Evaluation of a mHealth Data Quality Intervention to Improve Documentation of Pregnancy Outcomes by Health Surveillance Assistants in Malawi: A Cluster Randomized Trial.

ABSTRACT:

Background

While community health workers are being recognized as an integral work force with growing responsibilities, increased demands can potentially affect motivation and performance. The ubiquity of mobile phones, even in hard-to-reach communities, has facilitated the pursuit of novel approaches to support community health workers beyond traditional modes of supervision, job aids, in-service training, and material compensation. We tested whether supportive short message services (SMS) could improve reporting of pregnancies and pregnancy outcomes among community health workers (Health Surveillance Assistants, or HSAs) in Malawi.

Methods and findings

We designed a set of one-way SMS that were sent to HSAs on a regular basis during a 12-month period. We tested the effecti

SUBMITTER: Joos O 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4701446 | biostudies-literature | 2016

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature