scholarly journals Including Hard-to-Access Populations Using Mobile Phone Surveys and Participatory Indicators

2017 ◽  
Vol 49 (1) ◽  
pp. 133-160 ◽  
Author(s):  
Pamina Firchow ◽  
Roger Mac Ginty
Keyword(s):  
Mobile Phone ◽  
Design Process ◽  
Mobile Phones ◽  
Low Income ◽  
Survey Design ◽  
Low Income Countries ◽  
Research Project ◽  
Ongoing Research ◽  
Methodological Rigor ◽  
Phone Survey

One of the main obstacles for survey researchers—especially those conducting surveys in difficult contexts such as postconflict areas—is accessing respondents. In order to address this problem, this article draws on an ongoing research project to reflect on the utility of mobile phones to connect with hard-to-access populations in conflict affected, low-income countries. It considers the strengths and weaknesses of a number of different mobile phone survey modes. The article goes a step further and discusses how (potential) survey respondents can be included in the survey design process thereby increasing the relevance of the research to them and hopefully encouraging them to participate. We conclude by considering the issue of “good enough” methodologies, or the need to balance methodological rigor with an understanding of the exigencies of suboptimal research contexts.

scholarly journals Using Facebook Ad Data to Track the Global Digital Gender Gap

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Masoomali Fatehkia ◽  
Ridhi Kashyap ◽  
Ingmar Weber
Keyword(s):  
Mobile Phone ◽  
Gender Gap ◽  
Low Income ◽  
Low Income Countries ◽  
Gender Gaps ◽  
Mobile Access ◽  
Country Level ◽  
Highly Correlated ◽  
And Gender ◽  
Official Data

Gender equality in access to the internet and mobile phones has become increasingly recognised as a development goal. Monitoring progress towards this goal however is challenging due to the limited availability of gender-disaggregated data, particularly in low-income countries. In this data sparse context, we examine the potential of a source of digital trace `big data' -- Facebook's advertisement audience estimates -- that provides aggregate data on Facebook users by demographic characteristics covering the platform's over 2 billion users to measure and `nowcast' digital gender gaps. We generate a unique country-level dataset combining `online' indicators of Facebook users by gender, age and device type, `offline' indicators related to a country's overall development and gender gaps, and official data on gender gaps in internet and mobile access where available. Using this dataset, we predict internet and mobile phone gender gaps from official data using online indicators, as well as online and offline indicators. We find that the online Facebook gender gap indicators are highly correlated with official statistics on internet and mobile phone gender gaps. For internet gender gaps, models using Facebook data do better than those using offline indicators alone. Models combining online and offline variables however have the highest predictive power. Our approach demonstrates the feasibility of using Facebook data for real-time tracking of digital gender gaps. It enables us to improve geographical coverage for an important development indicator, with the biggest gains made for low-income countries for which existing data are most limited.

scholarly journals Mobile Health for All: Public-Private Partnerships Can Create a New Mental Health Landscape

2016 ◽  
Vol 3 (2) ◽  
pp. e26 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dror Ben-Zeev
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Mental Illness ◽  
Severe Mental Illness ◽  
Mobile Phone ◽  
Mobile Phones ◽  
Mobile Technology ◽  
Low Income ◽  
Mental Health Problems ◽  
Assistance Program ◽  
The U.S

