Evidence map›Paper›PMID 31599731›Full record

ArticleJournal of medical Internet research2019

Technology Acceptance and Information System Success of a Mobile Electronic Platform for Nonphysician Clinical Students in Zambia: Prospective, Nonrandomized Intervention Study.

Sandra Barteit, Florian Neuhann, Till Bärnighausen, Annel Bowa, Sigrid Wolter, Hinson Siabwanta, Albrecht Jahn

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Journal of medical Internet research, 2019. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 7 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
7citing papers in PubMed, 1 pooled it
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

7 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it.

  1. Pooled it
  2. Trial
  3. Article
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4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

7 authors.

Sandra BarteitHeidelberg Institute of Global Health, Heidelberg, Germany.ORCID 0000-0002-3806-6027
Florian NeuhannHeidelberg Institute of Global Health, Heidelberg, Germany.ORCID 0000-0001-5944-1597
Till BärnighausenHeidelberg Institute of Global Health, Heidelberg, Germany.ORCID 0000-0002-4182-4212
Annel BowaLewy Mwanawasa University, Lusaka, Zambia.ORCID 0000-0001-5788-7624
Sigrid WolterSolidarMed, Lusaka, Zambia.ORCID 0000-0002-8236-3395
Hinson SiabwantaLewy Mwanawasa University, Lusaka, Zambia.ORCID 0000-0002-9858-2269
Albrecht JahnHeidelberg Institute of Global Health, Heidelberg, Germany.ORCID 0000-0001-8181-9795

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundZambia is still experiencing a severe shortage of health workers, which is impacting the national health care system. Very few people are trained, educational infrastructure is inadequate, and senior human resources for training are not yet sufficient to produce the number of health care workers needed, especially for currently underserved rural areas. Therefore, to strengthen the medical education program of medical licentiates, we implemented a tablet-based electronic learning platform (e-platform) with a medical decision-support component.

objectiveAs the primary objective, this study aimed to explore the acceptance and information system (IS) success of an e-platform focused on offline-based tablet usage for nonphysician clinical students in a low-resource context in Zambia, Africa. Furthermore, we aimed to evaluate student demographic factors and prior technological experience, as well as medical lecturers' acceptance of technology of the e-platform.

methodsWe collected data for the study before and after the intervention. Before the intervention, we collected student demographic data and prior technological experience using a questionnaire. After the intervention, we collected results of the questionnaire on technology acceptance of students and IS success of the e-platform, as well as technology acceptance of medical lecturers. We calculated statistical measures such as means, standard deviations, and correlations of investigated variables. The study report was compiled using the Consolidated Standards of Reporting Trials-Electronic Health checklist.

resultsOverall, questionnaire results of students and medical lecturers indicated acceptance of the e-platform and showed higher ratings for overall net benefits and information quality (students) and perceived ease of use and perceived usefulness (medical lecturers) as compared with ratings of other categories. The lowest scores were conveyed for system use and service quality (students) and attitude and behavioral intention (medical lecturers).

conclusionsAcceptance of the e-platform as a learning technology for strengthening medical education in a low-resource context in Zambia was generally high for students and medical lecturers, but shortcomings were also identified. Results indicated low overall usage of the e-platform as a learning and teaching tool. One hindering factor was the tablets' overall weak reliability with regard to its service life and battery life span, and another was the teachers' low engagement with the e-platform. Next steps may include other hardware and more technology-based training for medical lecturers. The evaluation results indicated that the e-platform may open new promise for further strengthening and expanding medical education in this context, especially with more affordable and viable technologies that are available.

Indexed as

LearningEducation, MedicalEvidence-Based PracticeFemaleHealth PersonnelHumansMaleProspective StudiesStudentsTelemedicineZambiacomputers, handheldeducation, medicalevidence-based practicemedicinemHealthsub-Saharan AfricatabletsZambia

Identifiers

PMID31599731
PMCPMC6914109

What OpenQuestion holds

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LicenceCC BY
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Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.