Assessing the potential of wearable health monitors for health system strengthening in low- and middle-income countries: a prospective study of technology adoption in Cambodia
1
Issued Date
2022-10-01
Resource Type
ISSN
02681080
eISSN
14602237
Scopus ID
2-s2.0-85138445061
Pubmed ID
35262172
Journal Title
Health Policy and Planning
Volume
37
Issue
8
Start Page
943
End Page
951
Rights Holder(s)
SCOPUS
Bibliographic Citation
Health Policy and Planning Vol.37 No.8 (2022) , 943-951
Suggested Citation
Liverani M., Ir P., Perel P., Khan M., Balabanova D., Wiseman V. Assessing the potential of wearable health monitors for health system strengthening in low- and middle-income countries: a prospective study of technology adoption in Cambodia. Health Policy and Planning Vol.37 No.8 (2022) , 943-951. 951. doi:10.1093/heapol/czac019 Retrieved from: https://repository.li.mahidol.ac.th/handle/123456789/87231
Title
Assessing the potential of wearable health monitors for health system strengthening in low- and middle-income countries: a prospective study of technology adoption in Cambodia
Author(s)
Other Contributor(s)
Abstract
Wearable health monitors are a rapidly evolving technology that may offer new opportunities for strengthening health system responses to cardiovascular and other non-communicable diseases (NCDs) in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). In light of this, we explored opportunities for, and potential challenges to, technology adoption in Cambodia, considering the complexity of contextual factors that may influence product uptake and sustainable health system integration. Data collection for this study involved in-depth interviews with national and international stakeholders and a literature review. The analytical approach was guided by concepts and categories derived from the non-adoption, abandonment, scale-up, spread, and sustainability (NASSS) framework - an evidence-based framework that was developed for studying health technology adoption and the challenges to scale-up, spread and sustainability of such technologies in health service organizations. Three potential applications of health wearables for the prevention and control of NCDs in Cambodia were identified: health promotion, follow-up and monitoring of patients and surveys of NCD risk factors. However, several challenges to technology adoption emerged across the research domains, associated with the intended adopters, the organization of the national health system, the wider infrastructure, the regulatory environment and the technology itself. Our findings indicate that, currently, wearables could be best used to conduct surveys of NCD risk factors in Cambodia and in other LMICs with similar health system profiles. In the future, a more integrated use of wearables to strengthen monitoring and management of patients could be envisaged, although this would require careful consideration of feasibility and organizational issues.