Assessing awareness and use of mobile phone technology for health and wellness: Insights from India

Utilizing online reviews for analyzing digital healthcare consultation services: Examining perspectives of both healthcare customers and healthcare professionals

INTRODUCTION

Digital healthcare consultation services, also known as telemedicine, have seen a surge in their usage, especially after the COVID-19 pandemic. The purpose of this study is to investigate the satisfaction determinants of healthcare customers (patients) and healthcare professionals (doctors), providing digital healthcare consultation services.

METHODS

The analysis involved scraping online reviews of 11 telemedicine apps meant for patients and 7 telemedicine apps meant for doctors, yielding a total of 44,440 patient reviews and 4748 doctor reviews. A structural topic modeling analysis followed by regression, dominance, correspondence, and emotion analysis was conducted to derive insights.

RESULTS

The study identified ten determinants of satisfaction from patients' and eight from doctors' perspectives. For patients, 'service variety and quality' (β = 0.5527) was the top positive determinant, while 'payment disputes' (β = -0.1173) and 'in-app membership' (β = -0.031) negatively impacted satisfaction. For doctors, 'patient consultation management' (β = 0.2009) was the leading positive determinant, with 'profile management' (β = -0.1843), 'subscription' (β = -0.183), and 'customer care support' (β = -0.0908) being the negative ones. The most influential negative emotion for patients, anger, was closely associated with 'customer care service' and 'in-app memberships,' while joy was tied to 'service variety and quality' and 'offers and discounts.' For doctors, anger was associated with 'cost-effectiveness,' and joy with 'app responsiveness.'

CONCLUSION

This study offers new insights by examining patient and doctor determinants at a granular level which can be used by telemedicine app developers and managers to build customer-centric services.

Enhancing telehealth services development in Pakistani healthcare sectors through examining various medical service quality characteristics

Introduction

The telehealth service increased attention both during and after the Covid-19 outbreak. Nevertheless, there is a dearth of research in developing countries, including Pakistan. Hence, the objective of this study was to examine telehealth service quality dimensions to promote the telehealth behavior intention and sustainable growth of telehealth in Pakistan.

Methods

This study employed a cross-sectional descriptive design. Data were collected from doctors who were delivering telehealth services through a well-designed questionnaire. To examine the hypothesis of the study, we employed the Smart PLS structural equation modeling program, namely version 0.4.

Results

The study findings indicate that medical service quality, affordability, information quality, waiting time, and safety have a positive impact on the intention to engage in telehealth behavior. Furthermore, the adoption of telehealth behavior has a significant favorable effect on the actual utilization of telehealth services, which in turn has a highly good impact on sustainable development.

Conclusion

The study determined that telehealth services effectively decrease the amount of time and money spent on travel, while still offering convenient access to healthcare. Furthermore, telehealth has the potential to revolutionize payment methods, infrastructure, and staffing in the healthcare industry. Implementing a well-structured telehealth service model can yield beneficial results for a nation and its regulatory efforts in the modern age of technology.

Does mobile renewal make health insurance more responsive to clients? A case study of the National Health Insurance Scheme in Ghana

BACKGROUND

In 2018, Ghana's National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA) introduced a mobile strategy to enhance re-enrolment and improve client knowledge of their entitlements. This study investigated how Ghana's mobile strategy has influenced the NHIA's responsiveness to clients in terms of patient rights and entitlements, equity and satisfaction with health services.

METHODS

We surveyed people (n=1700) in 6 districts who had renewed their insurance in the previous 12 months, using any strategy (mobile or manual). Multiple regression analysis examined correlation between individual characteristics and renewal modality. Policy documents on the mobile programme's design and focus group discussions (n=12) on people's experiences renewing their insurance were analysed thematically.

