Listen before you leap: Assessing leapfrog technologies to implement m-health strategies in Sri Lanka

Background Mobile health (m-health) enjoys much enthusiasm in the developed world. However, in the developing world, although mobile phones are widely used, few studies shed light on the deep of this leapfrog technology.

Objective/purpose This study will help the participants of the session to be able: (i) to list what are the benefits and challenges of m-health in a developing country,(ii) to discuss how reasons for the acceptance and rejection of this technology can be applied to the practice of health communication, and (iii) to design an adjusted plan to improve the use of global health technology.

Method In-depth interviews with 30 individuals (including chief medical officers, public health professionals, and employees of mobile phone companies) were conducted. The participants were recruited by snowball sampling, and data were analyzed using a grounded-theory approach.

Results Interviewees had mixed views on the adoption of m-health technology. Reasons for the adoption of this technology included (i) efficiency, (ii) usefulness in emergency situations, and (iii) applications for quick advice/consultation, and (iv) increase in intimacy between doctors and patients. Barriers to adoption included (i) indirectness in communication, (ii) difficulties in the technology use by patients and in patient management, (iii) low use rate of Internet-enabled mobile phones, (iv) risks for miscommunication/misinterpretation, and (v) lack of systems/policies for implementing m-health technology.

Discussion/conclusions As an initial step toward exploring strategies for designing m-health interventions, this study examined the status quo of diffusion of innovation of m-health technology in Sri Lanka. Although some participants recognized the advantages of m-health adoption, with regard to the stages of new innovation acceptance, most participants appear to be in the stages of “persuasion” and “decision.”