ArticleInternational journal of environmental research and public health2022
An Audit and Survey of Informal Use of Instant Messaging for Dermatology in District Hospitals in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa.
Article in International journal of environmental research and public health, 2022. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 6 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.
What it found
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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.
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Who cites it
6 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it, 10 citations in OpenAlex.
- Auditing the Audits: A Systematic Review on Different Procedures in Telemedicine.International journal of environmental research and public health · 2023Pooled it
- Healthcare workers' and managers' uses of mobile phone messaging applications (apps) in their daily work in South Africa: a survey.Oxford open digital health · 2026Article
- Teledermatology: Canadian dermatologists' practice patterns, perceived challenges, and future recommendations.Dermatology reports · 2025Article
- Towards 'Formalising' WhatsApp Teledermatology Practice in KZ-N District Hospitals: Key Informant Interviews.International journal of environmental research and public health · 2024Article
- Avoidant Restrictive Food Intake Disorder: A Narrative Review of Types and Characteristics of Therapeutic Interventions.Children (Basel, Switzerland) · 2023Review
- A Survey of Telemedicine Use by Doctors in District Hospitals in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa.International journal of environmental research and public health · 2022Article
Corrections and comments
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Authors and funding
3 authors at 3 institutions in 3 countries.
Funding
Abstract
backgroundIn KwaZulu-Natal (KZ-N), South Africa, recent reports have indicated that spontaneous use of smartphones has occurred, providing access to specialist dermatological care to remote areas. This informal use has raised a number of practical, legal, regulatory, and ethical concerns.
aimTo assess the nature and content of WhatsApp messages sent to dermatologists, to determine the referring doctors' reasons for, and satisfaction with, their interactions, as well as their knowledge of legal, regulatory, and ethical requirements.
methodsA retrospective study of WhatsApp messages between referring doctors and dermatologists, as well as a cross-sectional survey of doctors working at district hospitals in KZ-N who used IM for teledermatology.
resultsUse of IM (primarily WhatsApp) for teledermatology was almost universal, but often not considered 'telemedicine'. Few referring doctors were aware of South Africa's ethical guidelines and their requirements, and few of those who did followed them, e.g., the stipulated and onerous consent process and existing privacy and security legislations. No secure methods for record keeping or data storage of WhatsApp content were used. A desire to formalize the service existed.
conclusionsBased upon these findings, it was proposed that a number of described steps be followed in order to formalize the use of IM for teledermatology.
Indexed as
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Registered trials
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.