Mobile health (mHealth) technologies have been implemented in many low- and middle-income countries to address challenges in maternal and child health. Many of these technologies attempt to influence patients', caretakers', or health workers' behavior. The purpose of this study was to conduct a systematic review of the literature to determine what evidence exists for the effectiveness of mHealth tools to increase the coverage and use of antenatal care (ANC), postnatal care (PNC), and childhood immunizations through behavior change in low- and middle-income countries. The full text of 53 articles was reviewed and 10 articles were identified that met all inclusion criteria. The majority of studies used text or voice message reminders to influence patient behavior change (80%, n = 8) and most were conducted in African countries (80%, n = 8). All studies showed at least some evidence of effectiveness at changing behavior to improve antenatal care attendance, postnatal care attendance, or childhood immunization rates. However, many of the studies were observational and further rigorous evaluation of mHealth programs is needed in a broader variety of settings.

BackgroundViolence against women (VAW) is a major problem worldwide, with one in three women experiencing violence in their lifetime. While interventions to prevent violence (primary prevention) are extremely important, they can take many years. This review focuses on secondary and tertiary prevention interventions that address the needs of survivors of violence and aim to prevent recurrence. This review also focuses on studies taking place in low and low-middle income countries, where rates of VAW are highest.MethodsSearches of peer-reviewed and grey literature took place from March–June 2016 through databases (Embase, CINAHL, WHO Global Index Medicus, Medline, PsychINFO, Web of Science, Cochrane Library, Applied Social Sciences Index and Abstracts and Sociological Abstracts) and by consulting experts in the field. Only primary research was eligible for inclusion and studies had to focus on secondary or tertiary prevention for survivors of VAW in low or low-middle income countries. All study designs were eligible, as long as the study examined client-related outcome measures (e.g., incidence of violence, health outcomes or client satisfaction). Data were extracted and quality of the studies was assessed using the Effective Public Health Practice Project Quality Assessment Tool for Quantitative Studies and a qualitative quality assessment tool developed by Mays and Pope. Due to the low number of results and heterogeneity of the study populations and outcomes, a narrative synthesis was conducted and evidence was summarized.ResultsOne thousand two hundred fifteen studies were identified through the search strategy and 22 of these met the eligibility criteria. Overall, the evidence for interventions is weak and study limitations prevent definitive conclusions on what works. There is some evidence that interventions targeting alcohol use, both among perpetrators and survivors, may be effective at reducing VAW through secondary prevention, and that psychotherapy might be effective for survivors of non-partner sexual violence through tertiary prevention. Finally, some evidence exists for crisis centres increasing survivors’ access to services (through both secondary and tertiary prevention), however, assessment of their impact on future VAW are needed.ConclusionsThough some interventions for survivors of VAW have shown evidence of effectiveness, further research is needed, especially high-quality studies with quantitative outcome data.Electronic supplementary materialThe online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s12889-017-4502-6) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

BackgroundDiabetes is a major contributor to global death and disability. Text-messaging interventions hold promise for improving diabetes outcomes through better knowledge and self-management.ObjectiveThe aim of this study was to examine the implementation and impact of a diabetes text-messaging program targeted primarily for low-income Latino patients receiving care at 2 federally qualified health centers (FQHCs).MethodsA mixed-methods, quasi-experimental research design was employed for this pilot study. A total of 50 Spanish or English-speaking adult patients with diabetes attending 2 FQHC sites in Los Angeles from September 2015 to February 2016 were enrolled in a 12-week, bidirectional text-messaging program. A comparison group (n=160) was constructed from unexposed, eligible patients. Demographic data and pre/post clinical indicators were compared for both the groups. Propensity score weighting was used to reduce selection bias, and over-time differences in clinical outcomes between groups were estimated using individual fixed-effects regression models. Population-averaged linear models were estimated to assess differential effects of patient engagement on each clinical indicator among the intervention participants. A sample of intervention patients (n=11) and all implementing staff (n=8) were interviewed about their experiences with the program. Qualitative data were transcribed, translated, and analyzed to identify common themes.ResultsThe intervention group had a mean glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) reduction of 0.4 points at follow-up, relative to the comparison group (P=.06). Patients who were more highly engaged with the program (response rate ≥median of 64.5%) experienced a 2.2 point reduction in HbA1c, relative to patients who were less engaged, controlling for demographic characteristics (P<.001). Qualitative analyses revealed that many participants felt supported, as though “someone was worrying about [their] health.” Participants also cited learning new information, setting new goals, and receiving helpful reminders. Staff and patients highlighted strategies to improve the program, including incorporating patient responses into in-person clinical care and tailoring the messages to patient knowledge.ConclusionsA diabetes text-messaging program provided instrumental and emotional support for participants and may have contributed to clinically meaningful improvements in HbA1c. Patients who were more engaged demonstrated greater improvement. Program improvements, such as linkages to clinical care, hold potential for improving patient engagement and ultimately, improving clinical outcomes.

Background: Electronic health records (EHRs) have potential to improve quality, health outcomes, and efficiency, but little is known about the mechanisms through which these improvements occur. Purpose: One potential mechanism could be that EHRs improve care team communication and coordination, leading to better outcomes. To test this hypothesis, we examine whether ease of EHR use is associated with better relational coordination (RC), a measure of team communication and coordination, among primary care team members. Methodology: Surveys of adult primary care team members (n = 304) of 16 practices of two accountable care organizations in Chicago and Los Angeles were analyzed. The survey included a validated measure of RC and a measure of ease of EHR use from a national survey. Linear regression models estimated the association of ease of EHR use and RC, controlling for care site and patient demographics and accounting for cluster–robust standard errors. An interaction term tested a differential association of ease of EHR use and RC for primary care providers (PCPs) versus non-PCPs. Results: Ease of EHR use (mean = 3.5, SD = 0.6, range: 0–4) and RC were high (mean = 4.0, SD = 0.7, range: 0–5) but differed by occupation. In regression analyses, a 1-point increase in ease of EHR use was associated with a 0.36 point higher RC score (p = .001). The association of ease of EHR and RC use was stronger for non-PCPs than PCPs. Conclusion: Ease of EHR use is associated with better RC among primary care team members, and the benefits accrue more to non-PCPs than to PCPs. Practice Implications: Ensuring that clinicians and staff experience EHRs as easy to use for accessing and integrating data and for communication may produce gains in efficiency and outcomes through high RC. Future studies should examine whether interventions to improve EHR usability can lead to improved RC and patient outcomes.