Potential of Health Informatics for Improving Maternal Health in Bihar Srishti1,*, Raj Papia2 1Research Scholar 2Assistant Professor, Indian Institute of Technology Patna *Corresponding Author: Ms. Srishti, Public Health Research and Documentation Laboratory, Indian Institute of Technology Patna, Bihar, India Email: srishti.phs15@iitp.ac.in
Online published on 16 March, 2018. Abstract Bihar ranks very low in terms of maternal health indicators mainly due to lack of utilization of maternal care services. Based on an extensive literature review and supported by our fieldwork, we contend that maternal health conditions in Bihar could be improved if health education is disseminated among women. Health informatics tools, such as mobile phones, could be used for channelizing health education and pioneer positive changes. Mobile phones have the ability to assist people anywhere, at any time, and that too at lower cost. Hence, the main objective of this paper is to explore the role of mobile phones as health informatics tool for improving maternal health conditions in Bihar. Using mixed method approach a study was conducted in Patna, the capital city of Bihar. The respondents included both service users, i.e., women, and service providers. The findings reiterated that there is lack of information available to women on maternal health so they have to rely on their immediate family members for suggestions and advice. Service providers also affirmed the crucial role of maternal health education to improve maternal health status and agreed that it could be more effective if generated through media tools, such as, mobile phones. Thus, the study empathizes the importance of mobile phone for propagating maternal health education among women in Bihar. Top Keywords Maternal health, Bihar, health education, health informatics, mHealth. Top |