Model for context-fitting mobile services for monitoring delivery of public health services

Abstract

Purpose: The study aimed at establishing the contextual factors affecting performance of mobile services for monitoring delivery of public health services in Uganda. Methodology: The study used a qualitative research design in an interpretivist paradigm where the identified factors were subjected to analysis using documentary evidence and qualitative data from interviews. Using purposive sampling, six case studies among institutions responsible for monitoring health service delivery in Uganda were selected. Data was categorized through creating code families, grouping codes with similar attributes into broad categories and represent a higher order grouping of data from which the researcher began to build conceptual model and categories continued until saturation point. Findings: It was established that lack of power for charging mobile devices, limited content and coverage of data captured by mobile technologies, limited man power, knowledge and skills of using mobile technologies and poor attitude of health workers, general nature of some mobile technologies, language barrier, poor connectivity and reliability of mobile and internet networks,  insufficient supplies of health data collection and processing tools affect the performance of mobile services for monitoring delivery of public health services in Uganda. Contribution to policy and practice: The study significantly contributes to a large body of knowledge in the adoption and use mobile technologies in monitoring delivery of public health services that has been less investigated in Uganda.