Performance of Health Workers Using an Electronic Algorithm for the Management of Childhood Illness in Tanzania: A Pilot Implementation Study.

In low-resource settings, where qualified health workers (HWs) are scarce and childhood mortality high, rational antimicrobial prescription for childhood illnesses is a challenge. To assess whether smartphones running guidelines, as compared with paper support, improve consultation process and rational use of medicines for children, a pilot cluster-randomized controlled study was conducted in Tanzania. Nine primary health-care facilities (HFs) were randomized into three arms: 1) paper algorithm, 2) electronic algorithm on a smartphone, and 3) control.

A practical field guide to conducting nursing research in low- and middle-income countries.

Objectives: The purpose of this report is to offer practical guidance to nurse investigators interested in international research in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). Lessons learned and strategies for planning and implementing an international research project are addressed.

Methods: Four nurse researchers who conducted studies in diverse international settings (Argentina, India, South Africa, and Tanzania) describe their collective experiences regarding study planning and implementation; data collection using a variety of methods; and cultural, contextual and ethical considerations.

Evaluation of a pictograph enhancement system for patient instruction: a recall study.

Objective: We developed a novel computer application called Glyph that automatically converts text to sets of illustrations using natural language processing and computer graphics techniques to provide high quality pictographs for health communication. In this study, we evaluated the ability of the Glyph system to illustrate a set of actual patient instructions, and tested patient recall of the original and Glyph illustrated instructions.

Methods: We used Glyph to illustrate 49 patient instructions representing 10 different discharge templates from the University of Utah Cardiology Service.

Crucial issues in think aloud techniques for cross cultural studies.

Implementing user-centered design (UCD) principles and conducting usability testing is especially critical in projects where developers do not originate from the deployed environment. However, traditional usability testing techniques in cross-cultural settings can be problematic and may produce unexpected results. Measures should be taken to identify and mitigate any cultural factors that may influence UCD testing and deployment .