RESULTS

While the mobile platform was designed for mobile National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) renewal and to provide information about insurance entitlements, few people surveyed (20%) knew about these informational features. Among those who renewed their NHIS coverage, 58% did so on the mobile renewal platform. Mobile renewal was high among those with tertiary education and those in the higher wealth quintiles. Mobile renewal was considered convenient, but required literacy in English, a phone and a mobile money wallet. For those who lacked some or all of these prerequisites but wanted to use mobile renewal, mobile vendors emerged as valued facilitators.

CONCLUSION

The mobile platform has increased the responsiveness of Ghana's NHIS through offering clients a more convenient mechanism to renew their insurance policies. It does not, however, eliminate the one month waiting period for activating the card, does not provide prompts to reassure clients of their renewal and does not empower most clients with information on entitlements. To improve the adoption and use of the mobile renewal strategy, the NHIA should publicise the platform's information-sharing functions and explore formally engaging mobile vendors.

Mobile phone addiction and depressive symptoms among Chinese University students: The mediating role of sleep disturbances and the moderating role of gender

Background

With the continuous updating of mobile phone functions, the phenomenon of mobile phone addiction among University students is becoming more and more serious. It is important to identify the potential risk factors for mobile phone addiction. The aim of the study was to examine whether there is a relationship between mobile phone addiction and depression symptoms in University students, and to investigate whether sleep disturbances play a mediating role between mobile phone addiction and depression symptoms, as well as the moderating role of gender.

Methods

A cross-sectional study, carried out between September to December 2021, recruited 973 students (478 males) from seven comprehensive universities in western China. The Mobile Phone Addiction Index (MPAI), the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ9), and the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) were used to complete measures of mobile phone addiction, depressive symptoms, and sleep disturbances. For statistical analyses, descriptive statistics, correlation, regression, mediation and moderated mediation analyses were used. Furthermore, we tested the mediation model and moderated mediation model using the SPSS macro PROCESS.

Results

In this study, it was found that there were positive correlations between mobile phone addiction and depressive symptoms among Chinese University students. Mediation analyses revealed that this relationship was partially mediated by sleep disturbances, but the mediating role was not moderated by gender.

Conclusion

Sleep disturbances have a partial mediating role in the relationship between mobile phone addiction and depressive symptoms. Our results highlight the critical role of prevention and early identification of mobile phone addiction among University students, especially those with sleep disturbances.

Strategies to overcome vaccine hesitancy: a systematic review

BACKGROUND

Vaccination, albeit a necessity in the prevention of infectious diseases, requires appropriate strategies for addressing vaccine hesitancy at an individual and community level. However, there remains a glaring scarcity of available literature in that regard. Therefore, this review aims to scrutinize globally tested interventions to increase the vaccination uptake by addressing vaccine hesitancy at various stages of these interventions across the globe and help policy makers in implementing appropriate strategies to address the issue.

METHODS

A systematic review of descriptive and analytic studies was conducted using specific key word searches to identify literature containing information about interventions directed at vaccine hesitancy. The search was done using PubMed, Global Health, and Science Direct databases. Data extraction was based on study characteristics such as author details; study design; and type, duration, and outcome of an intervention.

RESULTS

A total of 105 studies were identified of which 33 studies were included in the final review. Community-based interventions, monetary incentives, and technology-based health literacy demonstrated significant improvement in the utilization of immunization services. On the other hand, media-based intervention studies did not bring about a desired change in overcoming vaccine hesitancy.

CONCLUSION

This study indicates that the strategies should be based on the need and reasons for vaccine hesitancy for the targeted population. A multidimensional approach involving community members, families, and individuals is required to address this challenging issue.

A Bibliometric Analysis of Digital Health & Mobile Health Related Global Research Publications

The dataset was generated from Scopus database for the study due to its compatibility with bibliometrix R package. The dataset shows that there is a gradual increase in publication of research articles on digital health and mobile health till 2016 before a sudden rise in number of publications from 2017 onwards. This paper contributes by providing a consolidation of fragmented literature in the research domain giving us information on significant sources, authors and documents. The analysis of conceptual structure reveals that the topics of study have evolved from mobile health to digital health, e-health, technology acceptance model, privacy, implementation and self-management.

