Text-Messaging in Africa

2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ana Deumert
Keyword(s):  
Mobile Phones ◽  
Technology Use ◽  
Text Messaging ◽  
Social Inequalities ◽  
Instant Messaging ◽  
Text Messages ◽  
African Languages ◽  
Pan African ◽  
Message Service ◽  
Local Meaning

The concept of Africa requires reflection: what does it mean to study a social phenomenon “in Africa”? Technology use in Africa is complex and diverse, showing various degrees of access across the continent (and in the Diaspora, and digital social inequalities—which are part and parcel of the political economy of communication—shape digital engagement. The rise of mobile phones, in particular, has enabled the emergence of technologically mediated literacies, text-messaging among them. Text-messaging is defined not only by a particular mode of communication (typically written on mobile phones, visual, digital), but it also favors particular topics (intimate, relational, sociable, ludic) and ways of writing (short, non-standard texts that are creative as well as multilingual). The genre of text-messaging thus includes not only short message service (SMS) and (mobile) instant-messaging (which one might call prototypical one-to-one text messages), but also Twitter, an application that, like texting, favors brevity of expression and allows for one-to-many conversations. Access to Twitter is still limited for many Africans, but as ownership of smartphones is growing, so is Twitter use, and the African “Twittersphere” is emerging as an important pan-African space. At times, discussions are very local (as on Ghanaian Twitter), at other times regional (East African Twitter) or global (African Twitter and Black Twitter); all these are emic, folksonomic terms, assigned and discussed by users. Although former colonial languages, especially English, dominate in many prototypical text messages and on Twitter, the genre also provides important opportunities for writing in African languages. The choices made in the digital space echo the well-known debate between Chinua Achebe and Ngũgĩ wa Thiong’o: the Africanization of the former colonial languages versus writing in African languages. In addition, digital writers engage in multilingual writing, combining diverse languages in one text, and thus offer new ways of writing locally as well as shaping a digitally-mediated pan-African voice that draws on global strategies as well as local meaning.

scholarly journals Preliminary needs assessment of mobile technology use for healthcare among homeless veterans

2014 ◽  
Author(s):  
D Keith McInnes ◽  
Gemmae M Fix ◽  
Jeffrey L Solomon ◽  
Beth Ann Petrakis ◽  
Leon Sawh ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mobile Phone ◽  
Mobile Phones ◽  
Technology Use ◽  
Text Messaging ◽  
Text Messages ◽  
It Use ◽  
Homeless Veterans ◽  
Healthcare Needs ◽  
Phone Calls ◽  
Health Related

BACKGROUND: Homeless veterans have complex healthcare needs, but experience many barriers to treatment engagement. While information technologies (IT), especially mobile phones, are used to engage patients in care, little is known about homeless veterans’ IT use. This study examines homeless veterans’ access to and use of IT, attitudes toward health-related IT use, and barriers to IT in the context of homelessness. METHODS: Qualitative interviews were conducted with 30 homeless veterans in different housing programs in Boston, MA. Inductive thematic analysis was used. RESULTS: Most participants (90%) had a mobile phone and were receptive to IT use for health-related communications. A common difficulty communicating with providers was the lack of a stable mailing address. Some participants were using mobile phones to stay in touch with providers. Participants felt mobile-phone calls or text messages could be used to remind patients of appointments, prescription refills, medication taking, and returning for laboratory results. Mobile phone text messaging was seen as convenient, helped participants stay organized because necessary information was saved in text messages. Some reported concerns about the costs associated with mobile phone use (calls and texting), the potential to be annoyed by too many text messages, and not knowing how to use text messaging. CONCLUSION: Homeless veterans use IT and welcome its use for health-related purposes. Technology-assisted outreach among this population may lead to improved engagement in care.

scholarly journals Preliminary needs assessment of mobile technology use for healthcare among homeless veterans

2014 ◽  
Author(s):  
D Keith McInnes ◽  
Gemmae M Fix ◽  
Jeffrey L Solomon ◽  
Beth Ann Petrakis ◽  
Leon Sawh ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mobile Phone ◽  
Mobile Phones ◽  
Technology Use ◽  
Text Messaging ◽  
Text Messages ◽  
It Use ◽  
Homeless Veterans ◽  
Healthcare Needs ◽  
Phone Calls ◽  
Health Related

BACKGROUND: Homeless veterans have complex healthcare needs, but experience many barriers to treatment engagement. While information technologies (IT), especially mobile phones, are used to engage patients in care, little is known about homeless veterans’ IT use. This study examines homeless veterans’ access to and use of IT, attitudes toward health-related IT use, and barriers to IT in the context of homelessness. METHODS: Qualitative interviews were conducted with 30 homeless veterans in different housing programs in Boston, MA. Inductive thematic analysis was used. RESULTS: Most participants (90%) had a mobile phone and were receptive to IT use for health-related communications. A common difficulty communicating with providers was the lack of a stable mailing address. Some participants were using mobile phones to stay in touch with providers. Participants felt mobile-phone calls or text messages could be used to remind patients of appointments, prescription refills, medication taking, and returning for laboratory results. Mobile phone text messaging was seen as convenient, helped participants stay organized because necessary information was saved in text messages. Some reported concerns about the costs associated with mobile phone use (calls and texting), the potential to be annoyed by too many text messages, and not knowing how to use text messaging. CONCLUSION: Homeless veterans use IT and welcome its use for health-related purposes. Technology-assisted outreach among this population may lead to improved engagement in care.

