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In recent years, the development of mobile technology for use in the healthcare domain has surpassed expectations. This phenomenon is now widely recognised in the academic and practitioner domains as mobile health (or mHealth). A recent market analysis by Dehling et al. (2015) has put this proliferation into context by identifying nearly 24,500 mHealth applications available on the marketplace, classified as either ‘medical’ or ‘health and fitness’. Yet, mHealth applications are not limited solely to these two categories; other categories encompass treatment and disease management, data collection and disease surveillance, health support systems, health promotion and disease prevention, communication tool, and medical education (Nhavoto & Gruland, 2014). To further shed light on the increased development of mHealth applications it is reported that a vast number of mHealth studies have been conducted in a developing world scenario (Déglise et al., 2012; Mechael, 2010). This surge in mHealth development may be attributable towards the achievement of Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) established in 2002.
The overall aim of the eight MDGs is to meet the needs of the world’s poorest by 2015 by reversing poverty, hunger and disease affecting billions of people. The MDGs include (1) eradicating extreme poverty and hunger, (2) achieving universal primary education, (3) promoting gender equality and empowerment, (4) reducing child mortality, (5) improving maternal health, (6) combatting HIV/AIDS, malaria and other diseases, (7) ensuring environmental sustainability and (8) developing global partnerships (UN, 2000). mHealth research has played an integral role towards achieving some of these MDGs (Mechael, 2010); examples of which are subsequently described.
In their work, Lund et al., (2014) evaluated the association between a mobile phone intervention (‘Wired Mothers’) and perinatal mortality in a resource-limited setting; namely, Zanzibar. These authors found that the introduction of the mHealth intervention played a significant role in the reduction of perinatal mortality (19 per 1000 births as opposed to the baseline figure of 27 per 1000 births). In 2011, Zurovac and his colleagues reported the results from the assessment of an mHealth intervention targeting community health workers adherence to malaria treatment guidelines for severe malaria in sick children less than five years of age, spanning three years (2006-2009). This study found that two text messages sent daily, as compared with no text messages, significantly improved correct malaria case management by 24% (p = .004) both immediately after intervention and six months post- intervention. Additional examples are presented in Table 1.
Table 1. mHealth initiatives in developing countries
| Study Focus/Outcome | Authors |
| Staff Evaluation, Monitoring and Compliance to Guidelines |
Chang et al., (2011); DeRenzi & Lesh (2008); Jones et al., (2012); Mitchell et al., (2012); Zurovac et al., (2011); Zurovac et al., (2012). |
| Patient Follow-up and Medication Adherence |
Andreatta et al.(2011); Crankshaw et al., (2010); De Tolly et al., (2012); Hoffman et al., (2010); Lund et al., (2012); Pop-Eleches et al., (2011); Rotheram-Borus et al., (2012); Roux et al., (2011); van der Kop et al., (2012); Wakadha et al., (2013); Van-Velthoven et al., (2013). |
| Health Education and Awareness |
Danis et al., (2010); L’Engle et al., (2013). |
| Drug Supply Management |
Barrington et al., (2010); Githinji et al., (2013). |
| Disease Surveillance and Monitoring |
Asiimwe et al., (2011); Kamanaga et al., (2010); Gitonga et al., (2010); Nsanzimana et al., (2012); Weinberg et al., (2009). |
| Staff Training and Support |
Bellina & Missoni (2009); Rotheram-Borum et al., (2012); Siedner et al., (2012). |