Epileptic patients' willingness to receive cell-phone based medication reminder in Northwest Ethiopia

Intention to Use Mobile-Based Partograph and Its Predictors Among Obstetric Health Care Providers Working at Public Referral Hospitals in the Oromia Region of Ethiopia in 2022: Cross-Sectional Questionnaire Study

BACKGROUND

A partograph is a pictorial representation of the relationship between cervical dilatation and the time used to diagnose prolonged and obstructed labor. However, the utilization of paper-based partograph is low and it is prone to documentation errors, which can be avoided with the use of electronic partographs. There is only limited information on the proportion of intention to use mobile-based partographs and its predictors.

OBJECTIVE

The objective of this study was to determine the proportion of obstetric health care providers at public referral hospitals in Oromia, Ethiopia, in 2022 who had the intention to use mobile-based partographs and to determine the predictors of their intention to use mobile-based partographs.

METHODS

We performed an institution-based cross-sectional study from June 1 to July 1, 2022. Census was conducted on 649 participants. A self-administered structured English questionnaire was used, and a 5% pretest was performed. Data were entered into EpiData version 4.6 and exported to SPSS version 25 for descriptive analysis and AMOS (analysis of moment structure; version 23) for structural and measurement model assessment. Descriptive and structural equation modeling analyses were performed. The hypotheses developed based on a modified Technology Acceptance Model were tested using path coefficients and P values <.05.

RESULTS

About 65.7% (414/630; 95% CI 61.9%-69.4%) of the participants intended to use mobile-based electronic partographs, with a 97% (630/649) response rate. Perceived usefulness had a positive influence on intention to use (β=.184; P=.02) and attitude (β=.521; P=.002). Perceived ease of use had a positive influence on attitude (β=.382; P=.003), perceived usefulness (β=.503; P=.002), and intention to use (β=.369; P=.001). Job relevance had a positive influence on perceived usefulness (β=.408; P=.001) and intention to use (β=.185; P=.008). Attitude positively influenced intention to use (β=.309; P=.002). Subjective norms did not have a significant influence on perceived usefulness (β=.020; P=.61) and intention to use (β=-.066; P=.07).

CONCLUSIONS

Two-thirds of the obstetric health care providers in our study intended to use mobile-based partographs. Perceived usefulness, perceived ease of use, job relevance, and attitude positively and significantly influenced their intention to use mobile-based electronic partographs. The development of a user-friendly mobile-based partograph that meets job and user expectations can enhance the intention to use.

Willingness to Receive mHealth Messages Among Diabetic Patients at Mizan Tepi University Teaching Hospital: Implications for Digital Health

BACKGROUND

The growing access and use of mobile technology provide new tools for diabetic care and management. Mobile-based technology (mHealth) is considered as a useful tool to deliver healthcare services as a makeshift alternative for consultations and follow-up of diabetic patients. Therefore, this study aimed to scrutinize the willingness to receive mHealth messages and its associated factors among diabetic patients at Mizan Tepi University Teaching Hospital (MTUTH).

METHODS

A cross-sectional study was conducted among two hundred thirty-three diabetic patients. Data were collected using a structured and pre-tested interviewer-administered questionnaire. Epidata manager and SPSS software were used to enter and analyze the data, respectively. Multivariable logistic regression analysis was carried out to identify the independent factors associated with patients' willingness to receive mHealth messages.

RESULTS

Two hundred and thirty-three patients participated in this study with a 95% response rate. Majority of the patients (213, 91.4%) had a mobile phone. Among those who had mobile phones, 59.1%, (95% CI: 48-64) of patients were willing to receive mHealth messages from providers, if they were offered the opportunity. In the multivariable binary logistic regression analysis, monthly income >3000 ETB (AOR = 2.43; 95% CI (1.36-3.81)), owning smartphone (AOR = 3.85; 95% CI (1.67-4.89)), internet access in their mobile phone (AOR = 2.74; 95% CI (1.42-4.61)), perceived usefulness (AOR = 4.66; 95% CI (2.38-6.83)) and perceived ease to use (AOR = 3.87; 95% CI (1.57-5.46)) were identified as significant factors associated with diabetic patients' willingness to receive mHealth messages.

CONCLUSION

A high proportion of patients who had mobile phones were willing to receive mHealth messages. Monthly income, type of mobile phone, access to the internet on the mobile phone, perceived ease of use, and perceived usefulness were associated with willingness to receive mHealth messages. Therefore, focusing on these factors could provide insight for designing and implementing mHealth messages for diabetic patients.

A systematic review and meta-analysis of anti-epileptic medication non-adherence among people with epilepsy in Ethiopia

Background

Epilepsy is the common neurological disorder in the world, affecting approximately 50 million people. Anti-epileptic medication non-adherence can be a reason for long term hospitalization, repeated emergency seizure attacks, increased health care cost and frequent absence of work due to poor seizure control. Existed studies of anti-epileptic medication non-adherence in Ethiopia have reported great discrepant and inconsistent results which calls a growing demand of systematic review and meta-analysis. Therefore, this review aimed to show the pooled prevalence of anti-epileptic medication non-adherence among people with epilepsy attending outpatient department.

Methods

Literatures were searched from the PubMed/Medline, Science Direct, PsycINFO, Hinnari and Google Scholar for grey literatures. The data were extracted using a prepared data extraction Microsoft Excel format. The data were analyzed using STATA- version 14 (software). The I² test was used to check the heterogeneity between primary studies with a corresponding 95% confidence interval.

Results

A total of fourteen primary studies of anti-epileptic medication non-adherence were included in the review showing the pooled prevalence of anti-epileptic medication non-adherence to be 39.77 (95% CI: 32.44, 47.10). The highest prevalence [44.13 95% CI: (29.92, 58.34)] was observed among studies used both self-report and medical record review together, and studies used only self-report to screen medication none adherence had the lowest prevalence [37.95% (24.50, 51.41)]. Presence of co-morbid illness [2.27 (95%CI: 1.01, 5.12)], medication side effects [1.84(95% CI: 1.43, 2.38)], substance use or drug abuse [2.01(95% CI: 1.27, 3.20)] had statistically significant association with anti-epileptic medication non-adherence.

Conclusion

In this review, we found that there is a high burden of anti-epileptic medication non-adherence among people with epilepsy in Ethiopia. This demonstrates a need for clinicians to give more attention for the monitoring and evaluation of anti-epileptic medication adherence in the health care service. We also highly recommended for the adoption of a standardized and contextualized adherence screening tools.

Trial registration

PROSPERO registration number- [CRD42019137631].