Health-related practice themes, descriptions and illustrative data extracts
| Theme | Description | Illustrative data extracts |
|---|---|---|
| Reliance on centrally regulated diagnosis and treatment practices, like those in the mHealth app | RHCWs already rely on SOPs similar to those in the proposed mHealth app for diagnosis and treatment of patients in rural health centres | “The SOP is used to diagnose illnesses, treat or refer the patient to a doctor” (Developer 3) |
| “we were using the paper-format before they brought an app for sending to State and federal directly” (RHCW4) | ||
| Reliance on informal PG-driven diagnosis and treatment practices, which are not represented in the mHealth app | PGs circumvent RHCWs and SOPs like those in the mHealth app to buy medicine directly from pharmacists | “I visit the pharmacy to get some medications I use at home before I take the person to the clinics” (PG3) |
| “If my child is sick I buy drugs that I feel is going to cure my child” (PG6) | ||
| “Observed (1) Parents contact peers for treatment advice, (2) Parents often times buy drugs/medicine from pharmacies without prescription” (Note/Obs.) | ||
| Reliance on informal traditional healer-driven diagnosis and treatment practices, which are not represented in the mHealth app | PGs use traditional healing practices to treat sicknesses, e.g. drinking liquid from boiled mango leafs to treat various stomach ailments | “Sometimes when we have no money we make use of herbal methods of treatment within our village” (PG7) |
| “Parents do make use of traditional healing methods for treatment” (RHCW7) | ||
| Reliance on informal and clustered communication practices, which are not represented in the mHealth app | PGs and RHCWs rely on informal communication channels between these groups, rather than communication with urban centres | “[RHCWs] do not refer to us and we do not write back to them even if their referrals will come in a secret way” (Developer 5) |
| “We are not even in talking terms with [RHCWs]” (Developer 6) |
| Theme | Description | Illustrative data extracts |
|---|---|---|
| Reliance on centrally regulated diagnosis and treatment practices, like those in the mHealth app | RHCWs already rely on SOPs similar to those in the proposed mHealth app for diagnosis and treatment of patients in rural health centres | “The SOP is used to diagnose illnesses, treat or refer the patient to a doctor” (Developer 3) |
| “we were using the paper-format before they brought an app for sending to State and federal directly” (RHCW4) | ||
| Reliance on informal PG-driven diagnosis and treatment practices, which are not represented in the mHealth app | PGs circumvent RHCWs and SOPs like those in the mHealth app to buy medicine directly from pharmacists | “I visit the pharmacy to get some medications I use at home before I take the person to the clinics” (PG3) |
| “If my child is sick I buy drugs that I feel is going to cure my child” (PG6) | ||
| “Observed (1) Parents contact peers for treatment advice, (2) Parents often times buy drugs/medicine from pharmacies without prescription” (Note/Obs.) | ||
| Reliance on informal traditional healer-driven diagnosis and treatment practices, which are not represented in the mHealth app | PGs use traditional healing practices to treat sicknesses, e.g. drinking liquid from boiled mango leafs to treat various stomach ailments | “Sometimes when we have no money we make use of herbal methods of treatment within our village” (PG7) |
| “Parents do make use of traditional healing methods for treatment” (RHCW7) | ||
| Reliance on informal and clustered communication practices, which are not represented in the mHealth app | PGs and RHCWs rely on informal communication channels between these groups, rather than communication with urban centres | “[RHCWs] do not refer to us and we do not write back to them even if their referrals will come in a secret way” (Developer 5) |
| “We are not even in talking terms with [RHCWs]” (Developer 6) |
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