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Pickard A, Islam MI, Ahmed MS, Martiniuk A. Role of internet use, mobile phone, media exposure and domestic migration on reproductive health service use in Bangladeshi married adolescents and young women. PLOS GLOBAL PUBLIC HEALTH 2024; 4:e0002518. [PMID: 38437231 PMCID: PMC10911608 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pgph.0002518] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/07/2023] [Accepted: 11/24/2023] [Indexed: 03/06/2024]
Abstract
Numerous studies have identified factors that are associated with increased access to reproductive health services in lower-middle-income countries (LMICs). However, limited studies examined the influence of access to internet or a mobile phone, media exposure and domestic migration on reproductive health services use in LMICs like Bangladesh. This study investigated the role of such factors on the use of contraceptives, antenatal care (ANC) and postnatal care (PNC) by married adolescents and young women in Bangladesh and whether it was varied by area. Secondary data for 1665 married women aged 15-24 years, sourced from the 2019 Multiple Indicator Cluster Surveys, were included in both bivariate analyses and logistic regression modelling to examine the role of access to internet and/or mobile phone, media exposure and domestic migration on the outcome variables (contraceptive, ANC and PNC). All regression models were controlled for age, wealth, education and number of existing children. Among all participants, 69.8% were aged 20-24 years and 85.6% lived in rural areas. Of the total sample, 67.5% used contraceptives, 75.7% utilised ANC and 48.7% accessed PNC. Domestic migration significantly increased contraceptive use, with women who had moved locally within the last five years 1.84 times more likely to use contraception than those who had never moved (95% CI: 1.41-2.41, p<0.001). Women with internet or mobile phone access were more likely to receive ANC (aOR: 1.57, 95% CI: 1.22-2.00, p<0.001) compared to those without internet/mobile phone access. Media exposure was found to increase the likelihood of receiving ANC in urban areas. No significant influence was found on the use of PNC. Internet/mobile-based platforms are promising avenues for public health messaging regarding ANC in Bangladeshi married adolescents and young women. Further research is required into determinants of PNC service use in low-resource settings.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anita Pickard
- Faculty of Medicine and Health, School of Public Health, The University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Md Irteja Islam
- Faculty of Medicine and Health, School of Public Health, The University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
- Research, Innovation and Grants, Spreeha Foundation, Gulshan 2, Dhaka, Bangladesh
- Centre for Health Research, The University of Southern Queensland, Toowoomba, Queensland (QLD), Australia
| | - Md Sabbir Ahmed
- Department of Development Studies, Daffodil International University, Savar, Dhaka, Bangladesh
- Department of Community Health and Epidemiology, College of Medicine, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Canada
| | - Alexandra Martiniuk
- Faculty of Medicine and Health, School of Public Health, The University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
- Office of the Chief Scientist, The George Institute for Global Health, Newtown, New South Wales, Australia
- Dalla Lana School of Public Health, The University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
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Heaton-Shrestha C, Hanson K, Quirke-McFarlane S, Delaney N, Vandrevala T, Bearne L. Exploring how members of the public access and use health research and information: a scoping review. BMC Public Health 2023; 23:2179. [PMID: 37936117 PMCID: PMC10629152 DOI: 10.1186/s12889-023-16918-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/19/2022] [Accepted: 10/06/2023] [Indexed: 11/09/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Making high-quality health and care information available to members of the general public is crucial to support populations with self-care and improve health outcomes. While attention has been paid to how the public accesses and uses health information generally (including personal records, commercial product information or reviews on healthcare practitioners and organisations) and how practitioners and policy-makers access health research evidence, no overview exists of the way that the public accesses and uses high quality health and care information. PURPOSE This scoping review aimed to map research evidence on how the public accesses and uses a specific type of health information, namely health research and information that does not include personal, product and organisational information. METHODS Electronic database searches [CINAHL Plus, MEDLINE, PsycInfo, Social Sciences Full