Now showing 1 - 2 of 2
  • Publication
    What Encourages Community Health Workers (CHWs) to Use Mobile Technologies for Health Interventions? Emerging Lessons from Rural Rwanda
    (Wiley, 2018-01)
    This paper explores the determinants of the utilisation of mobile phone technologies for public health (mHealth) through a June 2014 fieldwork among community health workers (CHWs) in rural Rwanda. Using a socio-technical approach, user, program and technical characteristics were tested and deemed influential in determining use. It focused on 72 CHWs in two districts in Southern Rwanda who were using the mHealth tool, RapidSMS. While not purporting to be a comprehensive evaluation of Rwanda¿s RapidSMS project, it makes three contributions to our understanding of mHealth: First, a combination of user centric approach and the socio-technical systems theory affords this study the ability to identify the multiplicity of factors most likely to impact CHWs use of RapidSMS. Second, the study identifies possible factors contributing to the relative success of RapidSMS in rural Rwanda and third, it identifies gaps that ought to be addressed in future mHealth research. This study reports the findings of those factors that were deemed most interesting, novel, counterintuitive- and least well established in the literature. Technical characteristics (reminders and alerts) were by far the strongest predicting factors of use. The user characteristic, age, had no apparent influence on utilization while supports though training and supervision (program characteristics) revealed mixed findings. These findings illustrate the uniqueness of each context and reiterate the need to consider social and technical factors when implementing mHealth projects.
      237Scopus© Citations 8
  • Publication
    Assessing the demand for community health workers’ social support: a qualitative perspective of mothers in rural Rwanda
    (Amref Health Africa, 2018-07-25)
    Introduction: better utilization of community health workers (CHWs) is considered a key strategy that can improve access to health care services in low resource settings. Community acceptance of the supports that CHWs provide is important to enable CHWs deliver their services and for these services to have long-term benefits. The objective of this study was to examine mothers’ perceptions and demand for CHWs services in two rural districts in Rwanda. Methods: this was a qualitative study and data were collected using 6 focus group interviews. The groups comprised a total of 64 mothers aged 19-42 years who had delivered within the last year preceding the study. Thematic analysis of the group interviews resulted in three major themes related to social support a) informational b) emotional and c) tangible support. Results: informational support (advice on nutrition, antenatal care, delivery care) was by far the most valued support by mothers. Mothers expressed a need for more emotional support from CHWs (for example counselling partners about pregnancy and childbirth) and tangible support (helping mothers to solve practical problems). Conclusion: mothers attach great value to CHWs services but gaps in types of services provided were noted. The findings point to the multiple roles that CHWs may have to play to meet the demands of community members. More studies on the interactions of CHWs with mothers, in particular longitudinal studies are needed to improve the understanding and planning of CHWs interventions.
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