Seohyun Lee|Yoon-Min Cho|Sunyoung Kim
Mapping mHealth (mobile health) and mobile penetrations in sub-Saharan Africa for strategic regional collaboration in mHealth scale-up: an application of exploratory spatial data analysis
The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston|Seoul National University|Seoul National University
mobile health mhealth term used healthcare delivery via mobile devices gained attention innovative technology better access healthcare support performance health workers global health context despite large expansion mhealth across subsaharan africa regional collaboration scaleup made progress since last decadeas groundwork strategic planning regional collaboration study attempted identify spatial patterns mhealth implementation subsaharan africa using exploratory spatial data analysis order obtain comprehensive data total number mhelath programs implemented 2006 2016 48 subsaharan africa countries performed systematic data collection various sources including ehealth database world bank projects operations database usaid mhealth database additional spatial analysis performed mobile cellular subscriptions per 100 people suggest strategic regional collaboration improving mobile penetration rates along mhealth initiative global morans local indicator spatial association lisa calculated mhealth programs mobile subscriptions per 100 population investigate spatial autocorrelation indicates presence local clustering spatial disparitiesfrom systematic data collection total number mhealth programs implemented subsaharan africa 2006 2016 487 programs implemented multiple countries counted separately eastern region 17 countries western region 16 countries 287 145 mhealth programs respectively despite low levels global autocorrelation lisa enabled us detect meaningful local clusters overall eastern part subsaharan africa shows highhigh association mhealth programs mobile subscription rates per 100 population northern area shows extensive lowlow associationthis study aimed shed light potential strategic regional collaboration scaleup mhealth mobile penetration firstly countries eastern area much experience take lead role pursuing regional collaboration mhealth programs subsaharan africa secondly collective effort improving mobile penetration rates northern area recommended