Potential for the use of mHealth in the management of cardiovascular disease in Kerala: a qualitative study

Rebecca Smith; Jaideep Menon; Jaya G Rajeev; Leo Feinberg; Raman Krishan Kumar; Amitava Banerjee

doi:10.1136/bmjopen-2015-009367

Potential for the use of mHealth in the management of cardiovascular disease in Kerala: a qualitative study

Rebecca Smith, Jaideep Menon, Jaya G Rajeev, Leo Feinberg, Raman Krishan Kumar, Amitava Banerjee

Cardiovascular Sciences

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

24 Citations (Scopus)

203 Downloads (Pure)

Abstract

OBJECTIVES: To assess the potential for using mHealth in cardiovascular disease (CVD) management in Kerala by exploring: (1) experiences and challenges of current CVD management; (2) current mobile phone use; (3) expectations of and barriers to mobile phone use in CVD management.

DESIGN: Qualitative, semistructured, individual interviews.

SETTING: 5 primary health centres in Ernakulam district, Kerala, India.

PARTICIPANTS: 15 participants in total from 3 stakeholder groups: 5 patients with CVD and/or its risk factors, 5 physicians treating CVD and 5 Accredited Social Health Activists (ASHAs). Patients were sampled for maximum variation on the basis of age, sex, CVD diagnoses and risk factors. All participants had access to a mobile phone.

RESULTS: The main themes identified relating to the current challenges of CVD were poor patient disease knowledge, difficulties in implementing primary prevention and poor patient lifestyles. Participants noted phone calls as the main function of current mobile phone use. The expectations of mHealth use are to: improve accessibility to healthcare knowledge; provide reminders of appointments, medication and lifestyle changes; save time, money and travel; and improve ASHA job efficacy. All perceived barriers to mHealth were noted within physician interviews. These included fears of mobile phones negatively affecting physicians' roles, the usability of mobile phones, radiation and the need for physical consultations.

CONCLUSIONS: There are three main potential uses of mHealth in this population: (1) as an educational tool, to improve health education and lifestyle behaviours; (2) to optimise the use of limited resources, by overcoming geographical barriers and financial constraints; (3) to improve use of healthcare, by providing appointment and treatment reminders in order to improve disease prevention and management. Successful mHealth design, which takes barriers into account, may complement current practice and optimise use of limited resources.

Original language	English
Article number	e009367
Journal	BMJ open
Volume	5
Issue number	11
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1136/bmjopen-2015-009367
Publication status	Published - 17 Nov 2015

Keywords

Qualitative research

UN SDGs

This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

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10.1136/bmjopen-2015-009367

Smith_et_al_2015_Potential_for_use_mHealth_BMJ_Open
Eligibility for repository : checked 03/12/2015
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Cite this

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title = "Potential for the use of mHealth in the management of cardiovascular disease in Kerala: a qualitative study",

abstract = "OBJECTIVES: To assess the potential for using mHealth in cardiovascular disease (CVD) management in Kerala by exploring: (1) experiences and challenges of current CVD management; (2) current mobile phone use; (3) expectations of and barriers to mobile phone use in CVD management.DESIGN: Qualitative, semistructured, individual interviews.SETTING: 5 primary health centres in Ernakulam district, Kerala, India.PARTICIPANTS: 15 participants in total from 3 stakeholder groups: 5 patients with CVD and/or its risk factors, 5 physicians treating CVD and 5 Accredited Social Health Activists (ASHAs). Patients were sampled for maximum variation on the basis of age, sex, CVD diagnoses and risk factors. All participants had access to a mobile phone.RESULTS: The main themes identified relating to the current challenges of CVD were poor patient disease knowledge, difficulties in implementing primary prevention and poor patient lifestyles. Participants noted phone calls as the main function of current mobile phone use. The expectations of mHealth use are to: improve accessibility to healthcare knowledge; provide reminders of appointments, medication and lifestyle changes; save time, money and travel; and improve ASHA job efficacy. All perceived barriers to mHealth were noted within physician interviews. These included fears of mobile phones negatively affecting physicians' roles, the usability of mobile phones, radiation and the need for physical consultations.CONCLUSIONS: There are three main potential uses of mHealth in this population: (1) as an educational tool, to improve health education and lifestyle behaviours; (2) to optimise the use of limited resources, by overcoming geographical barriers and financial constraints; (3) to improve use of healthcare, by providing appointment and treatment reminders in order to improve disease prevention and management. Successful mHealth design, which takes barriers into account, may complement current practice and optimise use of limited resources.",

keywords = "Qualitative research",

author = "Rebecca Smith and Jaideep Menon and Rajeev, {Jaya G} and Leo Feinberg and Kumar, {Raman Krishan} and Amitava Banerjee",

note = "Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://www.bmj.com/company/products-services/rights-and-licensing/",

year = "2015",

month = nov,

day = "17",

doi = "10.1136/bmjopen-2015-009367",

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T1 - Potential for the use of mHealth in the management of cardiovascular disease in Kerala

