SynthesisPloS one2024
The effect of mHealth on childhood vaccination in Africa: A systematic review and meta-analysis.
Synthesis in PloS one, 2024. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 12 papers, 2 of them syntheses that pooled 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.
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.
Who cites it
12 citing papers in PubMed, 2 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 14 citations in OpenAlex.
- Health communication strategies to address parental vaccine hesitancy regarding childhood vaccination in Nigeria: a systematic review.Frontiers in public health · 2026Pooled it
- Pooled it
- The effect of mHealth on childhood vaccination and its associated factors among South Ethiopian mothers: a cluster randomized controlled trial.Scientific reports · 2025Trial
- Pediatrics 4.0: the Transformative Impacts of the Latest Industrial Revolution on Pediatrics.Health care analysis : HCA : journal of health philosophy and policy · 2026Article
- Review
- Effect of mHealth on Postpartum Family Planning and Its Associated Factors Among Women in South Ethiopia: A Cluster-Randomized Controlled Trial.Journal of clinical medicine · 2025Article
- Multilevel Analysis of Zero-Dose Children in Sub-Saharan Africa: A Three Delays Model Study.Vaccines · 2025Article
- Can unvaccinated children be reached through mobile phones? Analyses of national cross-sectional surveys from 70 countries.Journal of global health · 2025Article
- Three in four children age 12-23 months missed opportunities for vaccination in Sub-Saharan African countries: a multilevel mixed effect analysis of demographic health and surveys 2016-2023.BMC public health · 2025Article
- Mobile health interventions on vaccination coverage among children under 5 years of age in Low and Middle-Income countries; a scoping review.Frontiers in public health · 2025Article
- Access to mobile phone, socio-economic equity and maternal and child healthcare utilization in Rwanda: analysis of demographic and health surveys.Oxford open digital health · 2025Article
- Review
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
5 authors at 2 institutions in 2 countries.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
introductionVaccine-preventable diseases are the public health problems in Africa, although vaccination is an available, safe, simple, and effective method prevention. Technologies such as mHealth may provide maternal access to health information and support decisions on childhood vaccination. Many studies on the role of mHealth in vaccination decisions have been conducted in Africa, but the evidence needs to provide conclusive information to support mHealth introduction. This study provides essential information to assist planning and policy decisions regarding the use of mHealth for childhood vaccination.
methodsWe conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis for studies applying mHealth in Africa for vaccination decisions following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic and Meta-Analysis [PRISMA] guideline. Databases such as CINAHL, EMBASE, PubMed, PsycINFO, Scopus, Web of Science, Google Scholar, Global Health, HINARI, and Cochrane Library were included. We screened studies in Endnote X20 and performed the analysis using Revman 5.4.1.
resultsThe database search yielded 1,365 articles [14 RCTs and 4 quasi-experiments] with 21,070 participants satisfied all eligibility criteria. The meta-analysis showed that mHealth has an OR of 2.15 [95% CI: 1.70-2.72; P<0.001; I2 = 90%] on vaccination rates. The subgroup analysis showed that regional differences cause heterogeneity. Funnel plots and Harbord tests showed the absence of publication bias, while the GRADE scale showed a moderate-quality body of evidence.
conclusionAlthough heterogeneous, this systematic review and meta-analysis showed that the application of mHealth could potentially improve childhood vaccination in Africa. It increased childhood vaccination by more than double [2.15 times] among children whose mothers are motivated by mHealth services. MHealth is more effective in less developed regions and when an additional incentive party with the messaging system. However, it can be provided at a comparably low cost based on the development level of regions and can be established as a routine service in Africa. REGISTRATION: PROSPERO: CRD42023415956.
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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.