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Determining the feasibility of using mobile phones to strengthen the information management of preventative health care in South Africa

Thesis (MEng)-- Stellenbosch University, 2013.

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Main Author: Snyders, Frans Johannes
Other Authors: Van Dyk, Liezl
Format: Thesis
Language:en_ZA
Published: Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University 2013
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access_status_str Open Access
author Snyders, Frans Johannes
author2 Van Dyk, Liezl
author_browse Snyders, Frans Johannes
Van Dyk, Liezl
author_facet Van Dyk, Liezl
Snyders, Frans Johannes
author_sort Snyders, Frans Johannes
collection Thesis
dc_rights_str_mv Stellenbosch University
description Thesis (MEng)-- Stellenbosch University, 2013.
format Thesis
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institution Stellenbosch University (South Africa)
language en_ZA
last_indexed 2026-06-10T12:43:38.086Z
license_str Other — see source repository
provenance_str_mv Harvested via OAI-PMH from SUNScholar — Stellenbosch University Repository
publishDate 2013
publishDateRange 2013
publishDateSort 2013
publisher Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University
publisherStr Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University
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source_str SUNScholar — Stellenbosch University Repository
spelling oai:scholar.sun.ac.za:10019.1/85564 Determining the feasibility of using mobile phones to strengthen the information management of preventative health care in South Africa Snyders, Frans Johannes Van Dyk, Liezl Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Engineering. Dept. of Industrial Engineering. Telemedicine Telecommunication in medicine Mobile devices -- Uses in Public Health Public health -- South Africa -- Information services Feasibility Studies Health care -- Management Vaccination of children -- South Africa -- Management Cell phones -- Uses in health care Dissertations -- Industrial engineering Theses -- Industrial engineering Thesis (MEng)-- Stellenbosch University, 2013. ENGLISH ABSTRACT: South Africa’s health sector has not yet shown enough improvement to reach the Millennium Development Goals related to health. One of the problem areas is the low infant and child vaccination coverage in certain areas of South Africa. The use of mobile phones in health care (mHealth) has the potential to strengthen the primary health care system through improved information management. A mobile health solution for vaccination (MHSV) can be used to improve information management of vaccinations, which in turn can improve vaccination coverage. However, the feasibility of implementing such an MHSV in the South African context is unknown. This study therefore investigates the feasibility of using mobile phones to improve information management for child vaccinations in South Africa. Feasibility is determined by using a feasibility framework together with business model development. The feasibility framework, which is informed by a literature study, surveys and a case study, determines the feasibility of an MHSV in terms of human factors, technical feasibility, information management, policies and ethics, and economics. It is found that an MHSV is feasible in South Africa, although certain areas pose challenges that will have to be considered. Complementing the feasibility framework, business models are developed to suggest possible ways in which an MHSV can be deployed in South Africa. These models build on the results from the feasibility framework and are developed using Osterwalder’s business model canvas. The effect of the National Health Insurance (NHI) on these business models is also examined. In order to validate the feasibility framework and business models, interviews were held with experts in health care and mobile phone solutions. These interviews show that the research is valid and that the feasibility framework and business models can be generalised to the wider field of mHealth solutions. AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Suid-Afrika se gesondheidsektor het nog nie genoeg verbetering getoon om die gesondheidsverwante Millenium Ontwikkelingsdoelwitte te bereik nie. Een van die probleemareas is die besondere lae inentingsdekking van babas en kinders in sekere gebiede van Suid-Afrika. Die gebruik van selfone vir gesondheidsorg hou die potensiaal in om die primêre gesondheidsorgstelsel te versterk deur inligtingsbestuur te verbeter. ’n Inentingsoplossing wat gebruik maak van selfone, bekend as ‘n “mobile health solution for vaccination” (MHSV), kan inligtingsbestuur van inentings verbeter, wat hoër inentingsdekking tot gevolg kan hê. Die haalbaarheid van die implementering van so ’n MHSV in die konteks van Suid-Afrika is egter onbekend. Hierdie studie ondersoek dus die haalbaarheid daarvan om selfone te gebruik vir beter inligtingsbestuur van kinder-inenting in Suid-Afrika. Haalbaarheid word vasgestel deur ’n haalbaarheidsraamwerk en die ontwikkeling van besigheidsmodelle te gebruik. Die haalbaarheidsraamwerk, wat toegelig word deur ’n literatuurstudie, vraelyste en ’n gevallestudie, bepaal die haalbaarheid van ’n MHSV in terme van menslike faktore, tegniese haalbaarheid, inligtingbestuur, beleid en etiek, en ekonomie. Daar word gevind dat ’n MHSV haalbaar is in Suid-Afrika, alhoewel sekere areas uitdagings inhou. Die haalbaarheidsraamwerk word aangevul deur die ontwikkeling van besigheidsmodelle wat moontlike maniere voorstel waarop ’n MHSV in Suid-Afrika ontplooi kan word. Hierdie modelle word geskoei op die resultate van die haalbaarheidsraamwerk en word ontwikkel met behulp van Osterwalder se besigheidsmodelskema (“business model canvas”). Die effek van die nasionale gesondheidversekering op hierdie modelle word ook ondersoek. Onderhoude met kundiges in die veld van selfoonoplossings vir gesondheidsorg word gebruik om die haalbaarheidsraamwerk en die besigheidsmodelle te valideer. Die onderhoude toon dat die navorsing geldig is en dat die haalbaarheidsraamwerk en besigheidsmodelle veralgemeen kan word na die wyer veld van selfoonoplossings vir gesondheidsorg. 2013-11-25T18:40:41Z 2013-12-13T14:39:19Z 2013-11-25T18:40:41Z 2013-12-13T14:39:19Z 2013-12 Thesis http://hdl.handle.net/10019.1/85564 en_ZA Stellenbosch University xvi, 162 p. : ill. application/pdf Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University
spellingShingle Telemedicine
Telecommunication in medicine
Mobile devices -- Uses in Public Health
Public health -- South Africa -- Information services
Feasibility Studies
Health care -- Management
Vaccination of children -- South Africa -- Management
Cell phones -- Uses in health care
Dissertations -- Industrial engineering
Theses -- Industrial engineering
Snyders, Frans Johannes
Determining the feasibility of using mobile phones to strengthen the information management of preventative health care in South Africa
title Determining the feasibility of using mobile phones to strengthen the information management of preventative health care in South Africa
title_full Determining the feasibility of using mobile phones to strengthen the information management of preventative health care in South Africa
title_fullStr Determining the feasibility of using mobile phones to strengthen the information management of preventative health care in South Africa
title_full_unstemmed Determining the feasibility of using mobile phones to strengthen the information management of preventative health care in South Africa
title_short Determining the feasibility of using mobile phones to strengthen the information management of preventative health care in South Africa
title_sort determining the feasibility of using mobile phones to strengthen the information management of preventative health care in south africa
topic Telemedicine
Telecommunication in medicine
Mobile devices -- Uses in Public Health
Public health -- South Africa -- Information services
Feasibility Studies
Health care -- Management
Vaccination of children -- South Africa -- Management
Cell phones -- Uses in health care
Dissertations -- Industrial engineering
Theses -- Industrial engineering
url http://hdl.handle.net/10019.1/85564
work_keys_str_mv AT snydersfransjohannes determiningthefeasibilityofusingmobilephonestostrengthentheinformationmanagementofpreventativehealthcareinsouthafrica