Text, Web of Science and SCOPUS] for English language studies of any research design published between 2010-2022 on the public's access and use of health research or information (as defined above). Data extraction and analysis was informed by the Joanna Briggs Institute protocol for scoping reviews, and reported in accordance with the PRISMA extension for scoping reviews. RESULTS The search identified 4410 records. Following screening of 234 full text studies, 130 studies were included. One-hundred-and-twenty-nine studies reported on the public's sources of health-research or information; 56 reported the reasons for accessing health research or information and 14 reported on the use of this research and information. The scoping exercise identified a substantial literature on the broader concept of 'health information' but a lack of reporting of the general public's access to and use of health research. It found that 'traditional' sources of information are still relevant alongside newer sources; knowledge of barriers to accessing information focused on personal barriers and on independent searching, while less attention had been paid to barriers to access through other people and settings, people's lived experiences, and the cultural knowledge required. CONCLUSIONS The review identified areas where future primary and secondary research would enhance current understanding of how the public accesses and utilises health research or information, and contribute to emerging areas of research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Celayne Heaton-Shrestha
- Kingston University, Faculty of Health, Science, Social Care and Education, Kingston-upon-Thames, KT27LB, UK
| | - Kristin Hanson
- Kingston University, Faculty of Health, Science, Social Care and Education, Kingston-upon-Thames, KT27LB, UK
| | | | - Nancy Delaney
- Guy's and St Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust, Department of Physiotherapy, London, SE1 7EH, UK
| | - Tushna Vandrevala
- Kingston University, Faculty of Health, Science, Social Care and Education, Kingston-upon-Thames, KT27LB, UK
| | - Lindsay Bearne
- Kingston University, Faculty of Health, Science, Social Care and Education, Kingston-upon-Thames, KT27LB, UK.
- St George's, University of London, Population Health Research Institute, 1st Floor Jenner Wing, Cranmer Terrace, London, SW17 0RE, UK.
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Jones II V, Kim S, Mewani AH, Jacques ET, Ardouin-Guerrier MA, Huggins S, Basch CH. Immigration status as a determinant of health information-seeking behavior among undergraduates of color at an urban commuter college. Health Promot Perspect 2022; 12:295-300. [PMID: 36686047 PMCID: PMC9808907 DOI: 10.34172/hpp.2022.38] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/10/2021] [Accepted: 08/04/2022] [Indexed: 01/16/2023] Open
Abstract
Background: Health information-seeking behavior (HISB) of college students is of importance due to health information inconsistencies at a time when personal independence and concurrent personal health decision making may be increased. Currently, there is a dearth of research about the HISB of college students, especially from diverse backgrounds. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to identify and describe the sources college students use when engaging in HISB; and to explore associations between HISB and demographic factors. Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted with undergraduate students at a diverse, public institution in New York City. The sample was drawn from an institutional social science research pool and asked to complete a survey on HISB. A total of 226 respondents completed the survey. Results: The believed accuracy of the information found online was positively correlated with related behaviors and beliefs. The number of followers on Instagram proved to be an important mediator of HISB of college students. The number of followers a health information provider has was fittingly positively correlated with the belief that social media is a helpful resource for health information r(233)=0.18, P=0.01. Students from families with two or more generations living in the United States accessed health professionals more frequently than students from one or less generation (χ2=8.107(2), P=0.017). Conclusion: Targeted educational programs designed to increase health information seeking skills, including discernment of information quality should be a priority for college students.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vincent Jones II
- Department of Health and Human Performance, York College, The City University of New York, Jamaica, NY 11451, USA,Corresponding Author: Vincent Jones II,
| | - Sungwoo Kim
- Department of Human Development, Teachers College, Columbia University, New York, NY 10027, USA
| | - Apeksha H. Mewani
- Department of Health and Behavior Studies, Teachers College, Columbia University, New York, NY 10027, USA
| | - Erin T. Jacques