Assessing individual behavior towards adoption of telemedicine application during COVID-19 pandemic: evidence from emerging market

Purpose

This study attempts to gain insight into what factors influence individual behavior towards the adoption of telemedicine application during coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. The research model incorporates two well-known theories namely the extended unified theory of acceptance and use of technology (UTAUT2) and DeLone and McLean information success model to examine individual behavior towards the adoption of telemedicine application.

Design/methodology/approach

The research design of this study is based on quantitative research approach. During research survey, 350 valid responses were received from Pakistani citizens and examined to understand citizen's behavior towards the adoption of telemedicine applications. The research model was empirically tested with the latest statistical approach namely variance-based structural equation modeling (VB-SEM).

Findings

The results of the structural equation modeling have revealed that altogether performance expectancy, social influence, effort expectancy, facilitating condition, habit, hedonic motivation, price values, information quality, system quality and service quality explained 77.9% variance in determining user behavior towards adoption of telemedicine application. The predictive relevance of the research model was found substantial in measuring user behavior to adopt telemedicine applications. The research framework is further extended with moderating role of perceived severity between the relationship of user intention and actual usage behavior. Results confirmed that the positive relationship between intention to adopt telemedicine health application and usage behavior will be stronger when perceived severity is higher.

Practical implications

Theoretically, this study integrates extended UTAUT2 and DeLone and McLean information success model and contributes to e-health literature. Practically, this research suggests that by improving user performance expectancy and effort expectancy, managers and healthcare professionals can boost user confidence towards the adoption of telemedicine applications.

Originality/value

This study is unique as it integrates the extended UTAUT2 with DeLone and McLean information success model and perceived severity to investigate user behavior towards adoption of telemedicine application during COVID-19 pandemic. Additionally, the integration of theories contributes to information system literature in the context of the adoption of telemedicine applications.

Longitudinal relationships among problematic mobile phone use, bedtime procrastination, sleep quality and depressive symptoms in Chinese college students: a cross-lagged panel analysis

BACKGROUND

Cross-sectional and longitudinal studies have found that problematic mobile phone use, bedtime procrastination, sleep quality, and depressive symptoms are strongly associated. However, studies are inconsistent regarding whether problematic mobile phone use predicts depressive symptoms or vice versa, and sleep factors have been infrequently focused on in this regard. In addition, few studies have examined the longitudinal associations and directions of effects between these factors. Therefore, this study aims to explore the longitudinal relationship among problematic mobile phone use, bedtime procrastination, sleep quality, and depressive symptoms in college students.

METHODS

Overall, 1181 college students completed questionnaires on problematic mobile phone use, bedtime procrastination, sleep quality, and depressive symptoms at two time points 12 months apart. A cross-lagged model was used to examine the longitudinal relationship between these factors.

RESULTS

Cross-lagged analyses showed significant bidirectional relationships of problematic mobile phone use with bedtime procrastination and depressive symptoms. Additionally, there were also significant bidirectional relationships of sleep quality with bedtime procrastination and depressive symptoms. Problematic mobile phone use predicted subsequent sleep quality one-way, and bedtime procrastination predicted subsequent depressive symptoms one-way.

CONCLUSIONS

This study further expands our understanding of the longitudinal and bidirectional relationships among problematic mobile phone use, bedtime procrastination, sleep quality and depressive symptoms and helps school mental health educators design targeted interventions to reduce problematic mobile phone use, sleep problems, and depressive symptoms among college students.

Bibliometric Analysis and Methodological Review of Mobile Health Services and Applications in India

PURPOSE

The purpose of this research is to analyze the literature published on mobile health (mHealth) in the Indian context. It also reviews the most important research works and presents various methodologies adopted by the researchers in this domain.

