Utilization of mHealth Services in Dhamrai Upazila of Dhaka District, Bangladesh

Abstract

Purpose: The adoption and use of mHealth is considered as an effective intervention to improve health sector performance in developing countries across the world. Yet mHealth is in the early stage of its implementation in many countries. This study aims to identify the patterns, extent, motivations, and problems of mHealth applications in Bangladesh.
Methods: The study was done in Dhamrai Upazila of Dhaka district where 250 mobile-phone users were interviewed to identify their extent and reasons of using mHealth services. Based on literature review and focus group discussion in the study area, the research confined five dimensions or reasons for using mHealth services, six issues for motivational and discouraging factors each. Both descriptive and inferential statistics were used to analyze data using statistical software STATA.
Findings: Calling doctor’s private office is top ranked mHealth application. In this connection, 38 percent respondents used at least four types of mHealth applications among five dimensions and 30 percent respondents used all types of mHealth applications. On an average, respondents used near about four types of application where the mean application is3.82 out of 5. Hypothesis testing result shows that male’s mHealth application is higher than that of female. Again, average mHealth application of extended family is higher than that of nuclear family. Both findings are statistically significant at 1 percent level. Regarding the motivational factor of using mHealth application, employed group has ranked time saving’ and unemployed group has ranked ‘accessibility from remote area’ as the most motivational factor. On the other hand, both groups have ranked ‘not reaching focal person timely’ as the most discouraging factor of adopting mHealth. Spearman’s rank correlation coefficient reports that, between employed and unemployed group, there exist77 percent resemblance in benefit rank and 94 percent resemblance in problem rank. Proper regulation is essential to have proper coordination among health service providers, seekers and telecommunication service providers.