A Model for Assessing Sustainability of mHealth Systems in Developing Countries: A Case Study of Kenya Health Sector
Year: 2025
Type: article
Abstract: Numerous efforts have been mooted in the attempt to exploit the potential in mHealth towards addressing and tackling the growing global disease burden.A survey of literature indicates that a significant number of mHealth projects in developing countries fail the sustainability test, a measure that evaluates the ability of a solution to continuously meet the primary objective.This study sought to develop a model for evaluating the sustainability of mHealth systems.By adopting the exploratory research design; proposed parameters for evaluating sustainability of mHealth system are identified through review of various categories of literatures: evaluation models, mHealth sustainability evaluation models, mHealth experiences in developing countries.Using these factors, a conceptual model is formulated and statistically validated using Partial Least Squares, a component of Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM) found in the SmartPLS software.The outcome of the study revealed that sustainability of mHealth systems in developing countries is influenced by nine factors; Management Factors -Ownership, Technological Factors -System Quality, System Interoperability, Technology Sustainability, System Relevance, System Scalability and Individual Factors -User Support, System Access and User satisfaction.The nine factors explained 58.2% of the variance in the sustainability of mHealth system.Ownership, User support, Technology Sustainability and User Satisfaction had the stronger influence on Sustainability of mHealth.The factors explained 13.25%, 11.09%, 8.7% and 7.01% of the variance respectively.Management factor (ownership) was found to have the greatest influence on sustainability of mHealth in developing countries.An evaluation score matrix is also proposed.
Language: English
Subfield: General Health Professions
Field: Health Professions
Domain: Health Sciences
Open Access status: bronze
OpenAlex ID: W4410467921