Research has already demonstrated that different mHealth approaches are feasible, acceptable, and clinically promising for people with mental health problems. With a robust evidence base just over the horizon, now is the time for policy makers, researchers, and the private sector to partner in preparation for the near future. The Lifeline Assistance Program is a useful model to draw from. Created in 1985 by the U.S. Federal Communications Commission (FCC), Lifeline is a nationwide program designed to help eligible low-income individuals obtain home phone and landline services so they can pursue employment, reach help in case of emergency, and access social services and healthcare. In 2005, recognizing the broad shift towards mobile technology and mobile-cellular infrastructure, the FCC expanded the program to include mobile phones and data plans. The FCC provides a base level of federal support, but individual states are responsible for regional implementation, including engagement of commercial mobile phone carriers. Given the high rates of disability and poverty among people with severe mental illness, many are eligible to benefit from Lifeline and research has shown that a large proportion does in fact use this program to obtain a mobile phone and data plan. In the singular area of mobile phone use, the gap between people with severe mental illness and the general population in the U.S. is vanishing. Strategic multi-partner programs will be able to grant access to mHealth for mental health programs to those who will not be able to afford them—arguably, the people who need them the most. Mobile technology manufacturing costs are dropping. Soon all mobile phones in the marketplace, including the more inexpensive devices that are made available through subsidy programs, will have “smart” capabilities (ie, internet connectivity and the capacity to host apps). Programs like Lifeline could be expanded to include mHealth resources that capitalize on “smart” functions, such as secure/encrypted clinical texting programs and mental health monitoring and illness-management apps. Mobile phone hardware and software development companies could be engaged to add mHealth programs as a standard component in the suite of tools that come installed on their mobile phones; thus, in addition to navigation apps, media players, and games, the new Android or iPhone could come with guided relaxation videos, medication reminder systems, and evidence-based self-monitoring and self-management tools. Telecommunication companies could be encouraged to offer mHealth options with their data plans. Operating system updates pushed out by the mobile carrier companies could come with optional mHealth applications for those who elect to download them. In the same manner in which the Lifeline Assistance Program has helped increase access to fundamental opportunities to so many low-income individuals, innovative multi-partner programs have the potential to put mHealth for mental health resources in the hands of millions in the years ahead.

“Premierløytnant Bielke”

2011 ◽  
pp. 117-133
Author(s):  
Jo Dugstad Wake ◽  
Rune Baggetun
Keyword(s):  
Mobile Phone ◽  
Design Process ◽  
Mobile Phones ◽  
Computer Games ◽  
Teaching And Learning ◽  
Research Interest ◽  
Mobile Location ◽  
Mobile Phone Technology ◽  
Learning History ◽  
The Subject

Developments in mobile phone technology, together with an increased research interest in utilizing computer games to facilitate teaching and learning, are an important catalyst for the emergence of the area of mobile, location-based computer games in schools. This article describes both the design process and an evaluation of Premierløytnant Bielke, a mobile, location-based game for teaching and learning history using mobile phones. We argue that by using the surroundings and milieu that are local to the students in a playful context, we can support the construction of meaning related to the subject of history in a way that is both engaging and worthwhile.

Is (the study of) mobile phones old wine in a new bottle? A polemic on communication-based acculturation research

2015 ◽  
Vol 28 (4) ◽  
pp. 806-824 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rajiv George Aricat
Keyword(s):  
Mobile Phone ◽  
Mobile Phones ◽  
Qualitative Interviews ◽  
Work Productivity ◽  
Snowball Sampling ◽  
Research Project ◽  
Labor Migrants ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Mobile Phone Usage ◽  
Mobile Phone Communication

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.

Ownership and use of mobile phone and utilization of maternal health services in India

2020 ◽  
Vol 30 (Supplement_5) ◽  
Author(s):  
S Gunamany ◽  
M Subramanyam
Keyword(s):  
Mobile Phone ◽  
Mobile Phones ◽  
Low Income ◽  
Institutional Delivery ◽  
Household Survey ◽  
Premature Death ◽  
Maternal Health Services ◽  
The Internet ◽  
Socioeconomic Indicators ◽  
Social Scientists

