Smart phone accessibility and mHealth use in a limited resource setting

Aim: To determine smartphone access and use including future opportunities for mHealth and potential ethical implications among health care professionals practicing at a health care facility in Bengaluru, India. Background: The evolution of smart phones can provide convenient, portable, and rapid access to resources for health care professionals. While mobile phone accessibility has improved in recent years in many low and middle-income countries, the use of smart phones to address health priorities remains limited in some limited resource settings. Design: A quantitative descriptive design was used. Methods: A survey was administered in November of 2016 to nurses and physicians at a tertiary care hospital in India. Results/Findings: All respondents had a mobile phone, and the majority owned a smart phone that was used for text messaging, email, accessing internet, and downloading apps. Participants recommended smart phone use to improve health care provider access to continuing education and to improve patient knowledge about health. Physicians had better access to mHealth resources compared with nurses. Conclusion: Credible, evidence-based, affordable mobile applications are needed to provide a platform for continuing health education to health professionals and patients in India and limited resource settings. Nurses need equitable access to mHealth resources to build successful mHealth initiatives.