Using mobile phones in improving mental health services delivery in Tanzania: A feasibility study at Mirembe National Mental health hospital in Dodoma
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Date
2019
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
International Society of Global Health
Abstract
Approaches to delivering health services, including mental health services are increasingly being re-imagined. Attempts to improve mental health services at various levels in Tanzania are hindered by various factors, including the lack of information and communications technology (ICT)/mobile phone-driven communication platforms, resulting in both health workers and psychiatric patients spending substantial amount of time and meagre financial resources interacting physically to address mental related illness. This impediment could be significantly reduced if an ICT/mobile phone-driven platform is created to facilitate communication between patients and health workers.The prospects of psychiatric patients having access to an ICT/mobile phone platform can provide an opportunity for them to address their problems without necessarily visiting the hospitals. For instance, patients residing in a particular area can use mobile phones to get medical advice, information of side effects; also the service provider can review symptoms and provide therapeutic interventions including adherence counseling and motivation interviewing. The potential of the envisaged ICT/mobile phone driven platform between health workers and psychiatric patients for improving mental health services in Tanzania is the cornerstone of this research project.
Description
Full Text Article. Also available at: https://e-jghs.org/DOIx.php?id=10.35500/jghs.2019.1.e6
Keywords
Health services, Mental health services, Information Communication Technologies, ICT, Mobile phone, Health workers, Psychiatric patients, Mental illness, Patients
Citation
Mwambingu, P. H., Andrea, D., & Katomero, J. (2019). Using mobile phones in improving mental health services delivery in Tanzania: a feasibility study at Mirembe National Mental Health Hospital in Dodoma. Journal of Global Health Science, 1.