Using Mobile Phones to Improve Vaccination Uptake in 21 Low- and Middle-Income Countries: Systematic Review

Oliver-Williams, Clare; Brown, Elizabeth; Devereux, Sara; Fairhead, Cassandra; Holeman, Isaac

doi:10.2196/mhealth.7792

Cited by 86Vaccine Coverage and HesitancyMobile Health and mHealth ApplicationsHealth, Technology, Consumer Behavior

Using Mobile Phones to Improve Vaccination Uptake in 21 Low- and Middle-Income Countries: Systematic Review

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Oliver-Williams, Clare, Brown, Elizabeth, Devereux, Sara, Fairhead, Cassandra, Holeman, Isaac·2017·JMIR mHealth and uHealth

DOI 10.2196/mhealth.7792PMC PMC5647459

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Abstract

BACKGROUND: The benefits of vaccination have been comprehensively proven; however, disparities in coverage persist because of poor health system management, limited resources, and parental knowledge and attitudes. Evidence suggests that health interventions that engage local parties in communication strategies improve vaccination uptake. As mobile technology is widely used to improve health communication, mobile health (mHealth) interventions might be used to increase coverage. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to conduct a systematic review of the available literature on the use of mHealth to improve vaccination in low- and middle-income countries with large numbers of unvaccinated children. METHODS: In February 2017, MEDLINE (Medical Literature Analysis and Retrieval System Online), Scopus, and Web of Science, as well as three health organization websites-Communication Initiative Network, TechNet-21, and PATH-were searched to identify mHealth intervention studies on vaccination uptake in 21 countries. RESULTS: Ten peer-reviewed studies and 11 studies from white or gray literature were included. Nine took place in India, three in Pakistan, two each in Malawi and Nigeria, and one each in Bangladesh, Zambia, Zimbabwe, and Kenya. Ten peer-reviewed studies and 7 white or gray studies demonstrated improved vaccination uptake after interventions, including appointment reminders, mobile phone apps, and prerecorded messages. CONCLUSIONS: Although the potential for mHealth interventions to improve vaccination coverage seems clear, the evidence for such interventions is not. The dearth of studies in countries facing the greatest barriers to immunization impedes the prospects for evidence-based policy and practice in these settings.

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A positive attitude to PNC services has been recognised as a key factor in the uptake of services.
“Furthermore, a positive attitude to PNC services has been recognised as a key factor in the uptake of services [46–48].”
From mHealth communication to strengthen postnatal care in rural areas: a systematic review (2019) · cites this paper as [48]

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Additional file 3 of Implementation fidelity and acceptability of an intervention to improve vaccination uptake and child health in rural India: a mixed methods evaluation of a pilot cluster randomized controlled trial
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Additional file 1 of SMS-based interventions for improving child and adolescent vaccine coverage and timeliness: a systematic review
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Additional file 4 of Implementation fidelity and acceptability of an intervention to improve vaccination uptake and child health in rural India: a mixed methods evaluation of a pilot cluster randomized controlled trial
Pérez, M. C., Chandra, D., Koné, G. K., Singh, R., Ridde, V., Sylvestre, M., Seth, A., & Johri, M. (2020) · Figshare · doi:10.6084/m9.figshare.13070809
Additional file 2 of An overview of reviews on strategies to reduce health inequalities
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Additional file 1 of Implementation fidelity and acceptability of an intervention to improve vaccination uptake and child health in rural India: a mixed methods evaluation of a pilot cluster randomized controlled trial
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Additional file 5 of Implementation fidelity and acceptability of an intervention to improve vaccination uptake and child health in rural India: a mixed methods evaluation of a pilot cluster randomized controlled trial
Pérez, M. C., Chandra, D., Koné, G. K., Singh, R., Ridde, V., Sylvestre, M., Seth, A., & Johri, M. (2020) · Figshare · doi:10.6084/m9.figshare.13070812
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Authors: Oliver-Williams, C., Brown, E., Devereux, S., Fairhead, C., & Holeman, I.
Affiliations: University of Cambridge (GB)
ORCID: Oliver-Williams, Clare
Brown, Elizabeth
Devereux, Sara
Fairhead, Cassandra
Holeman, Isaac
Venue: JMIR mHealth and uHealth
Publisher: JMIR Publications Inc.
Published: 2017-10-04
Volume: 5
Issue: 10
Pages: e148
ISSN: 2291-5222 (ISSN-L)
DOI: 10.2196/mhealth.7792
PMC: PMC5647459
OpenAlex: W2761126871
Cited by: 86
References: 24
Citations by year: 2026: 7 · 2025: 9 · 2024: 5 · 2023: 11 · 2022: 6 · 2021: 12 · 2020: 22 · 2019: 9 · 2018: 5
FWCI: 1.70
Type: journal article
Language: en
Open access: gold
doi.org
Licence: cc-by
Locations: JMIR mhealth and uhealth (publishedVersion, cc-by)
Europe PMC (PubMed Central) (publishedVersion, cc-by)
PubMed Central (publishedVersion, cc-by)
PubMed (publishedVersion)
DOAJ (DOAJ: Directory of Open Access Journals) (submittedVersion, cc-by-sa)
Funders: British Heart Foundation
Medical Research Council
Topics: Social Sciences › Health › Vaccine Coverage and Hesitancy
Health Sciences › Health Professions › General Health Professions › Mobile Health and mHealth Applications
Health Sciences › Health Professions › Health Information Management › Health, Technology, Consumer Behavior
Keywords: mobile health, vaccine uptake, vaccination coverage, low- and middle-income countries, appointment reminders, mobile phone app, health communication, childhood immunization, parental knowledge and attitudes

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Using Mobile Phones to Improve Vaccination Uptake in 21 Low- and Middle-Income Countries: Systematic Review

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