- Department of Health and Behavior Studies, Teachers College, Columbia University, New York, NY 10027, USA
| | - Mary-Andrée Ardouin-Guerrier
- Department of Health and Human Performance, York College, The City University of New York, Jamaica, NY 11451, USA
| | - Shyanne Huggins
- Health Promotion Center, York College, The City University of New York, Jamaica, NY 11451, USA
| | - Corey H. Basch
- Department of Public Health, William Paterson University, Wayne, NJ 07470, USA
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A Realist-Informed Review of Digital Empowerment Strategies for Adolescents to Improve Their Sexual and Reproductive Health and Well-being. J Urban Health 2022; 99:1141-1156. [PMID: 36070044 PMCID: PMC9727007 DOI: 10.1007/s11524-022-00678-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 07/28/2022] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
The use of digital technologies for health has been rapidly gaining ground in the last decade, including as a strategy to empower adolescents living in urban resource-constrained settings. Nevertheless, unclarity and incoherence remain regarding which programme strategies generate which outcomes, as well as regarding the importance of context. We set out to answer the question "How do digital empowerment strategies work to improve adolescent health and well-being?". We conducted a realist-informed review, the first on this subject matter to our knowledge. The realist methodology is geared towards the understanding of socially complex interventions, such as digital empowerment. We synthesized the data into a programme theory uncovering social mechanisms and context conditions underlying specific programme strategies. We found that digital technologies enlarge the space for adolescents to access information to health services on their own terms and provide anonymity, which leads to a sense of safety if access is not curbed by gatekeepers. If adolescents have access to information adapted to their needs, they will be able to make informed decisions, and this will contribute to improved health outcomes because their better understanding enlarges their sense of individual agency. We identified two main gaps in the literature on digital interventions for adolescents. Both are related to an under-theoretisation of the concepts the programmes rely on in implementation: (1) the urban environment the programme has to operate in and its meaning for the adolescents; (2) the socio-developmental stage of the adolescents the programmes work in.
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Ahmmed F, Chowdhury MS, Helal SM. Sexual and reproductive health experiences of adolescent girls and women in marginalised communities in Bangladesh. CULTURE, HEALTH & SEXUALITY 2022; 24:1035-1048. [PMID: 33941046 DOI: 10.1080/13691058.2021.1909749] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/04/2020] [Accepted: 03/24/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Participatory research was conducted with adolescent girls and women in three isolated rural communities of Bangladesh to assess their perspectives and the role of social and gender norms on the construction of knowledge regarding menstruation, pregnancy and abortion. Norms of privacy and silence, local beliefs and a culture of shame held that the human body is 'natural' and does not require formal sexual and reproductive health care. Instead, participants sought out traditional healers and used herbal plants as natural remedies. Participants reported being restricted in performing religious activities, cooking and food consumption during menstruation. Because sanitary protection was expensive, women used old cloths to soak up menstrual blood and used them repeatedly without washing with soap or drying in the open air, due to shame and the fear of evil spirits. The local incidence of child marriage was high, which also limited women's agency and voice. Contraceptive use was irregular and inappropriate; none of participants or their husbands used contraceptives, resulting in unwanted pregnancy often followed by unsafe abortion. Programmes and interventions are needed that engage with women's experiences within the sociocultural context of studied communities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Faisal Ahmmed
- Department of Social Work, Shahjalal University of Science and Technology, Sylhet, Bangladesh
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Meherali S, Rahim KA, Campbell S, Lassi ZS. Does Digital Literacy Empower Adolescent Girls in Low- and Middle-Income Countries: A Systematic Review. Front Public Health 2022; 9:761394. [PMID: 34976923 PMCID: PMC8716589 DOI: 10.3389/fpubh.2021.761394] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/19/2021] [Accepted: 11/22/2021] [Indexed: 12/03/2022] Open
Abstract
