Application of Information and Communication Technology for Scaling up Youth Sexual and Reproductive Health
Abstract
The pervasive presence of the internet and the commonality of mobile devices for communication technology have changed modalities for information exchange. Recent developments in information and communication technology (ICT) have specific implications regarding dissemination of information among youth, as exemplified by the Arab spring. The opportunity of those emerging technologies should be seized upon. ICT platforms should be used to scale-up policies and programmes that promote the sexual and reproductive health of youth due to their low cost, increased access to remote populations, better efficiency and improved flexibility for programming. Successful models should be identified through programme evaluation. (Afr J Reprod Health 2012 (Special Edition); 16[2]: 197-205).
Résumé
L’omniprésence de l’internet et la popularité des appareils mobiles pour la technologie de communication ont changé les modalités pour l’échange d’informations. Les développements récents dans la technologie de l’information (TIC) ont des implications spécifiques en matière de diffusion de l’information chez les jeunes, comme en témoigne le printemps arabe. Ces technologies émergentes devraient être utilisées bien plus souvent en vue des possibilités qu’elles offrent. Les plates-formes TIC devraient être utilisées pour intensifier le développement des et des programmes qui favorisent la santé sexuelle et de reproduction des jeunes en raison de leur faible coût, un accès accru aux populations les plus isolées, une meilleure efficacité et une flexibilité améliorée pour la programmation. Les modèles réussis devraient être identifiés à travers l’évaluation des programmes (Afr J Reprod Health 2012 (Special Edition); 16[2]: 197-205).
Keywords: Adolescent; Public-private partnerships; Health promotion; Community mobilization; Text messaging; Communications media
Full Text:
PDFReferences
World Health Organization. Young people’s health – a challenge for society. Report of a WHO Study Group on Young People and “Health for All by the
Year 2000”. WHO Technical Report Series,
Number 731. Geneva, Switzerland: World Health Organization, 1986; 105-113.
Mechael P, Batavia H, Kaonga N, Searle S, Kwan A, Goldberger A et al. Barriers and gaps affecting mHealth in low and middle income countries. Center for Global Health and Economic
Development, Earth Institute and mHealth Alliance. New York: Columbia University, 2010; 7, 13, 56.
Management Sciences for Health. The use of information and communication technology in family planning, reproductive health and other health programs: a review of trends and evidence. AIDSTAR-Two. Washington DC: USAID, 2011; 6, 27.
VODACOM. Where we are. http://www.vodacom.com/av_wwa_where.php (accessed on 18 February 2012).
International Telecommunication Union. Yearbook of statistics – telecommunication/ICT indicators 20012010. 37th edition. Geneva: International Telecommunication Union, 2011.
Novartis Foundation. M-health: using mobile technology to advance public health in the developing world. London: Novartis Foundation, 2011.
CDC Foundation. PEPFAR public-private partnerships.
http://www.cdcfoundation.org/PEPFAR (accessed on 18 February 2012)
La Rue F. Promotion and protection of the right to freedom of opinion and expression. Sixty-sixth session of the United Nations General Assembly. Document A/66/290. New York: United Nations, 2011.
La Rue F. Statement of the Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of the right to freedom of opinion and expression, Frank La Rue, as he concludes his visit to Algeria. 17 April 2011. Geneva: Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, 2011.
Wesleyan Facebook. “I have sex”: stand with Planned Parenthood.
http://www.facebook.com/WesleyanUncut?sk=info (accessed on 18 February 2012).
Wesleyan Connection. Planned Parenthood awards students for “I have sex” video. 13 April 2011. Middletown, CT: Wesleyan University, 2011. http://newsletter.blogs.wesleyan.edu/2011/04/13/pla nned-parenthood-awards-students-for-i-have-sexvideo (accessed on 18 February 2012).
Levine D, McCright J, Dobkin L, Woodruff AJ, Klausner JD. SEXINFO: A sexual health text messaging service for San Francisco youth. Am J Public Health 2008; 98:393‐395.
Menon‐Johansson AS, McNaught F, Mandalia S et al. Texting decreases the time to treatment for genital Chlamydia trachomatis infection. Sex Transm Infect 2006; 82:49‐51.
Family Health International. Mobile technology: text messages for better reproductive health. 2012. http://www.fhi360.org/en/Research/Projects/Progres s/GTL/mobile_tech.htm (accessed on 15 March
.
Danis CM, Ellis JB, Kellogg WA et al. Mobile phones for health education in the developing world: SMS as a user interface. ACM DEV10, January 2011.
Bontempo J. Mining the data exhaust: extracting behavior change evidence from text messages for male circumcision in Tanzania. November 2011. http://www.k4health.org/system/files/Jhpiego%20B onTempo%20Mining%20the%20data%20exhaust.p df (Accessed on 18 February 2012).
Giridharadas A. Africa’s gift to Silicon Valley: how to track a crisis. New York Times, 14 March 2010, page WK3.
UNAIDS. Young people to write new UNAIDS strategy on youth and HIV. 25 October 2011. Geneva: UNAIDS, 2011.
Salgado AM, Cheetham N. The sexual and reproductive health of youth: a global snapshot. Washington DC:
Advocates for Youth, 2003.
Lucas H. Information and communications technologies for future health systems in developing countries. Soc Sci Med 2008;66:2122-32.
Reporters without Borders. Beset by online surveillance and content filtering, netizens fight on. 12 March 2012. http://en.rsf.org/beset-by-online-surveillanceand-12-03-2012,42061.html (accessed on 13 March 2012).
World Health Organization. mHealth – new horizons for health through mobile technologies. Geneva: World Health Organization, 2011; 2, 21, 66, 71.
Curioso WH, Mechael PN. Enhancing ‘m-health’ with south-to-south collaborations. Health Affairs 2010 (Supplement);29:264-7.
Refbacks
- There are currently no refbacks.