Abstract Despite decades of maternal and child health programming, neonatal disorders, undernutrition, and iron deficiency, feature in the top ten causes of premature death or disability in India. With the increasing use of mobile phones, mobile health (mHealth) programs have been implemented to promote MCH services. As no study has examined the role of Indian women's ownership/access to mobile phones on their healthcare utilization, we assess whether ownership and use of mobile phones are associated with the utilization of antenatal care (ANC) and institutional delivery services in India. We analyzed data from a nationally representative household survey from India. Our analytic sample was 12047 women with data on mobile phone ownership. Mobile phone ownership and use (access to internet, texting facility) were the exposure variables. The outcome variables were having at least four ANC visits(ideal) and an institutional delivery. Survey-adjusted logistic regression models adjusted for women's autonomy, socioeconomic indicators, and access to mass media were fit. The unadjusted odds of having an ideal ANC were higher (OR = 1.5; CI = 1.35-1.62) among those who owned a mobile phone versus not. After adjustment for all covariates, mobile phone ownership was not associated with both outcomes. Women with access to the internet had higher odds (OR = 9.24; CI = 6.51-13.2.)of reporting an institutional delivery and of receiving an ideal ANC(OR = 2.99;CI=2.40-3.73). In the fully adjusted model, access to the internet was positively associated with having an institutional delivery (OR = 2.85; CI = 2.82-1.31) whereas ideal ANC was not(OR = 1.7;p=0.07). mHealth interventions targeting women in India, especially the rural, low-income subgroup, are unlikely to be effective unless simultaneous efforts are made to increase access to, and autonomy in, mobile phone use. The need to partner with social scientists during intervention design/implementation as well as other policy-relevant implications are discussed. Key messages Explains why it is important to address the disparities and barriers in the use of mobile phones before designing and implementing various mHealth interventions. Why is it important to include social scientists during designing and implementation of various technology-based interventions well as other policy-relevant implications are discussed.

scholarly journals Enrollment without Learning: Teacher Effort, Knowledge, and Skill in Primary Schools in Africa

2017 ◽  
Vol 31 (4) ◽  
pp. 185-204 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tessa Bold ◽  
Deon Filmer ◽  
Gayle Martin ◽  
Ezequiel Molina ◽  
Brian Stacy ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Teacher Quality ◽  
Low Income ◽  
Primary Schools ◽  
School Enrollment ◽  
Low Income Countries ◽  
African Countries ◽  
Ongoing Research ◽  
Direct Observations ◽  
Teacher Effort ◽  
Sub Saharan

School enrollment has universally increased over the last 25 years in low-income countries. Enrolling in school, however, does not assure that children learn. A large share of children in low-income countries complete their primary education lacking even basic reading, writing, and arithmetic skills. Teacher quality is a key determinant of student learning, but not much is known about teacher quality in low-income countries. This paper discusses an ongoing research program intended to help fill this void. We use data collected through direct observations, unannounced visits, and tests from primary schools in seven sub-Saharan African countries to answer three questions: How much do teachers teach? What do teachers know? How well do teachers teach?

scholarly journals Mobile Money and School Participation: Evidence from Africa

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Valentina Rotondi ◽  
Francesco C. Billari
Keyword(s):  
Mobile Phones ◽  
Low Income ◽  
Empirical Models ◽  
Low Income Countries ◽  
School Age ◽  
African Countries ◽  
Mobile Money ◽  
School Participation ◽  
Using Data ◽  
To Receive

AbstractThis paper shows that mobile money technology—an electronic wallet service that allows users to deposit, transfer, and receive money using their mobile phones—is positively correlated with increased school participation of children in school age. By using data from 4 African countries, we argue that, by reducing transaction costs, and by making it easier and less expensive to receive remittances, mobile money reduces the need for coping strategies that are detrimental to child development, such as withdrawing children from school and sending them to work. We find that mobile money increases the chances of children attending school. This finding is robust to different empirical models. In a nutshell, our results show that 1 million children could start attending school in low-income countries if mobile money was available to all.

scholarly journals Using Mobile Phone Data Collection Tool, Surveda, for Noncommunicable Disease Surveillance in Five Low- and Middle-income Countries

