scholarly journals Access and Use of Mobile Phone in Daily Life Activities by Rural Women of Gilgit-Baltistan, Pakistan

2020 ◽  
Vol 2020 ◽  
pp. 1-11
Author(s):  
Sabit Rahim ◽  
Sadruddin Bahadur Qutoshi ◽  
Syeda Abida ◽  
Faqeer Muhammad ◽  
Imtiaz Hussain

This study aims to investigate the access to a mobile phone, usage pattern, and its impact on mountainous rural women of two districts, i.e., Hunza and Nagar districts of Gilgit-Baltistan, Pakistan. To attain the objective of the research, the researchers have employed various statistic methods, and data were collected through a questionnaire from 190 respondents in the study area (200 respondents were selected). Initially, Kaiser–Meyer–Olkin (KMO) and Bartlett’s tests were used for sampling adequacy, and factor analysis technique was used to explain correlations among multiple outcomes. The results revealed that 80% of women in the Hunza and Nagar districts own mobile phones (access) and 63% have good skills of mobile phone usage for a variety of purposes. Moreover, 56.4% of women use mobile phones in their daily life activities; however, 23.6% disagreed with the statements. On the contrary, the results show that 71.8% women use mobile phones for security purposes. Therefore, the study recommends that effective use of the mobile phone in daily activities of mountainous rural women can be one of the effective strategies to boost their confidence level and feeling of security. Finally, socioeconomic development of the area is possible by providing technical skills related to mobile phone business to the unskilled women of the two districts.

2018 ◽  
Vol 35 (4) ◽  
pp. 564-574 ◽  
Author(s):  
Benjamin Yao Folitse ◽  
Seth Awuku Manteaw ◽  
Lucy Payne Dzandu ◽  
Grace Obeng-Koranteng ◽  
Stephen Bekoe

This paper makes the firm assumption that the effective use of ICT tools such as the mobile phone may hold the key to introducing the needed dynamism and efficiency in agricultural extension delivery in Ghana. It therefore seeks to examine the dynamics of the use of mobile phone among poultry farmers in the Greater Accra Region of Ghana. One hundred and fifty poultry farmers selected from the Greater Accra Region were interviewed using structured questionnaires. The study showed a high penetration of mobile phones among the poultry farmers. A regression analysis showed that demographic variables such as age, sex, educational level, experience and size of holdings influenced the use of mobile phone. Network failure was cited as the major constraint to the use of mobile phones. There is the need for the required investment to build a more robust infrastructural base for the use of mobile phone as it remains a critical tool to supporting agricultural extension delivery among Ghanaian farmers.


2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Leona Cilar ◽  
Lucija Gosak ◽  
Amanda Briggs ◽  
Klavdija Čuček Trifkovič ◽  
Tracy McClelland ◽  
...  

BACKGROUND Dementia is a general term for various disorders characterized by memory impairment and loss of at least one cognitive domain. People with dementia are faced with different difficulties in their daily life activities (DLA). With the use of modern technologies, such as mobile phone apps – often called health apps, their difficulties can be alleviated. OBJECTIVE The aim of this paper was to systematically search, analyze and synthetize mobile phone apps designed to support people with mild dementia in daily life activities in two apps bases: Apple App Store and Google Play Store. METHODS A search was conducted in May 2019 following PRISMA recommendations. Results were analyzed and displayed as tables and graphs. Results were synthetized using thematic analysis which was conducted from 14 components, based on human needs for categorized nursing activities. Mobile phone apps were assessed for quality using the System Usability Scale. RESULTS A total of 15 mobile phone apps were identified applying inclusion and exclusion criteria. Five major themes were identified with thematic analysis: multi-component DLA, communication and feelings, recreation, eating and drinking, and movement. Most of the apps (73%) of the apps were not mentioned in scientific literature. CONCLUSIONS There are many mobile phone apps available in mobile phone markets for the support for people with mild dementia; yet only a few of them are focused on challenges in daily life activities. Most of the available apps were not evaluated nor assessed for quality.


2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yao Jie Xie ◽  
Daphne SK Cheung ◽  
Alice Y Loke ◽  
Bernice L Nogueira ◽  
Karry M Liu ◽  
...  