A Technology Intervention Perspective of Mobile Marketing

2009 ◽  
pp. 279-288
Author(s):  
Dennis Lee ◽  
Ralf Muhlberger
Keyword(s):  
Mobile Phone ◽  
Mobile Phones ◽  
Instant Messaging ◽  
Personal Communication ◽  
Text Messages ◽  
Mobile Marketing ◽  
Message Service ◽  
Communication Devices ◽  
Technology Intervention ◽  
Teenagers And Young Adults

In the last decade, the explosive growth and adoption of mobile phones has become commonplace in our everyday lives (Haghirian, Madlberger, & Tanuskova, 2005). In 1997, there were only 215 million people worldwide who used mobile phones as communication devices (Bauer, Barnes, Reichardt, & Neumann, 2005). Today, it is estimated that 2 billion people own a mobile phone worldwide and this number makes up a third of the entire human population (Wireless Intelligence, 2005). Mobile phones are no longer thought of as mere personal communication tools (Cheong & Park, 2005; Ito & Okabe, 2005). They have become a fashion symbol for teenagers and young adults (Katz & Sugiyama, 2005). Personalised ring tones, colours, display logos and accessories are individualised accordingly to suit individuals’ preferences (Bauer, Barnes, Reichardt, & Neumann, 2005). Furthermore, mobile phones are no longer just a platform for voice calls and sending and receiving text messages such as short messaging service (SMS). Photos, pictures and video clips can be attached as a multimedia message service (MMS) for communication purposes too (Okazaki, 2005a). With the recent introduction of 3G mobile technology, mobile phone users are able to perform more activities via their 3G enabled phone sets. They are able to browse the Internet fairly quickly, access online banking, play video games wirelessly, watch television programs, check for weather forecasts, allow instant messaging, and perform live video-conferencing (Okazaki, 2005b).

Communication technology use and study skills

2017 ◽  
Vol 18 (3) ◽  
pp. 257-270 ◽  
Author(s):  
Penny Thompson
Keyword(s):  
Online Social Networks ◽  
Technology Use ◽  
Study Skills ◽  
Text Messaging ◽  
Instant Messaging ◽  
Negative Relationship ◽  
Communication Technologies ◽  
Study Strategies ◽  
Learning And Study Strategies ◽  
The Relationship

Research suggests a negative relationship between frequent use of communication technologies, such as text messaging and social network sites, and academic performance, but the nature of the relationship needs to be explored in greater detail. This study explored the relationship between use of communication technologies and self-reported study skills. A total of 74 first-year university students completed the online Learning and Study Strategies Inventory and reported on how frequently they used text messaging, instant messaging, and online social networks such as Facebook. Correlation analysis indicated a negative relationship between frequency of communications technology use and the Learning and Study Strategies Inventory measure of Concentration. While the study does not prove a causal relationship, it provides more detail on the specific study skills challenges students may be facing when they interrupt their studying with frequent online social communication. This increased understanding can help educators tailor study skills interventions and support more directly to students’ needs.

scholarly journals Improving Retention in Care and Promoting Adherence to HIV Treatment: Protocol for a Multisite Randomized Controlled Trial of Mobile Phone Text Messaging (Preprint)

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Elvis Asangbeng Tanue ◽  
Dickson Shey Nsagha ◽  
Nana Njamen Theophile ◽  
Jules Clement Nguedia Assob
Keyword(s):  
Health Care ◽  
Health Outcomes ◽  
Mobile Phones ◽  
Text Messaging ◽  
Care Delivery ◽  
Retention In Care ◽  
Hiv Treatment ◽  
Text Messages ◽  
Adherence To Treatment ◽  
Randomized Controlled