Background: The vast majority (90%) of the world's adolescents aged 10–19 live in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs); and in those resource-limited settings, girls face distinct challenges across multiple health, social, and economic domains. Gender equality and girls' empowerment are key goals in their own right and are central to all other development goals. Digital literacy is a great enabler for the empowerment of young girls. This systematic review aims to assess the range and nature of digital literacy interventions implemented to empower adolescent girls in LMICs and identify evidence about adolescent girls' access and use of digital technologies in LMICs. Methods: We conducted a systematic review of studies following Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-analysis (PRISMA) standards for systematic reviews. Two reviewers selected studies, conducted quality assessments, and extracted data by using standard forms. The collected data include the design of the study, type of digital literacy intervention, target audience, intervention received, intervention reach, data analysis, and study outcomes. The review is registered with PROSPERO (CRD42020216756). Results: Thirty-five studies met the eligibility for inclusion and of those, 11 were experimental studies (randomized controlled trial = 6; quasi-experimental = 2; before-after with no control = 3), 11 were cross-sectional/descriptive studies, seven studies used a mixed-method approach, and six were qualitative studies on digital literacy interventions to empower young girls in LMICs. The majority of digital literacy interventions were designed and implemented to improve sexual and reproductive health rights and decision-making of adolescent girls in LMICs (n = 33). Only three papers reported the use of digital media for health-related information and decision making, while only one reported on educational and social empowerment. Discussion: Our findings suggest that digital literacy interventions such as mobile phones, mobile health tools, media exposure, access to the internet, internet-based educational strategies, social media exposure are effective to empower adolescent girls to access health services and information and also enhance the access to educational resources. However, we found inconclusive evidence on the effectiveness of digital literacy to enhance girls' access to financial services and economic empowerment. More rigorous studies with long-term follow-ups to assess the effectiveness of such interventions to empower adolescent girls in LMICs are urgently needed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Salima Meherali
- Faculty of Nursing, University of Alberta, Edmonton Clinic Health Academy, Edmonton, AB, Canada
| | | | - Sandra Campbell
- John W. Scott Health Sciences Library, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada
| | - Zohra S Lassi
- Department of Medicine, Robinson Research Institute, The University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA, Australia
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Boateng S, Baah A, Boakye-Ansah D, Aboagye B. Senior High School Students' Knowledge and Attitudes Toward Information on Their Health in the Kumasi Metropolis. Front Public Health 2022; 9:752195. [PMID: 35096732 PMCID: PMC8792603 DOI: 10.3389/fpubh.2021.752195] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/03/2021] [Accepted: 12/06/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The study examines senior high school students' understanding and attitudes toward information on their health in the Kumasi Metropolis. Multiple sampling techniques (convenient and simple random sampling techniques) were used in the study. A questionnaire was used to collect data from 391 respondents for the study. Frequencies and percentages were used to analyze the sociodemographic data. Again, the study used Pearson's correlation coefficient to show the degree of relationship between the level of knowledge of health information and attitudes toward seeking and sharing health information. The study found students' knowledge of the causes and symptoms of malaria, cholera, and Sexually Transmitted Infections (STIs) to be appreciably high as a result of readings from textbooks and health professionals. Again, the study found that the students preferred sharing their health information with friends than their parents and schools' authorities. The study further found that the major sources of students' health information included health professionals and textbooks. Lastly, even though some of the students claimed internet sources to their health information, it was not a major source to the student body at large. The study recommends strong health systems on the campuses of senior high schools as they have become communities on their own as a result of the emergence of the free senior high school program. The monitored positive peer-counseling group should also be encouraged by the schools' management and by extension the counseling units for the students to share views on themselves, particularly on health issues where they deem fit.