BACKGROUND No study has comprehensively investigated the association between the usage of typical screen-based electronic media devices and sleep quality in a Chinese population with individuals in a wide range of ages. OBJECTIVE This study aimed to understand the characteristics of television (TV) viewing, computer usage, and mobile phone usage in a representative Chinese population in Macau and to examine their roles in predicting the variations in sleep quality. METHODS This cross-sectional study was an analysis of 1500 Macau residents aged 15 to 90 years based on a community-based health needs assessment study entitled, “Healthy Living, Longer Lives.” Data collection was conducted in 7 districts of Macau from 2017 to 2018 through face-to-face interviews. The durations of daily TV viewing, computer usage, and mobile phone usage were recorded in a self-administered questionnaire. The Chinese version of the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) was used to assess the sleep quality. RESULTS The prevalence of TV, computer, and mobile phone usage was 78.4% (1176/1500), 51.6% (769/1490), and 85.5% (1276/1492), respectively. The average daily hours of usage were 1.75 (1.62), 1.53 (2.26), and 2.85 (2.47) hours, respectively. Females spent more time watching TV (<i>P</i>=.03) and using mobile phones (<i>P</i>=.02) and less time on the computer (<i>P</i>=.04) as compared to males. Older adults were more likely to watch TV while young people spent more time using the computer and mobile phones (<i>P</i> for all trends&lt;.001). The mean PSQI global score was 4.79 (2.80) among the participants. Females exhibited significantly higher PSQI scores than males (5.04 vs 4.49, respectively; <i>P</i>&lt;.001). No linear association was observed between the PSQI score and the amount of time spent on the 3 electronic devices (<i>P</i>=.58 for PSQI-TV, <i>P</i>=.05 for PSQI-computer, and <i>P</i>=.52 for PSQI-mobile phone). Curve estimation showed significant quadratic curvilinear associations in PSQI-TV (<i>P</i>=.003) and PSQI-computer (<i>P</i>&lt;.001) among all the participants and in PSQI-mobile phone among youths (age, 15-24 years; <i>P</i>=.04). After adjustment of the gender, age, body mass index, demographics, and lifestyle factors, more than 3 hours of TV viewing and 4 hours of computer usage or mobile phone usage was associated with 85% (95% CI 1.04-1.87; <i>P</i>=.008), 72% (95% CI 1.01-2.92; <i>P</i>=.045), and 53% (95% CI 1.06-2.22; <i>P</i>=.03) greater odds of having poor sleep quality (PSQI score&gt;5), respectively. CONCLUSIONS The mobile phone was the most popular screen-based electronic device used in the Macau population, especially among young people. “J” shape associations were observed between sleep quality and the duration of TV viewing, computer usage, and mobile phone usage, indicating that the extreme use of screen-based electronic devices predicted poorer sleep status, whereas moderate use would be acceptable.


Author(s):  
Angelo Levis ◽  
Laura Masiero ◽  
Paolo Orio ◽  
Susan Biggin ◽  
Spiridione Garbisa

Uncertainty about the association between health risks and exposure to radiofrequency radiation emitted by cellular and cordless mobile phones can be addressed by a critical analysis of the methodology used in studies assessing this relationship. Studies funded by cellphone companies give reassuring conclusions but are affected by biases and flaws, whereas public-funded studies are without these errors and show acute and chronic effects, including head tumors, findings supported by biological evidence.


2020 ◽  
Vol 2020 ◽  
pp. 1-8
Author(s):  
Netsanet Fentahun ◽  
Elisabeth Alemu

Background. In developing countries, dietary diversity is a challenge for rural communities especially pregnancy and lactation. Malnourished mothers are unable to combat disease and feed adequate nutrients to their children, and this will in turn affect the socioeconomic development of the country. To date, there is paucity of evidence regarding predictors of dietary diversity among lactating mothers in developing countries. The main objective of this study was to determine the extent and predictors of dietary diversity among lactating mothers in Lay Gayint District, Amhara Region, Ethiopia. Methods. A community-based cross-sectional study design was employed on 416 systematically selected lactating mothers from March 1–30, 2018. The data were collected using pretested interviews. Data were entered and analyzed using SPSS version 21 software. Bivariable and multivariable logistic regression models were used to determine the predictors of dietary diversity. Odds ratio with 95% confidence interval and p ≤ 0.05 were used to test the association. Result. A total of 268 (65.7%) lactating mothers had inadequate dietary diversity. Adequate dietary diversity was significantly associated with mobile phone usage (OR: 2.3; 95% CI: 1.15–4.55); practice of home gardening (OR: 4.1; 95% CI: 1.71–9.87); pulses production (OR: 4.8; 95% CI: 2.50–9.32); delivery in health center (OR: 4.7; 95% CI: 1.80–12.25); food secured household (OR: 2.4; 95% CI: 1.25–4.62); three meals per day within the previous seven days (OR: 11.12; 95% CI: 2.74–45.24); and practice of income generating activity (OR: 4.00; 95% CI: 2–8.33). Conclusion. Meal frequency, home gardening practices, pulses production, delivery at health center, practice of income generating activity, food insecurity, and mobile phone usage had significant association with dietary diversity. Therefore, concerned bodies should design multidimensional livelihood and health service programs to alleviate inadequate dietary diversity.


Author(s):  
Daniel C. Doolan ◽  
Sabin Tabirca ◽  
Laurence T. Yang

Ever since the discovery of the Mandelbrot set, the use of computers to visualise fractal images have been an essential component. We are looking at the dawn of a new age, the age of ubiquitous computing. With many countries having near 100% mobile phone usage, there is clearly a potentially huge computation resource becoming available. In the past years there have been a few applications developed to generate fractal images on mobile phones. This chapter discusses three possible methodologies whereby such images can be visualised on mobile devices. These methods include: the generation of an image on a phone, the use of a server to generate the image and finally the use of a network of phones to distribute the processing task.


