Use of mobile phones for infant and young child feeding counseling in Sri Lankan tea estates: A formative study

Abstract

Despite the availability of free health services, children residing in Sri Lanka’s less developed plantation sector are more likely to be undernourished than children in urban and rural sectors. Hence, we need new approaches to improve their nutritional status. One promising approach involves mobile health initiatives, which is used effectively in other countries in primary health care settings. We studied the nature of mobile phone use in this community, and their perceptions on using m-health counseling for infant and young child feeding. Focus group discussions and in-depth interviews were the study methods. We found that mobile phone usage is common in this community hence; m-health platform could be a promising initiative to strengthen the existing face to face nutritional advice provided by the field health workers to improve the nutritional status of children.