Determinants of a mobile phone-based Interactive Voice Response (mIVR) system for monitoring childhood illnesses in a rural district of Ghana: Empirical evidence from the UTAUT model

Timothy Kwabena Adjei; Aliyu Mohammed; Princess Ruhama Acheampong; Emmanuel Acquah-Gyan; Augustina Sylverken; Sampson Twumasi-Ankrah; Michael Owusu; Ellis Owusu-Dabo

doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0248363

Determinants of a mobile phone-based Interactive Voice Response (mIVR) system for monitoring childhood illnesses in a rural district of Ghana: Empirical evidence from the UTAUT model

PLoS One. 2021 Mar 11;16(3):e0248363. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0248363. eCollection 2021.

Authors

Timothy Kwabena Adjei^{1

2}, Aliyu Mohammed³, Princess Ruhama Acheampong¹, Emmanuel Acquah-Gyan¹, Augustina Sylverken^{4

5}, Sampson Twumasi-Ankrah⁶, Michael Owusu⁷, Ellis Owusu-Dabo¹

Affiliations

¹ Department of Global and International Health, School of Public Health- Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Kumasi, Ghana.
² Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital, Kumasi, Ghana.
³ Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health- Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Kumasi, Ghana.
⁴ Department of Theoretical and Applied Biology, College of Science, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Kumasi, Ghana.
⁵ Kumasi Centre for Collaborative Research in Tropical Medicine, Kumasi, Ghana.
⁶ Department of Statistics and Actuarial Science, College of Science, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Kumasi, Ghana.
⁷ Faculty of Allied Health, Department of Medical Diagnostics, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Kumasi, Ghana.

Abstract

Background: The use of a mobile phone-based Interactive Voice Response (mIVR) System for real time monitoring of childhood illnesses provides an opportunity to improve childhood survival and health systems. However, little is known about the factors that facilitate its use. This study sought to identify key determinants and moderators of mIVR system use among caregivers in a rural district of Ghana using the Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology (UTAUT) model.

Methods: The mIVR system was designed to provide real-time data on common symptoms of childhood illnesses after answering several questions by caregivers with sick children. A structured questionnaire with closed questions was used to collect data from 354 caregivers of children under-five living in rural communities, four (4) months after introducing the system. Regression analysis was used to identify key determinants and moderating factors that facilitate the use of the system based on the UTAUT model.

Results: A total of 101 (28.5%) caregivers had used the system and 328 (92.7%) had intention to use the mIVR system. Caregivers' level of education and household wealth were associated with use of the mIVR systems (p<0.001). Behavioural intention (BI) to use mIVR system was positively influenced by performance expectancy (PE) (β = 0.278, 95% CI: 0.207, 0.349), effort expectancy (EE) (β = 0.242, 95% CI: 0.159, 0.326) and social influence (SI) (β = 0.081, 95% CI: 0.044, 0.120). Facilitating conditions (FC) (β = 0.609, 95% CI: 0.502, 0.715) and behavioural intention (β = 0.426, 95% CI: 0.255, 0.597) had a positive influence on user behaviour (UB). Mobile phone experience and household wealth significantly moderated the effect of PE, EE, SI, and FC on behavioural intention and usage of mIVR systems.

Conclusion: The perceived usefulness of the mIVR system, ease of use, social influences, and facilitating conditions are key determinants of users' attitude and use of mIVR system. These relationships are significantly moderated by users' phone experience and wealth status.

Publication types

Clinical Trial

MeSH terms

Adult
Attitude of Health Personnel*
Cell Phone*
Child
Electronic Health Records*
Female
Ghana
Humans
Male
Middle Aged
Rural Population*
Surveys and Questionnaires*

Grants and funding

Authors received no specific funding for this work. This work was self funded for submission as thesis as a student in the institution stated. International Development Research Centre (IDRC) however funded the main project (MOBCHILD) from which this study is nested. However they did not play any role in the design of the study.