Browsing by Subject "Mobile phones"

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    Open Access
    How refugees in South Africa use mobile phones for social connectedness
    (2021) Vuningoma, Sarah; Chigona, Wallace; Lorini, Maria Rosa
    Background: Refugees find it difficult to integrate and assimilate in their host country because of a myriad of challenges. Mobile phones have become one of the main tools for promoting their wellbeing and supporting the integration of refugee communities on the margins of society. Mobile phones can contribute towards reducing isolation and loneliness, and assist in improving interpersonal relations and fostering processes of assimilation. The purpose of the research: The main objective of this study was to examine how the use of mobile phones by refugees in South Africa contributes to their social connectedness. To this end, the study discusses the role of mobile phones in the process of acculturation, in creating a sense of belonging, and in maintaining relationships. Design/methodology/approach: This research employed a qualitative method and an interpretivist epistemological perspective. A conceptual framework was developed on the basis of a literature review. Data was collected from semi-structured interviews and WhatsApp group chats, and analysed using thematic analysis. The interviewees comprised 27 refugees living in South Africa, and the WhatsApp group had 15 members. Findings: The findings demonstrate that the refugees face a multitude of obstacles, including language and culture barriers, the challenge of obtaining legal status, physical separation from their friends and family, and feelings of being judged, insecure, and excluded. Mobile phone usage offers refugees several benefits, especially through their affordances that include accessing information, pursuing economic and institutional opportunities, enabling communication, and developing linguistic and cultural knowledge of the host country. At the same time, mobile phones enable refugees to maintain connection with their country of origin. Refugees nevertheless considered it difficult to develop a sense of belonging through their use of mobile phones. Research contribution: This study adds to perspectives on utilising mobile phones to achieve social connectedness for two categories of refugees: newcomers and old-timers. The study contributes to theory by proposing a framework for understanding and analysing the relationship between social connectedness and mobile phones. The study contributes to knowledge through the investigative approach of using WhatsApp group chat to collect data. The findings can contribute to enabling non-profit organisations and UNHCR to develop strategies and processes for providing interventions for refugees.
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    Open Access
    Investigating mobile graphic-based reminders to support compliance of tuberculosis treatment
    (2017) Haji, Haji Ali; Rivett, Ulrike; Suleman, Hussein
    The phenomenon of rapid increment of the mobile phones can be utilized through supporting patients, such as those who have tuberculosis, for treatment adherence. This utilization will enable these patients to directly communicate their needs and requirements or receive health information such as reminder messages from healthcare facilities. However, the current mobile interventions, such as text messaging and speech reminder systems have limited use for people with low literacy levels. To overcome these challenges, this study proposed that the mobile graphic-based reminders be used to support tuberculosis patients to improve compliance with treatment regimens, especially for semi-literate and illiterate patients. A review of the literature and initial investigation study were carried out. The findings from the review were useful in understanding both the current practice of tuberculosis treatment regimens and the patients' needs and requirements. These findings, in addition, were referred in the choices of the components of the mobile graphic-based reminders to be implemented. A visual aid for communication theory was applied to the design and development of graphic-based reminder prototypes. An application prototype was implemented for the Android platform. Experiments were conducted to investigate the effects of an application prototype in supporting tuberculosis treatment. To measure the effect, the recovery rate was measured based on the effect of: (1) the graphic-based reminder group versus the control group; and (2) the graphic-based reminder group versus the speech-based reminder group. Data was collected using application event logs, interviews, field notes and audio recordings. It was found that treatment adherence of patients in the graphic-based group was higher than in the speech-based or in the control groups. It was further noted that the number of reminder responses in the graphic-based group was higher than in the speech-based group. Additionally, it was observed that patients in the graphic-based group responded sooner after receiving reminder messages compared to those in the speech-based group. The qualitative feedback also indicated that most patients not only found graphic-based reminders more useful to supporting their treatment than speech-based reminders and traditional care but believed that the application met their needs. This study provides empirical evidence that graphic-based reminders, designed for and based on patients' needs and requirements, can support the treatment of tuberculosis for patients of all literacy levels.