Cell phone health study shows potential

Transcript

A health researcher says mobile phone technology has the potential to improve access to healthcare and reduce health inequalities in the Pacific Region.

A University of Auckland, Master of Public Health graduate, Elaine Umali, told Jenny Meyer cell phones are not a silver bullet solution for health problems but they are a useful tool for disease prevention and control in the Pacific.

ELAINE UMALI: There is a great potential for it. The technology is improving, the access is improving and even the remote places in the Pacific are getting the signal, or remote places are, they are able to buy cell phones. So there is a great potential for it to be used in healthcare to reduce inequalities. But there are also limitations, but I think these limitations in time can be reduced. It is not a silver bullet, it is not something that can be the answer to improve the healthcare in the Pacific region but it is definitely something that can be used to help improve the healthcare system.

JENNY MEYER: Can you give me an example of how phone technology can actually help people with information or action about helping themselves with a particular health issue?

EU: For instance in health promotion, people will have access to information, people will know what to do in case they have certain symptoms. It can also help in like data collection and reporting. And even like just the provider training and education, like frontline health workers, they can be provided with information that can help them in delivering service to people in remote villages.

JM: And what do you plan to do with your research now?

EU: Well right now I am writing the version that is to be submitted for publication but once that's done I hope that it can be shared with stakeholders and like with the Ministries of Health in the Pacific region so that it can serve like as potentially something they can use when they implement like 'mhealth' or projects or programmes in the Pacific.

JM: Is there one particular area where you think it could be most useful?

EU:  I think definitely in like diabetes care and chronic diseases. There is already some interest in using mobile phones to deliver services to monitor diabetes patients. Another thing is probably like smoking cessation, because there is already some research about it in other countries so I think it can potentially be useful also in the Pacific.