DESIGN/METHODOLOGY/APPROACH

The SciVerse SCOPUS database was used for extracting the literature on mobile health. The study used articles published between January 2008 to 28^th June 2019. The keyword used is 'mHealth' and journal articles with studies or interventions carried out in India were selected for bibliometric analysis and methodological review.

FINDINGS

For the keyword search, a total of 7,874 documents have been extracted, of which only 158 have been considered for the analysis. There is an exponential increase in the number of publications from the year 2015 to 2019. The keywords used for representing their articles have been grouped as mobile health devices, gender and age groups, system and software, health and disease condition, management, evidence-based practices (outcome), methods, and importance of the study. The journal PLOS One (87) has the highest number of citations, followed by The Lancet (63). The bibliometric analysis of the literature revealed seven clusters classified as individual's individual's mobile health applications adoption characteristics, need for mobile health and its governance, mobile phone application with the internet of things based framework for healthcare monitoring, mobile health for primary healthcare systems, authentication and security protocol for mobile healthcare, development and experimentation of mobile health application, and development and mobile health for adherence support intervention.

ORIGINALITY/VALUE

The study contributes in analyzing the bibliometrics and provides a methodological review for the journal articles published on mobile health. Previous articles considered systematic analysis of the bibliometric for mHealth, and mobile technology but less adequately discussed specifically towards Indian context which this study has embraced.

Mobile health intervention and COVID-19 pandemic outbreak: insights from Indian context

Purpose

This paper discusses the need for government and healthcare organization to implement mobile phone-based solutions for healthcare during the Coronavirus (Covid-19) pandemic. It also highlights the challenges and/or barriers to the rapid introduction, implementation and management of these and other innovative solutions to health service delivery during the current situation

Design/methodology/approach

The data include both qualitative and quantitative, collected from the primary interview-based case study and questionnaire survey. It also uses insights from the general populations, healthcare professionals and health information technology developers to understand the role of a mobile health intervention in the COVID-19 pandemic outbreak.

Findings

Healthcare professionals and health information technology developers are confident that the use of mobile health technology and applications has the ability to assist in monitoring and controlling the COVID-19 outbreak. The key advantages of using mobile phone technology are: increased awareness, improved assistance in tracking and testing casualties, improved assistance in seeking and scheduling health information and medical appointments, increased social distancing, improved overall productivity and quality of life. However, data demonstrated that lack of awareness and accessibility or unwillingness to use the technology, complex healthcare needs, application infrastructure, policies and a dearth of training and support are all barriers to successful implementation of this useful tool.

Practical implications

This research has the potential to make a significant impact on government and healthcare policy through presenting a coherent argument for the importance of designing and deploying mobile health technology and applications for the general population.

Originality/value

prior literature in this domain is inadequate in explaining the importance of mobile phone-based healthcare solutions for health service and during serious disease outbreaks and, in particular, within the Indian context. The findings of this study can be used by government and healthcare organizations to improve health governance during the current global pandemic.

Adoption of telemedicine applications among Saudi citizens during COVID-19 pandemic: An alternative health delivery system

This study aims to investigate individual behavior towards adoption of telemedicine application based on wireless sensor network applications (WSN) during COVID-19 pandemic. Therefore, the research model extends the unified theory of acceptance and use of technology with the task technology fit model, awareness and self-efficacy to determine user intention to adopt wireless sensor network application for medical assistance. A research survey was conducted towards Saudi citizens in voluntary setting. In response, 348 valid responses were retrieved. Sample size was computed with prior-power analysis using G-power software. The research model is empirically tested with latest statistical approach namely structural equation modeling (SEM). Findings of the structural model indicate that wireless sensor network application was jointly predicted by performance expectancy, social influence, effort expectancy, facilitating condition, task technology fit, awareness and self-efficacy and explained substantial variance R² 79.5% in individual behavior to adopt wireless sensor network application. The effect size analysis (f²) revealed that task technology fit and facilitating condition were the most important factors to determine user intention to adopt wireless sensor network application. The current study contributes to theory by extending the unified theory of acceptance and use of technology with task technology fit model, self-efficacy and awareness and enrich information system literature in the context of user intention to adopt wireless sensor network application. Practically, this study suggest that health consultant should focus on technology fitness including wireless devices and the number of facilities to operate wireless sensor network which in turn boost user confidence towards adoption of wireless sensor network application for health consultation. This study develops a unique research model that inspects user behavior towards adoption of wireless sensor network technology for better health care system. The findings of this study answer how to monitor COVID-19 while using of wireless sensor network applications. Moreover, this study is useful for clinical management through virtual environment and guides health advisors, software developers and physicians to design user friendly telemedicine application by using wireless sensor network technology.

