Haider Kaniz Amna, Gulam Omar, Adamjee Rehan, Balouch Benazir, Hoodbhoy Zahra
Department of Paediatrics and Child Health, The Aga Khan University, Karachi, Pakistan.
Department of Paediatrics and Child Health, The Aga Khan University, VITAL Pakistan Trust, Karachi, Pakistan.
Digit Health. 2022 Oct 3;8:20552076221129076. doi: 10.1177/20552076221129076. eCollection 2022 Jan-Dec.
Digital health interventions (DHIs) have the potential to improve access and quality of care in low-middle-income countries. The aim of this study was to assess the acceptability, usability and aesthetics of a DHI by frontline workers in peri-urban community settings in Karachi, Pakistan.
A mixed-methods study was carried out in peri-urban field sites in Karachi, Pakistan, where maternal and childcare services are provided through front-line care providers using a DHI. These workers include community health workers, midwives, and physicians who were using the DHI for at least six months. For quantitative data, a questionnaire regarding the module design and interface, technical difficulty, and appropriate utilisation was assessed using a 5-point Likert scale. For qualitative data, focus group discussions (FGDs) based on experiences regarding operability, design, its effect on work efficiency and the provision of beneficial health services were conducted.
There were 93 respondents for the quantitative questionnaire who reported high satisfaction (>85%) with the DHI in many themes including content quality, aesthetics and ease of use. Participants were least satisfied with service quality (45% satisfaction only) due to issues related to data sync and network connections in these areas. During the FGDs, the workers stated that the DHI helped them with accessing previous data and providing quality health care services to the community.
Although frontline workers reported a few technical difficulties while using the DHI, the majority reported that it was acceptable, had user-friendly features and was beneficial in their work processes.
数字健康干预措施（DHIs）有潜力改善低收入和中等收入国家的医疗服务可及性和质量。本研究的目的是评估巴基斯坦卡拉奇城郊社区一线工作人员对一种数字健康干预措施的可接受性、可用性和美观性。
在巴基斯坦卡拉奇的城郊实地开展了一项混合方法研究，通过一线护理人员使用数字健康干预措施提供孕产妇和儿童保健服务。这些工作人员包括社区卫生工作者、助产士和使用该数字健康干预措施至少六个月的医生。对于定量数据，使用5点李克特量表评估了一份关于模块设计与界面、技术难度和适当使用情况的问卷。对于定性数据，基于可操作性、设计、其对工作效率的影响以及有益健康服务提供方面的经验进行了焦点小组讨论（FGDs）。
定量问卷有93名受访者，他们在包括内容质量、美观性和易用性等多个主题上对数字健康干预措施表示高度满意（>85%）。由于这些领域存在数据同步和网络连接问题，参与者对服务质量的满意度最低（仅45%）。在焦点小组讨论中，工作人员表示数字健康干预措施帮助他们获取先前的数据并为社区提供高质量的医疗服务。
尽管一线工作人员在使用数字健康干预措施时报告了一些技术困难，但大多数人表示它是可接受的，具有用户友好的功能，并且在他们的工作流程中是有益的。