BACKGROUND The World Health Organization has prioritized the use of new technologies to assist in health care delivery in resource-limited settings. Findings suggest that the use of SMS on mobile phones is an advantageous application in health care delivery, especially in communities with an increasing use of this device. OBJECTIVE The main aim of this trial is to assess whether sending weekly motivational text messages (SMS) through mobile phones versus no text messaging will improve retention in care and promote adherence to treatment and health outcomes among patients receiving HIV treatment in Fako Division of Cameroon. METHODS This is a multisite randomized controlled single-blinded trial. Computer-generated random block sizes shall be used to produce a randomization list. Participants shall be randomly allocated into the intervention and control groups determined by serially numbered sealed opaque envelopes. The 156 participants will either receive the mobile phone text message or usual standard of care. We hypothesize that sending weekly motivational SMS reminders will produce a change in behavior to enhance retention; treatment adherence; and, hence, health outcomes. Participants shall be evaluated and data collected at baseline and then at 2, 4, and 6 months after the launch of the intervention. Text messages shall be sent out, and the delivery will be recorded. Primary outcome measures are retention in care and adherence to treatment. Secondary outcomes are clinical (weight, body mass index), biological (virologic suppression, tuberculosis coinfection), quality of life, treatment discontinuation, and mortality. The analysis shall be by intention-to-treat. Analysis of covariates shall be performed to determine factors influencing outcomes. RESULTS Recruitment and random allocation are complete; 160 participants were allocated into 3 groups (52 in the single SMS, 55 in the double SMS, and 53 in the control). Data collection and analysis are ongoing, and statistical results will be available by the end of August 2019. CONCLUSIONS The interventions will contribute to an improved understanding of which intervention types can be feasible in improving retention in care and promoting adherence to antiretroviral therapy. CLINICALTRIAL Pan African Clinical Trial Registry in South Africa PACTR201802003035922; https://pactr.samrc.ac.za/TrialDisplay.aspx?TrialID=3035 INTERNATIONAL REGISTERED REPORT DERR1-10.2196/15680

African Languages in Information and Communications Technology

2020 ◽  
pp. 948-957
Author(s):  
Kristin Vold Lexander
Keyword(s):  
Social Networking Sites ◽  
Electronic Communication ◽  
Instant Messaging ◽  
Text Messages ◽  
Information And Communications Technology ◽  
Discussion Forums ◽  
Writing Systems ◽  
Digital Revolution ◽  
African Languages ◽  
Social And Economic Development

Africa is experiencing immense growth in the use of information technology (IT). Studies of this “Digital Revolution” have tended to focus on social and economic development issues, while lately also studies on the use of African languages on the Internet and in mobile telephony have emerged. Of particular interest is the use of African languages in written electronic communication: does IT increase the marginalization of African languages or does it create a space for their blossoming? This question will be examined in the chapter, considering the extension and the nature of the use of African languages in communication mediated by IT, like websites and electronic discussion forums, emails, instant messaging, social networking sites, and text messages. The technological dimensions related to writing systems, different efforts aiming at the standardization of keyboards, and the translation of software will also be discussed.

Clients’ preferred methods of obtaining sexually transmissable infection or HIV results from Sydney Sexual Health Centre

Sexual Health ◽  
2013 ◽  
Vol 10 (1) ◽  
pp. 91 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lynne Martin ◽  
Vickie Knight ◽  
Phillip J. Read ◽  
Anna McNulty
Keyword(s):  
Sexual Health ◽  
Text Messaging ◽  
Health Centre ◽  
Text Messages ◽  
Phone Call ◽  
Short Message ◽  
Test Results ◽  
Cross Sectional Survey ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Message Service

Given the documented benefits of using text messaging (short message service; SMS), the internet and email to deliver sexually transmissible infection (STI) test results, including high acceptability among clients, Sydney Sexual Health Centre (SSHC) aimed to identify which methods our clients preferred for receiving their results, using a cross-sectional survey. There was a preference for SMS (32%) for negative STI results, and for SMS (27%), phone call (27%) and in-person (26%) for negative HIV results. An in-person preference was shown for receiving positive STI results (40%) and positive HIV results (56%, P < 0.001). While many clients would prefer to receive STI test results via text messages or phone call, many also still prefer a return visit, with this preference is dependent on the type and nature of the results. Our study suggests that, ideally, several options for obtaining results should be available.

scholarly journals Developing a Text Messaging Risk Reduction Intervention for Methamphetamine-Using MSM: Research Note

2010 ◽  
Vol 4 (1) ◽  
pp. 116-122 ◽  
Author(s):  
Cathy J Reback ◽  
Deborah Ling ◽  
Steven Shoptaw ◽  
Jane Rohde
Keyword(s):  
Focus Groups ◽  
Risk Reduction ◽  
Sexual Behaviors ◽  
Social Networking Sites ◽  
Text Messaging ◽  
Cognitive Theory ◽  
Instant Messaging ◽  
Text Messages ◽  
Community Partners ◽  
Text Messaging Intervention