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Affiliation(s)
- Simon Boateng
- Social Sciences Department, St. Monica's College of Education, Mampong, Ghana
| | - Akosua Baah
- Social Sciences Department, St. Monica's College of Education, Mampong, Ghana
| | | | - Bosco Aboagye
- Social Sciences Department, St. Monica's College of Education, Mampong, Ghana
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Sifat MS, Saperstein SL, Tasnim N, Green KM. Motivations Toward Using Digital Health and Exploring the Possibility of Using Digital Health for Mental Health in Bangladesh University Students: Cross-sectional Questionnaire Study. JMIR Form Res 2022; 6:e34901. [PMID: 35254267 PMCID: PMC8933805 DOI: 10.2196/34901] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/11/2021] [Revised: 01/12/2022] [Accepted: 01/14/2022] [Indexed: 01/26/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Digital health is efficacious for the management and prevention of mental health (MH) problems. It is particularly helpful for the young adult population, who appreciate the autonomy digital health provides, and in low-income countries, where the prevalence of MH problems is high but the supply of professionals trained in MH is low. Objective The objectives of this study are 2-fold: to determine whether university students in Bangladesh find using digital health for MH promotion acceptable and to examine motivational factors for using digital health for MH. Methods This study used a cross-sectional survey to examine the likelihood that university students in Bangladesh (n=311) would use different forms of digital health platforms for MH promotion and assessed drivers of intention to use and actual use of digital health generally and digital health for MH through the lens of the Technology Acceptance Model. The results provided evidence that the university student population in Bangladesh is likely to use digital health to promote their MH. Results Social influence (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] 1.68, 95% CI 1.40-2.01; P<.001), ease of use (aOR 1.85, 95% CI 1.35-2.53; P<.001), and perceived usefulness (aOR 4.12, 95% CI 1.79-9.51; P=.001) of digital health were found to be significant drivers of the intention to use general digital health, and having an intention to use digital health (aOR 2.10, 95% CI 1.17-3.78; P=.01) had the greatest influence on actual use of digital health. Social influence (aOR 1.71, 95% CI 1.43-2.04; P<.001), perceived usefulness (aOR 8.92, 95% CI 4.18-19.04; P<.001), and use of general digital health (aOR 2.16, 95% CI 1.18-3.97; P=.01) were associated with higher intention to use digital health for MH. The use of general digital health (aOR 4.19, 95% CI 2.37-7.41; P<.001) was associated with the actual use of digital health for MH, as were greater non–stigma-related barriers to using traditional clinical MH services (aOR 2.05, 95% CI 1.10-3.80; P=.02). Conclusions Overall, we see that the use of digital health for MH is acceptable in this population and can be helpful for students who perceive barriers to receiving traditional care. We also gain insight into how to promote the intention to use digital health, which in turn promotes the actual use of digital health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Munjireen S Sifat
- TSET Health Promotion Research Center, Stephenson Cancer Center, University of Oklahoma, Oklahoma City, OK, United States
| | - Sandra L Saperstein
- Department of Behavioral and Community Health, School of Public Health, University of Maryland, College Park, MD, United States
| | | | - Kerry M Green
- Department of Behavioral and Community Health, School of Public Health, University of Maryland, College Park, MD, United States
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Teenagers’ behavioural intention towards wearable technologies and intention to recommend others: an empirical study in Bangladesh. JOURNAL OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY POLICY MANAGEMENT 2021. [DOI: 10.1108/jstpm-05-2020-0088] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this study is to investigate the factors, which drive teenagers’ behavioural intention to adopt wearable technologies and their behavioural intention to recommend others.
Design/methodology/approach
This study proposes a new adoption model combining two different models including the extended unified theory of acceptance and use of technology and the theory of planned behaviour, which provided relevant contributions for understanding the adoption of wearable technologies. A structural equation modelling approach using analysis of a moment structures 23 software was used to analyse the data collected from 318 respondents.
Findings
Findings of this study reveals that performance expectancy (β = 0.28; t = 2.049), facilitating conditions (β = 0.28; t = 1.989), social influence (β = 0.23; t = 3.150) and attitude (β = 0.18; t = 3.246) have a statistically significant impact on behavioural intention. Additionally, behavioural intention (β = 0.15; t = 2.543) and attitude (β = 0.15; t = 3.261) have a statistically significant impact on intention to recommend others. However, effort expectancy, price value, hedonic motivation and habit did not have a significant influence on behavioural intention.
Practical implications
In this study, the understanding of the determinants contributing to teenagers’ behavioural intention to use wearable technologies and driving their intention to recommend others to adopt these devices will provide insights to practitioners and decision makers to customize the features of wearable devices to promote sustainable use of these technologies.
Originality/value
This study is among the first to investigate wearable technologies from behavioural perspectives especially on teenagers in Bangladesh. Hence, the findings of this study will help to comprehensively explain teenagers’ behavioural intention to adopt wearable technologies and their intention to recommend others.
