ArticleBMC digital health2023
Bridging community and clinic through digital health: Community-based adaptation of a mobile phone-based heart failure program for remote communities in Uganda.
Article in BMC digital health, 2023. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 6 papers.
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Who cites it
6 citing papers in PubMed.
- Usability and cultural adaptation of a text message-based tobacco cessation intervention for people living with HIV in Uganda and Zambia.Addiction science & clinical practice · 2025Trial
- Is Digital Healthcare Better Than None? The Digital Health Technology Dilemma in Low-Income Countries.Asian bioethics review · 2026Article
- The social context and environment as targets for heart failure prevention.Heart failure reviews · 2026Review
- User-Centered Diabetes Self-Management App (DiabAid Nexus) in Sub-Saharan Africa: Development and Usability Study.Journal of medical Internet research · 2026Article
- Living lab approaches in rural healthcare: a scoping review.BMJ open · 2026Article
- Rheumatic Heart Disease Burden in Africa and the Need to Build Robust Infrastructure.JACC. Advances · 2024Review
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Authors and funding
12 authors.
Funding
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Abstract
Background: In Uganda, limited healthcare access has created a significant burden for patients living with heart failure. With the increasing use of mobile phones, digital health tools could offer an accessible platform for individualized care support. In 2016, our multi-national team adapted a mobile phone-based program for heart failure self-care to the Ugandan context and found that patients using the system showed improvements in their symptoms and quality of life. With approximately 84% of Ugandans residing in rural communities, the Medly Uganda program can provide greater benefit for communities in rural areas with limited access to care. To support the implementation of this program within rural communities, this study worked in partnership with two remote clinics in Northern Uganda to identify the cultural and service level requirements for the program. Methods: Using the principles from community-based research and user-centered design, we conducted a mixed-methods study composed of 4 participatory consensus cycles, 60 semi-structured interviews (SSI) and 8 iterative co-design meetings at two remote cardiac clinics. Patient surveys were also completed during each SSI to collect data related to cell phone access, community support, and geographic barriers. Qualitative data was analyzed using inductive thematic analysis. The Indigenous method of Results: Five themes were identified. The burden of travel was recognized as the largest barrier for care, as patients were travelling up to 19 km by motorbike for clinic visits. Despite mixed views on traditional medicine, patients often turned to healers due to the cost of medication and transport. With most patients owning a non-smartphone ( Conclusion: The use of a mobile phone-based digital health program can help to reduce the barrier of geography, while empowering remote HF self-care. By leveraging the trusted role of VHTs within the delivery of the program, this will help enable more culturally informed care closer to home. Supplementary Information: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s44247-023-00020-5.
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