Mobile applications are promising tools for strengthening service quality and have been an area of considerable mHealth innovation. Despite growing demand for data to guide policymakers, donors, and program managers in making sound investments, there is a paucity of evidence on the cost-effectiveness of mHealth technologies. To address this gap, the HFG Project analyzed a mobile decision support tool with the following objectives: First, it aimed to provide a transparent and detailed methodology for categorizing the costs of building, deploying, and scaling-up mobile decision support tools in Malawi. Second, it evaluated the incremental cost-effectiveness of a mobile tool’s use in improving clinical care. Finally, the evaluation addressed challenges faced in conducting cost-effectiveness analyses of mHealth interventions when they are scaled up and become multifunctional.
Case Studies
Please browse all case studies below or choose a sub category.
The use of new ICTs to support HIV and sexual health, targeting youth and adolescents – case studies and report (C4D Network 2015)
This report, commissioned by UNICEF, aims to highlight the use, potential and impact of ICTs in sexual and reproductive health and HIV interventions targeting adolescents and young people. It highlights the lessons learnt from 11 case studies from across Africa, and illustrates the role of innovation in the use of ICT for HIV prevention. The report serves as a useful learning guide for future design and implementation of future programming on HIV and sexual health among adolescents.
Click here for the full report: C4D Network – REPORT & CASE STUDIES on ICT for HIV Prevention 28.11.15
Amakomaya [Mother’s Love]: mHealth project (Nepal, 2011 onwards)
Amakomaya, translated as Mother’s Love in Nepali, was initiated by a dedicated team of local ICT experts and health professionals when they received a USD4,000 grant from the Internet Society in 2011. Committed to tackle the challenges that Nepali women face during pregnancy and childbirth; and equipped with the skills to leverage opportunities, including those that the Internet and mobile communications offer, the team is making a series of breakthroughs, particularly in women’s health education, changing community practices that marginalize women, and the digitization
of health records.
The full details of the case study can be found in the following pdf: CaseStudy-Amakomaya_Nepal
(Source: Christine Apikul)
Did the Humanitarian Response to the Nepal Earthquake Ensure No One was Left Behind? A Case Study on the Experience of Marginalised Groups in Humanitarian Action (Save the Children 2016)
The report considers the success and the shortcomings of the Nepal earthquake response in meeting the particular needs of vulnerable and marginalised groups. It focuses in particular on two components of the response that, based on consultations with communities and other actors, appear to have exacerbated the challenges faced by vulnerable and marginalised groups in accessing assistance: the identification and selection of beneficiaries (targeting); and the conduct of distributions, specifically, the lack of representation of vulnerable groups in decision-making bodies, and the often prohibitive distance that vulnerable individuals had to walk to distribution sites.
In conclusion, the report uses the experience of the earthquake response to highlight the fact that unless the particular needs and vulnerabilities of the most marginalised groups are addressed as part of a relief effort, then humanitarian crises – and humanitarian responses – can exacerbate and entrench social disadvantage, leaving already vulnerable people even further behind.
The report is based on focus group discussions with community members in five earthquake-affected districts, supplemented by interviews with village and community representatives, government authorities, UN and NGO staff at national and district level, and civil society representatives. Altogether over 200 people were consulted during the course of the research. The report was written by Rebecca Barber, Humanitarian Policy Adviser of Save the Children Australia. It is the result of a collaborative effort that has benefited enormously from the interest, support and expertise of a large number of Save the Children staff in Nepal.
The report provides recommendations aimed at ensuring an equitable and inclusive reconstruction process in Nepal, and at ensuring that preparedness work undertaken in Nepal now enables a more inclusive and equitable disaster response in the future.
Ahead of the World Humanitarian Summit, it also calls upon donors and humanitarian agencies to make commitments towards more inclusive humanitarian action targeting vulnerable and marginalised groups. In particular, it calls upon donors and humanitarian agencies to use the opportunity of the World Humanitarian Summit to:
- Recommit to ensuring that every humanitarian response is based on an assessment and analysis of the needs and vulnerabilities of different groups, and is targeted to meet the needs and strengthen the capacities of the most vulnerable;
- Commit to concrete initiatives aimed at more effectively involving affected communities, including vulnerable and marginalised groups, in humanitarian action;
- commit to institutionalising the inclusion of national and local organisations in international humanitarian coordination structures.
