Access to health information through access enabling technologies

Research summary

INDEHELA-Access aims to continue from INDEHELA-ICI 2011-2013 health informatics curricula development efforts and HI pilot courses in south curricula. Informatics Development for Health in Africa – network consists of Universidade Eduardo Mondlane UEM in Mozambique, Abofemi Awolowo University in Nigeria, Cape Peninsula University of Technology in South Africa and University of Eastern Finland and Savonia University of Applied Sciences. Our joint interest in INDEHELA-Access is in how to make health information accessible also to populations in recourse restricted areas in a format most interesting and user-friendly yet affordable and sustainable.

Description

Mobile technology is one of the options to share health information. Also other solutions are being looked at in our network, including strengthening through HI education the role of health care professionals and especially the role of "intermediaries" in areas where literacy and multitude of local languages might be a barrier to transfer information for various target groups. INDEHELA-Access is active in 1) student and teacher exchanges 2) development and implementation of a joint intensive course on access enabling technologies and solutions 3) joint dissemination events, where also outcomes and results of previous INDEHELA- projects can be shared. The next big event to exchange experiences and to learn from other partners with similar interests will be HELINA conference in Accra, Ghana 7.-11.2. 2015 where Dissemination event 2 is planned to take place.

Research info

Research title
Access to health information through access enabling technologies

Research timeline
1.6.2014 - 1.12.2015

Keywords
access to information curriculum development health informatics health informatics curriculum development health information healthcare healthICT heathcare technolgy HI HI education ICT

Region
Africa

Countries
Finland, Mozambique, Nigeria, South Africa

Institution
University of Eastern Finland
School of Computing
Kuopio, Finland

Head of research
Prof Kaija Saranto

Research team
Prof Kaija Saranto UEF, Vilma Vainikainen UEF, Dr Pirkko Kouri SUAS, Prof Emilio Mosse UEM, Prof Retha deLaHarpe CPUT, Prof Omoloa Irinoye OAU

Partners
University of Eastern Finland Department of Social and Health Management and School of Computing, Savonia University of Applied Science Unit of Health care, Universidade Eduardo Mondlane Maputo Mozambique, Cape Peninsula University of Technology Cape Town South Africa, Obafemi Awolowo University Ile-Ife, Nigeria

Contact information
Vilma Vainikainen
+358403552393
vilma.vainikainen@uef.fi
Open link

Record last updated
30.1.2015