Men who have sex with men (MSM) who use methamphetamine experience high risks for HIV infection due to sexual transmission behaviors often engaged in when under the influence of methamphetamine. Methamphetamine-using MSM use various forms of information technology (IT) communication such as instant messaging, social networking sites, and websites to facilitate a sexual and/or drug “hook up.” Given the acceptability of IT communication in their daily lives, an IT intervention represents an appropriate strategy to reach and intervene with out-of-treatment, methamphetamine-using MSM. The aim of this study was to conduct formative work to develop a text messaging intervention to reduce methamphetamine use and high-risk sexual behaviors among out-of-treatment MSM, which involved conducting focus groups, community partners’ meetings, and a pre-test intervention. These activities culminated in the development of a two-week, text-messaging intervention that delivered real-time electronic correspondence based on the behavioral change theories of Social Support Theory, Health Belief Model, and Social Cognitive Theory. The focus groups, community meetings, and pre-test were used to identify the IT communication device, the text messages that best support risk reduction and healthier behavioral choices, and logo, flyer and website development. The input and feedback from the target population and community partners were critical to the successful development of a culturally appropriate intervention. The knowledge gleaned from the formative work of this study will be vitally helpful in designing future IT studies.

scholarly journals “A Gift with Strings Attached”: Parents’ Experiences of Teenagers’ Mobile Phone Text Messaging

2015 ◽  
Vol 7 (1) ◽  
pp. 34-41
Author(s):  
Epiphanie Mukasano ◽  
Catherina J. Schenck ◽  
Hester M van der Merwe
Keyword(s):  
Mobile Phone ◽  
Mobile Phones ◽  
Mobile Technology ◽  
Text Messaging ◽  
Text Messages ◽  
Exploratory Research ◽  
Snowball Sampling ◽  
Open Communication ◽  
Males And Females ◽  
Parents Experiences

While the rapid adoption of mobile technology became global, the rate at which young people adopted it was even bigger. Most studies focussed on the experiences of the teenagers. In this study the aim of the study was to explore parents’ experiences of their teenagers’ text messages. A qualitative exploratory research design was adopted. The population was parents/guardians (males and females) of teenagers (boys and girls) attending high schools in Cape Town South Africa. Available and snowball sampling were used. All participants were recruited in the Southern Suburbs and Cape Flats of the Cape Metropolitan Area. In total 11 parents were interviewed using an interview guideline. The interviews were transcribed, independently coded and thematically analysed. The results show that mobile phones are no ordinary gifts. They are given with strings attached. Once in teenagers’ hands, the devices serve both communication and monitoring purposes. It comes with a set of given or negotiated rules and new expectations. The study also emphasises the importance of a trusting relationship with teenagers, respecting their privacy, and the disengagement process from their parents. The importance of positive relationships and open communication as well as negotiated rules in the management of the mobile phone is recommended.

scholarly journals Combining Real-Time Ratings With Qualitative Interviews to Develop a Smoking Cessation Text Messaging Program for Primary Care Patients (Preprint)

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gina Kruse ◽  
Elyse R Park ◽  
Naysha N Shahid ◽  
Lorien Abroms ◽  
Jessica E Haberer ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Primary Care ◽  
Real Time ◽  
Text Messaging ◽  
Qualitative Interviews ◽  
Text Message ◽  
Intervention Development ◽  
Text Messages ◽  
Behavioral Skills ◽  
Message Service ◽  
Primary Care Patients

BACKGROUND Text messaging (short message service, SMS) interventions show promise as a way to help cigarette smokers quit. Few studies have examined the effectiveness of text messaging (SMS) programs targeting smokers associated with primary care or hospital settings. OBJECTIVE This study aimed to develop a text messaging (SMS) program targeting primary care smokers. METHODS Adult smokers in primary care were recruited from February 2017 to April 2017. We sent patients 10 to 11 draft text messages (SMS) over 2 days and asked them to rate each message in real time. Patients were interviewed daily by telephone to discuss ratings, message preferences, and previous experiences with nicotine replacement therapy (NRT). Content analysis of interviews was directed by a step-wise text messaging (SMS) intervention development process and the Information-Motivation-Behavioral Skills model of medication adherence. RESULTS We sent 149 text messages (SMS) to 15 patients. They replied with ratings for 93% (139/149) of the messages: 134 (96%, 134/139) were rated as clear or useful and 5 (4%, 5/139) as unclear or not useful. Patients’ preferences included the addition of graphics, electronic cigarette (e-cigarette) content, and use of first names. Regarding NRT, patients identified informational gaps around safety and effectiveness, preferred positively framed motivational messages, and needed behavioral skills to dose and dispose of NRT. CONCLUSIONS Patients recommended text message (SMS) personalization, inclusion of e-cigarette information and graphics, and identified barriers to NRT use. Combining real-time ratings with telephone interviews is a feasible method for incorporating primary care patients’ preferences into a behavioral text messaging (SMS) program.

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