and experiences of health providers in Peru from the first phase of the Feasibility study of a BSC intervention to prevent STIs and unintended pregnancies. Methods This is the first phase of a multisite and multiphase study of the feasibility of a BSC intervention. We conducted twenty in-depth interviews (IDI) with health care providers (physicians, obstetricians, psychologists, nurses and peer counselors) recruited from three health care institutions in Peru: The Tahuantinsuyo Bajo Maternal and Child Center (CMI) and the San José Maternal and Child Center, both located in the capital city, Lima; and La Caleta Hospital located in Chimbote, northern coast of Peru. Participating health providers included those working at the HIV/STI Reference service and the family planning/reproductive health service. The IDI addressed three domains: 1) Acceptability of the BSC intervention; 2) Perceived willingness to implement the BSC intervention; and 3) Considerations for the Implementation of the BSC intervention. Results Health providers expressed high acceptance of the BSC intervention, considering it as a useful and effective instrument to address sexual and reproductive health problems with all clients; however, some providers had some concerns about the real impact of the intervention to achieve significant behavior change. On the other hand, health providers showed high willingness to learn and implement the BSC intervention, affirming their commitment to learn new techniques and strategies that could allow them to improve their knowledge and the quality of their care. Health care providers consider it necessary to take into account the barriers that arise in the implementation of the BSC intervention, such as the structural limitations to access, the providers’ abilities to deliver the intervention effectively, and the participants’ reception of the intervention. Finally, providers consider it essential to establish the BSC intervention in a normative framework that allows it to receive the support of the health departments and eventually enforces implementation. Conclusions Health providers consider the BSC intervention as an interesting and exciting behavioral intervention to deal with the sexual and reproductive health issues existing in different populations, and seemed highly willing to adapt and implement it, hoping that it become beneficial to all client populations to prevent HIV/STIs and unintended pregnancies.

scholarly journals Prioritization of actions needed to develop IT skills among healthcare workforce

2015 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sisi Li ◽  
Panagiotis D Bamidis ◽  
Stathis Konstantinidis ◽  
Vicente Traver ◽  
Nabil Zary
Keyword(s):  
Health Care ◽  
Social Inclusion ◽  
Cost Effective ◽  
Continuous Training ◽  
Health Care Workforce ◽  
Related Information ◽  
Healthcare Workforce ◽  
Health Related ◽  
Information And Communication ◽  
It Skills

Background: Health related information and communication technology is globally an important and growing sector. With the promise of more efficient and cost-effective care, eHealth is becoming a key priority to address the current challenges faced by health systems worldwide. Addressing IT skills for health care workforce is seen as an important element of achieving greater social inclusion. Objective: To identify and prioritize the actions needed to improve the IT skills of health care workforce across the EU from different perspectives of experts in health care. Methods: A diverse group of experts, representing different fields of expertise in health care and geographical locations participated in the study. A scientific priority-setting methodology was used to systematically list and score actions that would improve IT skills among health care workforce. The participants evaluated the actions using several criteria: feasibility, effectiveness, deliverability, and maximum impact on IT skills improvement. Results: The actions that scored highest were related to appropriate training, integrating eHealth in curriculum, involving health care workforce in the eHealth solution development, improving awareness of eHealth as well as learning arrangement. The actions that scored lowest were related to the workforce management, identification of IT skills competences needed, joint funding for training program and training on potential workforce. Conclusion: To maintain highly IT skilled health care workforce, eHealth related knowledge and skills in current curricula, improving awareness of eHealth and continuous training according to the different professionals’ needs should be addressed. In addition, healthcare workforce should be actively and continuously included in the development of eHealth solutions.

scholarly journals Preliminary needs assessment of mobile technology use for healthcare among homeless veterans

2014 ◽  
Author(s):  
D Keith McInnes ◽  
Gemmae M Fix ◽  
Jeffrey L Solomon ◽  
Beth Ann Petrakis ◽  
Leon Sawh ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mobile Phone ◽  
Mobile Phones ◽  
Technology Use ◽  
Text Messaging ◽  
Text Messages ◽  
It Use ◽  
Homeless Veterans ◽  
Healthcare Needs ◽  
Phone Calls ◽  
Health Related

BACKGROUND: Homeless veterans have complex healthcare needs, but experience many barriers to treatment engagement. While information technologies (IT), especially mobile phones, are used to engage patients in care, little is known about homeless veterans’ IT use. This study examines homeless veterans’ access to and use of IT, attitudes toward health-related IT use, and barriers to IT in the context of homelessness. METHODS: Qualitative interviews were conducted with 30 homeless veterans in different housing programs in Boston, MA. Inductive thematic analysis was used. RESULTS: Most participants (90%) had a mobile phone and were receptive to IT use for health-related communications. A common difficulty communicating with providers was the lack of a stable mailing address. Some participants were using mobile phones to stay in touch with providers. Participants felt mobile-phone calls or text messages could be used to remind patients of appointments, prescription refills, medication taking, and returning for laboratory results. Mobile phone text messaging was seen as convenient, helped participants stay organized because necessary information was saved in text messages. Some reported concerns about the costs associated with mobile phone use (calls and texting), the potential to be annoyed by too many text messages, and not knowing how to use text messaging. CONCLUSION: Homeless veterans use IT and welcome its use for health-related purposes. Technology-assisted outreach among this population may lead to improved engagement in care.

scholarly journals Prioritization of actions needed to develop IT skills among healthcare workforce

2015 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sisi Li ◽  
Panagiotis D Bamidis ◽  
Stathis Konstantinidis ◽  
Vicente Traver ◽  
Nabil Zary
Keyword(s):  
Health Care ◽  
Social Inclusion ◽  
Cost Effective ◽  
Continuous Training ◽  
Health Care Workforce ◽  
Related Information ◽  
Healthcare Workforce ◽  
Health Related ◽  
Information And Communication ◽  
It Skills

Background: Health related information and communication technology is globally an important and growing sector. With the promise of more efficient and cost-effective care, eHealth is becoming a key priority to address the current challenges faced by health systems worldwide. Addressing IT skills for health care workforce is seen as an important element of achieving greater social inclusion. Objective: To identify and prioritize the actions needed to improve the IT skills of health care workforce across the EU from different perspectives of experts in health care. Methods: A diverse group of experts, representing different fields of expertise in health care and geographical locations participated in the study. A scientific priority-setting methodology was used to systematically list and score actions that would improve IT skills among health care workforce. The participants evaluated the actions using several criteria: feasibility, effectiveness, deliverability, and maximum impact on IT skills improvement. Results: The actions that scored highest were related to appropriate training, integrating eHealth in curriculum, involving health care workforce in the eHealth solution development, improving awareness of eHealth as well as learning arrangement. The actions that scored lowest were related to the workforce management, identification of IT skills competences needed, joint funding for training program and training on potential workforce. Conclusion: To maintain highly IT skilled health care workforce, eHealth related knowledge and skills in current curricula, improving awareness of eHealth and continuous training according to the different professionals’ needs should be addressed. In addition, healthcare workforce should be actively and continuously included in the development of eHealth solutions.

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