Technology and health care in the developing world
BMJ 2007; 335 doi: https://doi.org/10.1136/sbmj.0712436 (Published 01 December 2007) Cite this as: BMJ 2007;335:0712436
- Jennifer Manne, Research Professor1,
- Walter H Curioso, affiliate assistant professor1
- 1School of Medicine and School of Public Health, Universidad Peruana Cayetano Heredia, Lima, Peru
- 2Division of Biomedical and Health Informatics, School of Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington
The design and implementation of interventions to improve poor health and increase access to health care in the developing world has long been a difficult challenge for health professionals and policy makers alike. In search of sustainable, effective answers to the complex health conditions of low and middle income countries, researchers have begun to explore technology driven solutions to such problems, with interesting endeavours taking place in Latin America, Africa, and parts of Asia.
Biomedical informatics
The use of telecommunications technology, such as the internet and mobile phones has increased greatly in much of the developing world. The growth of the internet and use of mobile telephones has taken place in Central and South America as well as parts of Asia and Africa (see table). This knowledge has encouraged many clinical researchers to explore the use of information and communications technologies, commonly called health informatics, as a cheap answer to the difficult challenges facing these healthcare systems.
Source: www.internetworldstats.com and www.infoplease.com/ipa/A0933605.html
As a result, researchers and clinicians have undertaken biomedical informatics projects that innovatively employ the internet, computers, mobile phones, and personal digital assistants to improve the quality and accessibility of health care. These projects often take the form of infectious disease interventions that can improve access to health information and care in rural areas; among discriminated populations; and regarding sensitive topics, such as gender and sexuality.1
One example of such projects comes from Ann Kurth at the University of Washington and colleagues. This team is currently implementing an informatics project that uses personal digital assistants to improve adherence to antiretroviral drugs and provide safer sex behavior support to HIV positive patients (box).2
The Colecta-Palm project
The team has already completed …
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