The Development of a Mobile Application to Support Peripheral Health Workers to Diagnose and Treat People with Skin Diseases in Resource-Poor Settings

Tropical Medicine and Infectious Disease

Van Hees, Colette L. M.¹  Taal, Anna T.²  Ndeve, Alcino G. Z.³  Mieras, Liesbeth F.⁴  Post, Erik B.⁵ 

[1] Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.;Challenge TB, KNCV Tuberculosis Foundation, Jakarta 12870, Indonesia;Department of Dermatology, Erasmus Medical Centre, 3000 CA Rotterdam, The Netherlands;Technical Department, Netherlands Leprosy Relief, 1090 HA Amsterdam, The Netherlands;Technical Department, Netherlands Leprosy Relief, Maputo, Mozambique

关键词: skin diseases;    mobile phone application;    NTDs;    dermatology;    mHealth;    leprosy;   

DOI  :  10.3390/tropicalmed3030102

学科分类：传染病学

来源: mdpi

【 摘 要 】

The high prevalence of skin diseases in resource-poor settings, where health workers with sufficient knowledge of skin diseases are scarce, calls for innovative measures. Timely diagnosis and treatment of skin diseases, especially neglected tropical diseases (NTDs) that manifest with skin lesions, such as leprosy, is crucial to prevent disabilities as well as psychological and socioeconomic problems. Innovative technological methods like telemedicine and mobile health (mHealth) can help to bridge the gap between the burden of skin diseases and the lack of capable staff in resource-poor settings by bringing essential health services from central level closer to peripheral levels. Netherlands Leprosy Relief (NLR) has developed a mobile phone application called the ‘SkinApp’, which aims to support peripheral health workers to recognize the early signs and symptoms of skin diseases, including skin NTDs, and to start treatment promptly or refer for more advanced diagnostic testing or disease management when needed. Further research is needed to determine how greatly mHealth in general and the SkinApp in particular can contribute to improved health outcomes, efficiency, and cost-effectiveness.

【 授权许可】

CC BY