Jurnal Internasional Afrika vol. 11 issue 2 2021
African Journal of Emergency Medicine
Reaching further: Lessons from the implementation of the WHO Basic Emergency Care Course Companion App in Tanzania
Dublin Core
Title
Jurnal Internasional Afrika vol. 11 issue 2 2021
African Journal of Emergency Medicine
Reaching further: Lessons from the implementation of the WHO Basic Emergency Care Course Companion App in Tanzania
African Journal of Emergency Medicine
Reaching further: Lessons from the implementation of the WHO Basic Emergency Care Course Companion App in Tanzania
Subject
Mobile technology
Emergency care
Implementation lessons
Tanzania
Emergency care
Implementation lessons
Tanzania
Description
Introduction: The World Health Organization’s (WHO’s) Basic Emergency Care (BEC) course was developed to
address training gaps in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). Simultaneously, LMICs have experienced an
unprecedented increase in the number of cell phone and internet users. We developed a mobile application
adjunct to the BEC course (BEC app) and sought to assess the reach of the BEC app.
Methods: Forty-six BEC course participants, made up of doctors and nurses from three hospital sites in Tanzania,
were given access to the BEC app with download instructions. Moderators tracked mobile access characteristics
and barriers. This is a descriptive study outlining the implementation of the BEC app and associated findings
from the process.
Results: Fewer than 10% of participants were able to independently download and use the application. The
download process revealed three key barrier areas: accessibility (no smartphone, smartphone without charge, no
access to data/WiFi to download app, increased cost of data), technical (outdated operating system, inconsistent
access to data/WiFi to run the app, insufficient phone storage), and participant-related characteristics (variability
in smartphone literary, language discordance, smartphone turnover). Of the 46 participants, 29 (63%) were able
to download and use the BEC app successfully with moderator support.
Conclusions: There is potential utility of mobile health in LMICs. However, barriers still exist to reaching the
largest possible audience for these initiatives. The importance of app compatibility with a broad range of
operating systems and limitation of the amount of data needed to download and use the app was underscored by
our study. Moreover, creative solutions are needed to facilitate large-scale roll-outs of mobile health interventions,
such as a distribution model that relies on super user and peer support rather than an individual
moderator. Additional local perspectives on the download process and the utilisation and acceptance of the
application post-implementation are needed.
address training gaps in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). Simultaneously, LMICs have experienced an
unprecedented increase in the number of cell phone and internet users. We developed a mobile application
adjunct to the BEC course (BEC app) and sought to assess the reach of the BEC app.
Methods: Forty-six BEC course participants, made up of doctors and nurses from three hospital sites in Tanzania,
were given access to the BEC app with download instructions. Moderators tracked mobile access characteristics
and barriers. This is a descriptive study outlining the implementation of the BEC app and associated findings
from the process.
Results: Fewer than 10% of participants were able to independently download and use the application. The
download process revealed three key barrier areas: accessibility (no smartphone, smartphone without charge, no
access to data/WiFi to download app, increased cost of data), technical (outdated operating system, inconsistent
access to data/WiFi to run the app, insufficient phone storage), and participant-related characteristics (variability
in smartphone literary, language discordance, smartphone turnover). Of the 46 participants, 29 (63%) were able
to download and use the BEC app successfully with moderator support.
Conclusions: There is potential utility of mobile health in LMICs. However, barriers still exist to reaching the
largest possible audience for these initiatives. The importance of app compatibility with a broad range of
operating systems and limitation of the amount of data needed to download and use the app was underscored by
our study. Moreover, creative solutions are needed to facilitate large-scale roll-outs of mobile health interventions,
such as a distribution model that relies on super user and peer support rather than an individual
moderator. Additional local perspectives on the download process and the utilisation and acceptance of the
application post-implementation are needed.
Creator
Anya L. Greenberg , Christian C. Rose , Paulina Nicholaus , Juma A. Mfinanga , Hendry R. Sawe , Andrea G. Tenner
Source
www.elsevier.com/locate/afjem
Publisher
www.elsevier.com/locate/afjem
Date
14 April 2021
Contributor
PERI IRAWAN
Format
PDF
Language
ENGLISH
Type
TEXT
Files
Citation
Anya L. Greenberg , Christian C. Rose , Paulina Nicholaus , Juma A. Mfinanga , Hendry R. Sawe , Andrea G. Tenner , “Jurnal Internasional Afrika vol. 11 issue 2 2021
African Journal of Emergency Medicine
Reaching further: Lessons from the implementation of the WHO Basic Emergency Care Course Companion App in Tanzania,” Repository Horizon University Indonesia, accessed April 18, 2025, https://repository.horizon.ac.id/items/show/2633.
African Journal of Emergency Medicine
Reaching further: Lessons from the implementation of the WHO Basic Emergency Care Course Companion App in Tanzania,” Repository Horizon University Indonesia, accessed April 18, 2025, https://repository.horizon.ac.id/items/show/2633.