Modeling Impact of Word of Mouth and E-Government on Online Social Presence during COVID-19 Outbreak: A Multi-Mediation Approach

Although social presence plays an essential role under general conditions, its role becomes significant for societal protection during the quarantine period in epidemic outbreak. In this study, we attempted to identify the role of E-government and COVID-19 word of mouth in terms of their direct impact on online social presence during the outbreak as well as their impacts mediated by epidemic protection and attitudes toward epidemic outbreaks. For this purpose, a unique multi-mediation model is proposed to provide a new direction for research in the field of epidemic outbreaks and their control. Through random sampling, an online survey was conducted and data from 683participants were analyzed. Partial least squares structural equation modeling was used to test the relationships between the variables of interest. The study results revealed that the roles of E-government and COVID-19 word of mouth are positively related to online social presence during the outbreak. Epidemic protection and attitude toward epidemic outbreak were found to positively moderate the impact of the role of E-government and COVID-19 word of mouth on online social presence during the outbreak. The key findings of this study have both practical and academic implications.

Uncertain Multiplicative Language Decision Method Based on Group Compromise Framework for Evaluation of Mobile Medical APPs in China

The mobile medical application (M-medical APP) can optimize medical service process and reduce health management costs for users, which has become an important complementary form of traditional medical services. To assist users including patients choose the ideal M-medical APP, we proposed a novel multiple attribute group decision making algorithm based on group compromise framework, which need not determine the weight of decision-maker. The algorithm utilized an uncertain multiplicative linguistic variable to measure the individual original preference to express the real evaluation information as much as possible. The attribute weight was calculated by maximizing the differences among alternatives. It determined the individual alternatives ranking according to the net flow of each alternative. By solved the 0–1 optimal model with the objective of minimizing the differences between individual ranking, the ultimate group compromise ranking was obtained. Then we took 10 well-known M-medical APPs in Chinese as an example, we summarized service categories provided for users and constructed the assessment system consisting of 8 indexes considering the service quality users are concerned with. Finally, the effectiveness and superiority of the proposed method and the consistency of ranking results were verified, through comparing the group ranking results of 3 similar algorithms. The experiments show that group compromise ranking is sensitive to attribute weight.

Determinants of individuals’ intention to use mobile health: insights from India

Purpose

This study aims to examine the determinants of mobile health technology and applications use intention. The factors are delineated from prior literature and theories of individual traits and adoption characteristics, technology acceptance and health belief.

Design/methodology/approach

Data from 409 respondents were collected from Indian participants through a questionnaire survey. The construct “use intention” was measured using individual traits to mobile services, subjective norm, health consciousness, awareness and perceived usefulness, and the model was tested.

Findings

The study found that mobile health technology and the applications awareness and personal innovativeness influence intention to use.

Originality/value

Previous studies have often looked at technology adoption and acceptance models separately and are less adequately discussed in the Indian context. The components that determine mobile health technology and the applications’ acceptance by literature and theories of individual traits and adoption characteristics, technology acceptance and health beliefs were also inadequately discussed. The significant contribution of this research also includes policy recommendations for improving mobile health acceptance in India.