2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Yang Song ◽  
Rachael Phadnis ◽  
Jennifer Favaloro ◽  
Juliette Lee ◽  
Charles Q. Lau ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Data Collection ◽  
Mobile Phone ◽  
Web Application ◽  
Interactive Voice Response ◽  
Survey Design ◽  
Noncommunicable Disease ◽  
Mobile Phone Data ◽  
Data Collection Methods ◽  
Phone Survey ◽  
Collection Methods

Objectives: The Noncommunicable Disease (NCD) Mobile Phone Survey, a component of the Bloomberg Philanthropies Data for Health Initiative, determines the prevalence of NCDs and their associated risk factors and demonstrates the use of mobile phone administered surveys to supplement periodic national household surveys. The NCD Mobile Phone Survey uses Surveda to administer the survey; Surveda is an open source, multi-modal software specifically developed for the project. The objective of the paper is to describe Surveda, review data collection methods used in participating countries and discuss how Surveda and similar approaches can improve public health surveillance. Methods: Surveda features full-service survey design and implementation through a web application and collects data via Short Messaging Service (SMS), Interactive Voice Response (IVR) or mobile web. Surveda’s survey design process employs five steps: creating a project, creating questionnaires, designing and starting a survey, monitoring survey progress, and exporting survey results. Results: The NCD Mobile Phone Survey has been successfully conducted in five countries, Zambia (2017), Philippines (2018), Morocco (2019), Malawi (2019), and Sri Lanka (2019), with a total of 23,682 interviews completed. Discussion: This approach to data collection demonstrates that mobile phone surveys can supplement face-to-face data collection methods. Furthermore, Surveda offers major advantages including automated mode-switch, question randomization and comparison features. Conclusion: Accurate and timely survey data informs a country’s abilities to make targeted policy decisions while prioritizing limited resources. The high acceptance of Surveda demonstrates that the use of mobile phones for surveillance can deliver accurate and timely data collection.

"Premierløytnant Bielke"

2009 ◽  
Vol 1 (4) ◽  
pp. 12-28 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jo Dugstad Wake ◽  
Rune Baggetun
Keyword(s):  
Mobile Phone ◽  
Design Process ◽  
Mobile Phones ◽  
Computer Games ◽  
Teaching And Learning ◽  
Research Interest ◽  
Mobile Location ◽  
Mobile Phone Technology ◽  
Learning History ◽  
The Subject

Developments in mobile phone technology, together with an increased research interest in utilizing computer games to facilitate teaching and learning, are an important catalyst for the emergence of the area of mobile, location-based computer games in schools. This article describes both the design process and an evaluation of Premierløytnant Bielke, a mobile, location-based game for teaching and learning history using mobile phones. We argue that by using the surroundings and milieu that are local to the students in a playful context, we can support the construction of meaning related to the subject of history in a way that is both engaging and worthwhile.

Friendship to Kinship

2020 ◽  
pp. 171-192
Author(s):  
Anbumathi Rajendiran ◽  
Sriram Dorai
Keyword(s):  
Empirical Study ◽  
Mobile Phone ◽  
Mobile Phones ◽  
Survey Design ◽  
Brand Personality ◽  
Brand Engagement ◽  
Literature Reviews ◽  
Brand Involvement ◽  
Brand Evangelism

This chapter explains the effect of brand engagement on brand evangelism in an Indian context. It explores the motives that drive fans in brand engagement that leads to brand evangelism behavior. A nomological model is developed based on literature reviews and authors tested empirically using a survey design for two mobile phone brands. Results of the empirical study reinforces the role of brand engagement as a significant influencer of brand evangelism. Additionally, brand involvement, brand personality and self-brand connect are the constructs elucidating brand engagement, whereas brand interactivity has a direct effect on brand evangelism. Conceptual model tested among users of premium and value brand of mobile phones enlightens that customers of premium brand demonstrate stronger brand engagement and evangelism intent.

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