An investigation of users' attitudes, requirements and willingness to use mobile phone-based interactive voice response systems for seeking healthcare in Ghana: a qualitative study

J Brinkel; P Dako-Gyeke; A Krämer; J May; J N Fobil

doi:10.1016/j.puhe.2016.11.017

An investigation of users' attitudes, requirements and willingness to use mobile phone-based interactive voice response systems for seeking healthcare in Ghana: a qualitative study

Public Health. 2017 Mar:144:125-133. doi: 10.1016/j.puhe.2016.11.017. Epub 2017 Jan 19.

Authors

J Brinkel¹, P Dako-Gyeke², A Krämer³, J May⁴, J N Fobil⁵

Affiliations

¹ University of Bielefeld, School of Public Health, Department of Public Health Medicine, P.O. Box 100131, D-33501, Bielefeld, Germany; Department of Biological, Environmental, Occupational Health Sciences, School of Public Health, University of Ghana, P.O. Box LG13, Legon, Ghana. Electronic address: johanna_katharina.brinkel@uni-bielefeld.de.
² University of Ghana, School of Public Health, Department of Social and Behavioural Sciences, P.O. Box LG13, Legon, Accra, Ghana.
³ University of Bielefeld, School of Public Health, Department of Public Health Medicine, P.O. Box 100131, D-33501, Bielefeld, Germany.
⁴ Bernhard Nocht Institute for Tropical Medicine, Infectious Disease Epidemiology Unit, Bernhard Nocht-Str. 74, D-20359, Hamburg, Germany.
⁵ University of Ghana, School of Public Health, Department of Biological, Environmental, Occupational Health Sciences, P.O. Box LG13, Legon, Accra, Ghana.

PMID: 28274374
DOI: 10.1016/j.puhe.2016.11.017

Abstract

Objectives: In implementing mobile health interventions, user requirements and willingness to use are among the most crucial concerns for success of the investigation and have only rarely been examined in sub-Saharan Africa. This study aimed to specify the requirements of caregivers of children in order to use a symptom-based interactive voice response (IVR) system for seeking healthcare. This included (i) the investigation of attitudes towards mobile phone use and user experiences and (ii) the assessment of facilitators and challenges to use the IVR system.

Study design: This is a population-based cross-sectional study.

Methods: Four qualitative focus group discussions were conducted in peri-urban and rural towns in Shai Osudoku and Ga West district, as well as in Tema- and Accra Metropolitan Assembly. Participants included male and female caregivers of at least one child between 0 and 10 years of age. A qualitative content analysis was conducted for data analysis.

Results: Participants showed a positive attitude towards the use of mobile phones for seeking healthcare. While no previous experience in using IVR for health information was reported, the majority of participants stated that it offers a huge advantage for improvement in health performance. Barriers to IVR use included concerns about costs, lack of familiarly with the technology, social barriers such as lack of human interaction and infrastructural challenges. The establishment of a toll-free number as well as training prior to IVR system was discussed for recommendation.

Conclusions: This study suggests that caregivers in the socio-economic environment of Ghana are interested and willing to use mobile phone-based IVR to receive health information for child healthcare. Important identified users' needs should be considered by health programme implementers and policy makers to help facilitate the development and implementation of IVR systems in the field of seeking healthcare.

Keywords: Interactive voice response; Seeking healthcare; Sub-Saharan Africa; User needs; mHealth.

MeSH terms

Attitude
Attitude to Computers
Caregivers
Cell Phone / statistics & numerical data*
Child
Cross-Sectional Studies
Delivery of Health Care
Female
Focus Groups
Ghana
Humans
Interviews as Topic
Male
Patient Acceptance of Health Care / statistics & numerical data*
Qualitative Research
Rural Population
Socioeconomic Factors
Telemedicine / instrumentation
Telemedicine / methods*