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Ahmed T, Rizvi SJR, Rasheed S, Iqbal M, Bhuiya A, Standing H, Bloom G, Waldman L. Digital Health and Inequalities in Access to Health Services in Bangladesh: Mixed Methods Study. JMIR Mhealth Uhealth 2020; 8:e16473. [PMID: 32706736 PMCID: PMC7404013 DOI: 10.2196/16473] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/02/2019] [Revised: 02/29/2020] [Accepted: 02/29/2020] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Globally, the rapid growth of technology and its use as a development solution has generated much interest in digital health. In line with global trends, Bangladesh is also integrating technology into its health system to address disparities. Strong political endorsement and uptake of digital platforms by the government has influenced the rapid proliferation of such initiatives in the country. This paper aims to examine the implications of digital health on access to health care in Bangladesh, considering who uses electronic devices to access health information and services and why. Objective This study aims to understand how access to health care and related information through electronic means (digital health) is affected by sociodemographic determinants (ie, age, gender, education, socioeconomic status, and personal and household ownership of mobile phones) in a semiurban community in Bangladesh. Methods A cross-sectional survey of 854 households (between October 2013 and February 2014) and 20 focus group discussions (between February 2017 and March 2017) were conducted to understand (1) who owns electronic devices; (2) who, among the owners, uses these to access health information and services and why; (3) the awareness of electronic sources of health information; and (4) the role of intermediaries (family members or peers who helped to look for health information using electronic devices). Results A total of 90.3% (771/854) of households (471/854, 55.2% of respondents) owned electronic devices, mostly mobile phones. Among these, 7.2% (34/471) used them to access health information or services. Middle-aged (35-54 years), female, less (or not) educated, and poorer people used these devices the least (α=.05, α is the level of significance). The lack of awareness, discomfort, differences with regular care-seeking habits, lack of understanding and skills, and proximity to a health facility were the main reasons for not using devices to access digital health. Conclusions Although influenced by sociodemographic traits, access to digital health is not merely related to device ownership and technical skill. Rather, it is a combination of general health literacy, phone ownership, material resources, and technical skill as well as social recognition of health needs and inequity. This study’s findings should serve as a basis for better integrating technology within the health system and ensuring equitable access to health care.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tanvir Ahmed
- Institute of Development Studies, Brighton, United Kingdom.,Department of Oncology and Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry and Health, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, United Kingdom
| | | | - Sabrina Rasheed
- International Centre for Diarrhoeal Disease Research, Bangladesh, Dhaka, Bangladesh
| | | | - Abbas Bhuiya
- International Centre for Diarrhoeal Disease Research, Bangladesh, Dhaka, Bangladesh
| | | | - Gerald Bloom
- Institute of Development Studies, Brighton, United Kingdom
| | - Linda Waldman
- Institute of Development Studies, Brighton, United Kingdom
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Camellia S, Rommes E, Jansen W. Beyond the talking imperative: The value of silence on sexuality in youth-parent relations in Bangladesh. Glob Public Health 2020; 16:775-787. [PMID: 32293979 DOI: 10.1080/17441692.2020.1751862] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/24/2022]
Abstract
Research conducted in various parts of the globe suggests that young people who can openly communicate with their parents about sexuality benefit in many ways. Correspondingly, in Bangladesh, the lack of an open communication on sexuality in the youth-parent relationship is considered a barrier to ensuring young people's sexual and reproductive health and overall well-being. Taking 'silence' as a core concept, this paper investigates what silence on sexuality means to Bangladeshi young people in their relationship with parents. It draws on findings from an ethnographic study conducted among 72 middle-class boys and girls aged between 15 and 19 years and 18 parents living in Dhaka over a year between 2016 and 2017. The findings suggest that silence is not always perceived as problematic by young people, and this is particularly true for topics related to sexual pleasure. This paper challenges the monolithic understanding that silence is necessarily bad and hinders young people from getting what they need. It offers an additional conceptual understanding to silence for studying sexuality among youths and designing interventions for their sexual and reproductive well-being.
