Evidence map›Paper›PMID 34777849›Full record

ArticleDigital health

Mobile consulting as an option for delivering healthcare services in low-resource settings in low- and middle-income countries: A mixed-methods study.

Bronwyn Harris, Motunrayo Ajisola, Raisa Meher Alam, Jocelyn Anstey Watkins, Theodoros N Arvanitis, Pauline Bakibinga, Beatrice Chipwaza, Nazratun Nayeem Choudhury, Peter Kibe, Olufunke Fayehun and 18 more

Open access · goldAbstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Digital health. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 19 papers, 2 of them syntheses that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
19citing papers in PubMed, 2 pooled it
6.7field-weighted citation impact, top 3% of its field
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

19 citing papers in PubMed, 2 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 34 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Pooled it
  2. Pooled it
  3. Article
  4. Article
  5. Article
  6. Conceptualising hardship areas in Sub-Saharan Africa: a scoping review.International journal for equity in health · 2025
    Article
  7. Article
  8. Article
  9. Review
  10. Article
  11. Article
  12. Review
  13. Article
  14. Article
  15. Article
  16. Article
  17. Article
  18. Article
  19. Article
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

28 authors at 10 institutions in 7 countries.

Bronwyn HarrisUniversity of Warwick Warwick Medical School, UK.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4695-008X
Motunrayo AjisolaDepartment of Sociology, Faculty of the Social Sciences, University of Ibadan, Nigeria.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1704-0944
Raisa Meher AlamCentre for Health, Population and Development, Independent University Bangladesh, Bangladesh.
Jocelyn Anstey WatkinsWarwick Medical School, University of Warwick, UK.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4984-1057
Theodoros N ArvanitisInstitute of Digital Healthcare, WMG, University of Warwick, UK.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5473-135X
Pauline BakibingaAfrican Population and Health Research Center, Kenya.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7097-5450
Beatrice ChipwazaSt Francis University College of Health and Allied Sciences, Tanzania.
Nazratun Nayeem ChoudhuryCentre for Health, Population and Development, Independent University Bangladesh, Bangladesh.
Peter KibeAfrican Population and Health Research Center, Kenya.
Olufunke FayehunDepartment of Sociology, Faculty of the Social Sciences, University of Ibadan, Nigeria.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3769-2130
Akinyinka OmigbodunDepartment of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Faculty of Clinical Sciences, College of Medicine, University of Ibadan, Nigeria.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6377-9299
Eme OwoajeDepartment of Community Medicine, Faculty of Public Health, College of Medicine, University of Ibadan, Nigeria.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0491-6732
Senga PembaSt Francis University College of Health and Allied Sciences, Tanzania.
Rachel PotterClinical Trials Unit Warwick Medical School, University of Warwick, University of Warwick, UK.
Narjis RizviCommunity Health Sciences Department, Aga Khan University, Pakistan.
Jackie SturtFlorence Nightingale Faculty of Nursing and Midwifery, King's College London, UK.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1281-1401
Jonathan CaveDepartment of Economics, University of Warwick, UK.
Romaina IqbalCommunity Health Sciences Department, Aga Khan University, Pakistan.
Caroline KabariaAfrican Population and Health Research Center, Kenya.
Albino KaloloSt Francis University College of Health and Allied Sciences, Tanzania.
Catherine KyobutungiAfrican Population and Health Research Center, Kenya.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5344-5631
Richard J LilfordInstitute of Applied Health Research, College of Medical and Dental Sciences, University of Birmingham, UK.
Titus MashanyaSt Francis University College of Health and Allied Sciences, Tanzania.
Sylvester NdegeseSt Francis University College of Health and Allied Sciences, Tanzania.
Omar RahmanUniversity of Liberal Arts Bangladesh, Bangladesh.
Saleem SayaniAga Khan Development Network Digital Health Resource Centre (Asia and Africa), Aga Khan University, Pakistan.
Rita YusufCentre for Health, Population and Development, Independent University Bangladesh, Bangladesh.
Frances GriffithsWarwick Medical School, University of Warwick, UK.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4173-1438
Catholic University of Health and Allied Sciences · TZUniversity of Warwick · GBAfrican Population and Health Research Center · KEUniversity of Ibadan · NGAga Khan University · PKIndependent University · BDKing's College London · GBUniversity of Birmingham · GBUniversity of Liberal Arts Bangladesh · BDUniversity of the Witwatersrand · ZA

Funding

Medical Research Council MR/S012729/1Wellcome Trust
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

objectiveRemote or mobile consulting is being promoted to strengthen health systems, deliver universal health coverage and facilitate safe clinical communication during coronavirus disease 2019 and beyond. We explored whether mobile consulting is a viable option for communities with minimal resources in low- and middle-income countries.

methodsWe reviewed evidence published since 2018 about mobile consulting in low- and middle-income countries and undertook a scoping study (pre-coronavirus disease) in two rural settings (Pakistan and Tanzania) and five urban slums (Kenya, Nigeria and Bangladesh), using policy/document review, secondary analysis of survey data (from the urban sites) and thematic analysis of interviews/workshops with community members, healthcare workers, digital/telecommunications experts, mobile consulting providers, and local and national decision-makers. Project advisory groups guided the study in each country.

resultsWe reviewed four empirical studies and seven reviews, analysed data from 5322 urban slum households and engaged with 424 stakeholders in rural and urban sites. Regulatory frameworks are available in each country. Mobile consulting services are operating through provider platforms (

conclusionsThere are indications of readiness for mobile consulting in communities with minimal resources. However, wider system strengthening is needed to bolster referrals, specialist services, laboratories and supply chains to fully realise the continuity of care and responsiveness that mobile consulting services offer, particularly during/beyond coronavirus disease 2019.

Indexed as

Digital healthhealthcare serviceshealth systemslow- and middle-income countriesmHealthmixed methodsmobile consultingmobile phoneremote rural areasurban slums

Identifiers

PMID34777849
PMCPMC8580492
OpenAlexW3194250126

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

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.