Dataset Information

Effectiveness of SMS Technology on Timely Community Health Worker Follow-Up for Childhood Malnutrition: A Retrospective Cohort Study in sub-Saharan Africa.

ABSTRACT:

Background

The Millennium Villages Project facilitated technology-based health interventions in rural under-resourced areas of sub-Saharan Africa. Our study examined whether data entry using SMS compared with paper forms by community health workers (CHWs) led to higher proportion of timely follow-up visits for malnutrition screening in under-5 children in Ghana, Rwanda, Senegal, and Uganda.

Methods

Children under 5 years were screened for malnutrition every 90 days by CHWs using mid-upper arm circumference (MUAC) readings. CHWs used either SMS texts or paper forms to enter MUAC data. Reminder texts were sent at 15 days before follow-up was needed. Chi-square tests assessed proportion of timely follow-up visits within 90 days between SMS and paper groups. Logistic regression analysis was conducted in a step-wise multivariate model. Post-hoc power calculations were conducted to verify strength of associations.

Results

SMS data entry was associated with a higher proportion of timely malnutrition follow-up visits compared with paper forms across all sites. The association was strongest with consistent SMS use over consecutive visits. SMS use at the first of 2 consecutive visits was most effective, highlighting the importance of SMS reminder alerts.

Conclusions

SMS technology with reminders increased timely CHW malnutrition screening visits for under-5 children in Ghana, Rwanda, Senegal, and Uganda, highlighting the importance of such technology for improving health worker behavior in low-resource settings.

SUBMITTER: Sarma S

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6024632 | biostudies-literature | 2018 Jun

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Publications

Effectiveness of SMS Technology on Timely Community Health Worker Follow-Up for Childhood Malnutrition: A Retrospective Cohort Study in sub-Saharan Africa.

Sarma Shohinee S Nemser Bennett B Cole-Lewis Heather H Kaonga Nadi N Negin Joel J Namakula Patricia P Ohemeng-Dapaah Seth S Kanter Andrew S AS

Global health, science and practice 20180629 2

<h4>Background</h4>The Millennium Villages Project facilitated technology-based health interventions in rural under-resourced areas of sub-Saharan Africa. Our study examined whether data entry using SMS compared with paper forms by community health workers (CHWs) led to higher proportion of timely follow-up visits for malnutrition screening in under-5 children in Ghana, Rwanda, Senegal, and Uganda.<h4>Methods</h4>Children under 5 years were screened for malnutrition every 90 days by CHWs using m ...[more]

PMID: 29959274

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Dataset Information

Effectiveness of SMS Technology on Timely Community Health Worker Follow-Up for Childhood Malnutrition: A Retrospective Cohort Study in sub-Saharan Africa.

Background

Methods

Results

Conclusions

Publications

Effectiveness of SMS Technology on Timely Community Health Worker Follow-Up for Childhood Malnutrition: A Retrospective Cohort Study in sub-Saharan Africa.

Similar Datasets

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