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Affiliation(s)
- Suborna Camellia
- Gender & Diversity Studies, Radboud University, Nijmegen, Netherlands.,BRAC James P Grant School of Public Health, BRAC University, Dhaka, Bangladesh
| | - Els Rommes
- Gender & Diversity Studies, Radboud University, Nijmegen, Netherlands
| | - Willy Jansen
- Gender & Diversity Studies, Radboud University, Nijmegen, Netherlands
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Chen Y, Zhao Y, Wang Z. Understanding online health information consumers' search as a learning process. LIBRARY HI TECH 2020. [DOI: 10.1108/lht-08-2019-0174] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
PurposeThis study considers online searching by health information consumers as a learning process. We focus on search sequences, query reformulation, and conceptual changes.Design/methodology/approachA qualitative user study (30 participants; three health information seeking tasks) investigated mobile searching behavior. Recorded screen activity, questionnaires, and in-depth personal interview data were collected and analyzed.Findings(1) Search platform sequences of health information consumers in search as a learning process were exacted and their features were highlighted. (2) Query sequence and reformulation pattern of health information consumers were exacted and discussed. (3) The types and degree of conceptual changes of health consumers were reflected by their query reformulation behavior and differ from different health information search tasks. (4) Characteristics of health consumers' search as learning process were revealed.Research limitations/implications(1) A novel perspective of consumer health information studies was proposed by exacting search platform sequence, query sequence and linking them with conceptual changes during the search as learning process. (2) Conceptual changes in the searching as a learning process are regarded as a measure of search outcome in this study, in which terms extracted from queries were used to reflect conceptual changes in consumers' mind. (3) Our findings provide evidences that types of health information seeking tasks do have significant influences on the search as a learning process.Practical ImplicationsThe findings of this study can lead to the fit-to-needs of the search platforms, provide advice for information architecture of search list of search platforms, and guide the design of knowledge graph of health information systems.Originality/valuePotential relationships between information-seeking behavior and conceptual changes in search as a learning process relative to health information were revealed.
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Wan Rosli WR, Abdul Rahman S, Parhar JK, Suhaimi MI. Positive impact of educational intervention on knowledge, attitude, and practice towards dengue among university students in Malaysia. J Public Health (Oxf) 2018. [DOI: 10.1007/s10389-018-0971-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022] Open
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Bloom G, Berdou E, Standing H, Guo Z, Labrique A. ICTs and the challenge of health system transition in low and middle-income countries. Global Health 2017; 13:56. [PMID: 28784144 PMCID: PMC5547477 DOI: 10.1186/s12992-017-0276-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/05/2017] [Accepted: 07/12/2017] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
The aim of this paper is to contribute to debates about how governments and other stakeholders can influence the application of ICTs to increase access to safe, effective and affordable treatment of common illnesses, especially by the poor. First, it argues that the health sector is best conceptualized as a 'knowledge economy'. This supports a broadened view of health service provision that includes formal and informal arrangements for the provision of medical advice and drugs. This is particularly important in countries with a pluralistic health system, with relatively underdeveloped institutional arrangements. It then argues that reframing the health sector as a knowledge economy allows us to circumvent the blind spots associated with donor-driven ICT-interventions and consider more broadly the forces that are driving e-health innovations. It draws on small case studies in Bangladesh and China to illustrate new types of organization and new kinds of relationship between organizations that are emerging. It argues that several factors have impeded the rapid diffusion of ICT innovations at scale including: the limited capacity of innovations to meet health service needs, the time it takes to build new kinds of partnership between public and private actors and participants in the health and communications sectors and the lack of a supportive regulatory environment. It emphasises the need to understand the political economy of the digital health knowledge economy and the new regulatory challenges likely to emerge. It concludes that governments will need to play a more active role to facilitate the diffusion of beneficial ICT innovations at scale and ensure that the overall pattern of health system development meets the needs of the population, including the poor.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gerald Bloom
- Institute of Development Studies, University of Sussex, Brighton, BN1 9RE UK
| | | | - Hilary Standing
- Institute of Development Studies, University of Sussex, Brighton, BN1 9RE UK
| | - Zhilei Guo
- Cathay Capital Private Equity, Paris, France
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