(Source: 29 March 2016 ADRRN group email)
Pamoja Mtaani [Together in the Hood] video game (Warner Bros Entertainment, US President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR), Virtual Heroes, G-Pange and HIV Free Generation, Kenya 2008-2011)
Background: During the duration of the project Kenya’s national HIV/AIDS strategy considered youth aged between 15 and 24 “most-at-risk” of contracting HIV, particularly young women had an HIV prevalence of 6.1% – four times higher than their male counterparts. Studies showed that, although knowledge of HIV/AIDS among youth was high, many young people continued to engage in risky behaviours, such as multiple sexual partners and inconsistent condom use.
Developed by Virtual Heroes for Warner Bros Entertainment in partnership with the United States (US) President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR), Pamoja Mtaani video game was launched in December 2008 in four centres around Nairobi. The goal of the project was to reach young people aged 15-19 years old with HIV behaviour-change messages through the use of a fun and innovative video game.
What did the programme involve? The game was designed for young people between 15 and 19 and focused on five key HIV prevention behaviours: delaying first sexual intercourse, abstinence, avoiding multiple partners, correct and consistent condom use, and uptake of voluntary counselling and testing (VCT).
Players assumed the identity of one of five characters – a 22-year-old female musician, an 18-year-old male footballer, a 19-year-old male “techie”, a 21-year-old tout, and a 23-year-old female medical student – as the matatu (commuter bus) they are riding in is carjacked and the passengers are robbed. Played by one, or up to five players, characters set off on a mission to retrieve their stolen items. As a player goes through the four levels of the game they find themselves in situations where their decision-making will either put them at risk of contracting HIV or help to prevent it. The game was a combination of behaviour change messaging and more traditional gaming elements such as assignments and side games. Sheng (a mix of English and Swahili used in urban areas) was chosen as the language for the characters and the game’s soundtrack was provided by local hip-hop groups.
Girls were encouraged to play through the use of ’girl only’ time at the gaming centres.
In addition to the game, health services, including STI treatment, peer education sessions, recreational activities, HIV testing and counselling (HTC) and other services were offered to youth on the sites where the games were played or through referral. Large-scale community mobilisation drew young people to the sites. CDs containing the video game trailers and music from local artists, The Making of Pamoja Mtaani documentary, t-shirts and other related materials were developed and distributed to raise awareness about HIV and draw youth to the game and available services.
Why this approach? Use of technology generally across urban Kenya was very high and video games appealed to young people in particular so opportunities to attract and retain their interest could be maximised.
Results observed: Pamoja Mtaani video game succeeded in drawing in and retaining young people. For example, one of the sites attracted over 4,000 young people who played the game from December 2009 to March 2011. While across two different sites an additional 3,472 youth played from May 2010 to March 2011. The game was very popular and well known in Kenya and received high visibility in different TV and radio shows across the continent.
On measuring behaviour change, it was found exposure to the video game increased the intention of male players to initiate secondary abstinence, utilize services (STI treatment and VCT) and reduce sex with older partners. Young men also showed increased self-efficacy for condom use while young women’s exposure to the video game increased their intention to delay first sexual intercourse, self-efficacy for reducing concurrent sexual partners and for correct and consistent condom use.
Lessons learnt: The use of video games can be a key instrument in attracting and retaining young people. However, there is a need to conduct further research and focus on how video games can be used as vehicles for assessment as well as intervention – using education on a variety of topics such as wider sexual reproductive health which is relevant to young people.
Video games tend to attract young men more so than young women with the assumption and stereotypes that gaming is for boys. However, in order to reach out to all young people with video games, it’s advisable that young women are engaged in the design process to incorporate some social components that male players may not appreciate or relate to. It is worth noting that young women may tend to prefer narrative games compared to the competitive scenarios which can often by preferred by young men.
(Source: C4D Network member Nicola Harford)
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