mHealth

Case Study - STOMP

Taghreed Justinia, PhD
Regional Director IT Services & Health Informatics
Asst. Prof. of Health Informatics
KSAU-HS, NGHA
Direct Line: +966 122245811 / Assistant: +966 122245812
Ext: 45811 / 45812 / 45813
Email: JustiniaT@ngha.med.sa

Definition of mHealth

The term "mHealth stands for mobile-based or mobile-enhanced

solutions that deliver health. The ubiquity of mobile devices in the
developed or developing world presents the opportunity to
improve health outcomes through the delivery of innovative
medical and health services with information and communication
technologies to the farthest reaches of the globe. - The mHealth
Alliance
"Mobile Health (mHealth) is an area of electronic health (eHealth)
and it is the provision of health services and information via
mobile technologies such as mobile phones and Personal Digital
Assistants (PDAs). - World Health Organization (WHO)
www.who.int/goe/mobile_health/en/

mHealth

Video

Why mobile technology may well define

the future of healthcare for everyone.

What is mHealth?

mHealth

MOBILE TECHNOLOGY
HEALTH PROMOTION

mHealth

Mobile Phone Health Promotion

Shift from using large equipment to hand-held devices

Mobile phones and smart phones offer greater reach to
populations isolated from health promotion
Allow constant access to users
Reinforce messages users received in a clinic
Remind patients to take medications
Offer detailed directions on how/when to find services

Future:
Link phones to face-to-face clinic-based services
Video delivery
mHealth

Case Study: STOMP

STop Over Mobile Phone (STOMP)

Mobile based health promotion for smoking cessation
1,700 smokers with mobile phones in New Zealand
Participants asked to set a quit date
Receive 5 messages each day before quit date
Incentives: On quit day receive 1 month free outgoing
SMS
Facilitate support: Communicate intensions to quit
with friends/family
Follow up: for 4 weeks after quit date, continue to
receive 5 messages each day
mHealth

Case Study: STOMP

Distraction from cravings: organising multiple
messaging opportunities gives users something to
do with their hands
Quit buddies: people with similar characteristics
and quit dates
Library: tips on craving management
Polls: sent to participants on a certain topic
Quizzes: on health and smoking issues
Tailoring: messages tapered off tailored to
individual user stages of quitting

mHealth

Results: STOMP

Of those enrolled 33% quit as opposed to 13% in

control group

New Zealand branded the program nationally as:

Txt2Quit

In the United States: Kick Buts

Program is being tested in other countries

mHealth

UNIQUE ETHICAL
CONSIDERATIONS

mHealth

Issues to Consider

Inequitable access to advanced options on mobile

devices.

Still expensive for some people especially in poor

countries.

We still do not have good evidence that smart

phones are in use among audiences we should
reach.
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Questions?

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References

Bull, S. (2011). Technology-Based Health Promotion.

London: Sage.

Hannah, K. J., Ball, M. J., & Edwards, M. J. A.

(2010). Introduction to Nursing Informatics (3rd ed.).
New York: Springer.

Useful site:

NHS Solutions for Public Health

http://www.sph.nhs.uk/what-we-do/public-healthworkforce/resources
mHealth

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