T2 - a qualitative study

AU - Smith, Rebecca

AU - Menon, Jaideep

AU - Rajeev, Jaya G

AU - Feinberg, Leo

AU - Kumar, Raman Krishan

AU - Banerjee, Amitava

N1 - Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://www.bmj.com/company/products-services/rights-and-licensing/

PY - 2015/11/17

Y1 - 2015/11/17

N2 - OBJECTIVES: To assess the potential for using mHealth in cardiovascular disease (CVD) management in Kerala by exploring: (1) experiences and challenges of current CVD management; (2) current mobile phone use; (3) expectations of and barriers to mobile phone use in CVD management.DESIGN: Qualitative, semistructured, individual interviews.SETTING: 5 primary health centres in Ernakulam district, Kerala, India.PARTICIPANTS: 15 participants in total from 3 stakeholder groups: 5 patients with CVD and/or its risk factors, 5 physicians treating CVD and 5 Accredited Social Health Activists (ASHAs). Patients were sampled for maximum variation on the basis of age, sex, CVD diagnoses and risk factors. All participants had access to a mobile phone.RESULTS: The main themes identified relating to the current challenges of CVD were poor patient disease knowledge, difficulties in implementing primary prevention and poor patient lifestyles. Participants noted phone calls as the main function of current mobile phone use. The expectations of mHealth use are to: improve accessibility to healthcare knowledge; provide reminders of appointments, medication and lifestyle changes; save time, money and travel; and improve ASHA job efficacy. All perceived barriers to mHealth were noted within physician interviews. These included fears of mobile phones negatively affecting physicians' roles, the usability of mobile phones, radiation and the need for physical consultations.CONCLUSIONS: There are three main potential uses of mHealth in this population: (1) as an educational tool, to improve health education and lifestyle behaviours; (2) to optimise the use of limited resources, by overcoming geographical barriers and financial constraints; (3) to improve use of healthcare, by providing appointment and treatment reminders in order to improve disease prevention and management. Successful mHealth design, which takes barriers into account, may complement current practice and optimise use of limited resources.

AB - OBJECTIVES: To assess the potential for using mHealth in cardiovascular disease (CVD) management in Kerala by exploring: (1) experiences and challenges of current CVD management; (2) current mobile phone use; (3) expectations of and barriers to mobile phone use in CVD management.DESIGN: Qualitative, semistructured, individual interviews.SETTING: 5 primary health centres in Ernakulam district, Kerala, India.PARTICIPANTS: 15 participants in total from 3 stakeholder groups: 5 patients with CVD and/or its risk factors, 5 physicians treating CVD and 5 Accredited Social Health Activists (ASHAs). Patients were sampled for maximum variation on the basis of age, sex, CVD diagnoses and risk factors. All participants had access to a mobile phone.RESULTS: The main themes identified relating to the current challenges of CVD were poor patient disease knowledge, difficulties in implementing primary prevention and poor patient lifestyles. Participants noted phone calls as the main function of current mobile phone use. The expectations of mHealth use are to: improve accessibility to healthcare knowledge; provide reminders of appointments, medication and lifestyle changes; save time, money and travel; and improve ASHA job efficacy. All perceived barriers to mHealth were noted within physician interviews. These included fears of mobile phones negatively affecting physicians' roles, the usability of mobile phones, radiation and the need for physical consultations.CONCLUSIONS: There are three main potential uses of mHealth in this population: (1) as an educational tool, to improve health education and lifestyle behaviours; (2) to optimise the use of limited resources, by overcoming geographical barriers and financial constraints; (3) to improve use of healthcare, by providing appointment and treatment reminders in order to improve disease prevention and management. Successful mHealth design, which takes barriers into account, may complement current practice and optimise use of limited resources.

KW - Qualitative research

U2 - 10.1136/bmjopen-2015-009367

DO - 10.1136/bmjopen-2015-009367

M3 - Article

C2 - 26576813

SN - 2044-6055

VL - 5

JO - BMJ open

JF - BMJ open

IS - 11

M1 - e009367

ER -

Potential for the use of mHealth in the management of cardiovascular disease in Kerala: a qualitative study

Abstract

Keywords

UN SDGs

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