Contextual Factors Influencing the Performance of Mobile Services in Monitoring the Delivery of Public Health Services

Abstract

Rationale of Study: This paper established contextual factors affecting the performance of mobile services for monitoring the delivery of public health services in Uganda. Methodology: The study adopted a survey type of descriptive research design. A questionnaire was used to collect data, which were analyzed using crosstabs. The study population included Village Health Team (VHT) members and key informants from selected districts, with a sample size of 368 VHTs, 97 health facilities, and 62 key informants. Findings: The study revealed that user and task characteristics, as well as motivational, physical, technical, social, and organizational factors, all affect the performance of mobile services for monitoring the delivery of public health services. Implications: The study emphasizes the need to consider the specific task requirements and context when designing mobile services to optimize performance. The implication is that developers and implementers of mobile services for monitoring the delivery of public health services in developing countries should consider the unique challenges and constraints of the local context when designing mobile technology to ensure that it is relevant, effective, and appropriate for the specific use case. Originality: The study identified contextual factors that impact the performance of mobile services for monitoring public health services in Uganda. By considering user and task characteristics and motivational, physical, technical, social, and organizational factors, the study recommends designing context-specific solutions to improve health outcomes in developing countries. This research contributes to the existing literature on mHealth and guides practitioners and policymakers working to improve public health services in similar contexts.