2020 ◽  
Vol 41 (S1) ◽  
pp. s346-s346
Author(s):  
Evelyn Sanchez ◽  
Lauro Perdigão-Neto ◽  
Sânia Alves dos Santos ◽  
Camila Rizek ◽  
Maria Renata Gomez ◽  
...  

Background: The introduction of new technologies into the medical field has the duality of improvement and concerns about correct usage and cleaning. Mobile phones are used by healthcare professionals (HCPs) in the work place, and there is not an official policy about their use in health environment. Methods: We asked 60 intensive care unit (ICU) HCPs from 2 units (the burn unit and the internal medicine unit) to participate in an electronic survey about mobile phone usage and hand hygiene compliance; we also cultured the hands and mobile phones of the participants. Unfortunately, 13 HCPs did not participate. Susceptibility testing of the strains was conducted, as well as molecular testing. Results: Overall, 47 HCPs responded to the inquiry: 19% were nurses (9 of 47), 19% were resident physicians (9 of 47), 17% were nursery technicians (8 of 47), 17% were physiotherapists (8 of 47), 13% were cleaning staff (6 of 47), 11% were consultants (5 of 47), and 4% were technicians (2 of 47). Moreover, 26 of 47 participants (55%) were woman and 21 (45%) were men. From all HCP categories, 39 of 47 respondents (83%) reported that they had optimal hand hygiene compliance. However, 92% of respondents had a colonized hand and 90% had a colonized mobile phone. Also, 44 of 47 HCPs (94%) reported that the took their personal mobile phone into the workplace; 40 (85%) reported that they used it during the work day and 35 (74%) reported that they cleaned it. However, 8 HCPs (26%) reported that they had never cleaned the device. All of the HCPs understood that mobile phones can harbor bacteria, and 27 of 47 HCPs (57.45%) indicated that they use 70% alcohol to clean their mobile phones. In contrast, the first choice for hand hygiene was water and soap in 51% of HCPs (24 of 47). Also, 3 HCPs did not have any colonization in the hand culture but had healthcare-associated infection (HAI) pathogens in the mobile phone culture. Conclusions: A policy regarding mobile phone usage in the healthcare setting should be in place, and cleaning of electronic devices in hospitals should be standardized.Funding: NoneDisclosures: NoneFunding: NoneDisclosures: None


2015 ◽  
Vol 28 (4) ◽  
pp. 806-824 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rajiv George Aricat

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to critically analyze the discourses on migrant acculturation and migrants’ mobile phone communication, in order to examine the inclusiveness of communication-acculturation research in the recent years. Design/methodology/approach – The paper draws on from 102 qualitative interviews (48 Malayali, 26 Bangla, 17 Tamil and 11 Telugu) for a larger research project that investigated the role of mobile phones in migrant acculturation in Singapore. Respondents were selected using a combination of purposive and snowball sampling methods. The respondents had been in Singapore for varying amount of time: from one month to 19 years. Findings – The analysis of the discourses on migrant acculturation and mobile phone communication revealed that labor migrants were excluded on the basis of their temporary status and apprehensions on work productivity. The mobile usage prohibitions that existed in work sites were hinged on similar discourses that stereotyped the labor migrants. The emancipatory metaphor that has been at the center of research on migrants’ mobile phone usage and acculturation needs to be replaced with a critical discourse perspective. Research limitations/implications – The data were originally collected for a research project that approached the phenomena of acculturation and mobile phone appropriation from a positivist perspective, whereas this paper analyzed the data to critically examine the discourses that supported the premise of the project itself. Due to this, the findings presented in this paper have limited scope for generalization. Originality/value – The paper critiques the research trends in migrant acculturation and mobile phone communication and suggests a possible alternative that goes beyond the “transcendental teleology” that underpins discourse and practice.


2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (1) ◽  
pp. 115-132
Author(s):  
Olabisi Olapoju

Mobile phone use among university students is now pervasively altering their social interaction with others. The study investigated the influence of mobile phone use among commuting University Students on their interaction with co-travellers and the environment through which they travel. Three hundred students of Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Nigeria were purposively sampled to respond to a 10-minute questionnaire. The questionnaire contained questions such as ownership of mobile phones, type and number of phones owned, frequency of usage and the influence of mobile phone usage during transit on interaction between the students and their co-travelers and with the environment they traveled through. Results showed that all the respondents possessed at least one mobile phone. In addition, results revealed a negative correlation between time of use of mobile phone and interaction with co-travelers (α=0.05, r= -0.039) and no significant correlation between length of use of mobile phone and interaction with the environment (α=0.05, r=0.079). The study established that mobile phone intrusiveness has an influence on students' interaction during commuting.


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