Harnessing information technology to improve women's health information: evidence from Pakistan.

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dc.contributor.authorZakar, Rubeena
dc.contributor.authorZakar, Muhammad Z
dc.contributor.authorQureshi, Shazia
dc.contributor.authorFischer, Florian
dc.date.accessioned2020-02-07T13:25:08Z
dc.date.available2020-02-07T13:25:08Z
dc.date.issued2014-09-09
dc.description.abstractBACKGROUND More than half of Pakistani women are illiterate marginalized and experience myriad health problems These women are also disadvantaged in terms of their restricted mobility and limited access to public space Nonetheless user friendly information and communication technologies ICTs have opened up new opportunities to provide them with information that is essential for their health and well being METHODS We established an Information and Communication Centre ICC in a village in Sialkot Pakistan on a pilot basis in 2009 The basic philosophy of the ICC was to provide women with health related information by exposing them to modern sources of information on their doorstep By design the ICC was a community based and community managed institution where women could access information through online e g internet mobile phone etc and offline e g CDs TV etc resources The ICC was managed by a group of local volunteer women who had the capacity and skills to use the devices and tools of modern ICTs RESULTS We noted an overwhelming participation and interest from local women in the activities of the ICC The women wanted to receive information on a wide range of issues from family planning antenatal care and childcare to garbage disposal and prevention of domestic violence Overall the ICC was successful in initiating a meaningful information dialogue at community level where much needed information was retrieved negotiated mediated and disseminated through intimate and trusted relations CONCLUSION We conclude that ICTs have the capacity to cross the barriers of illiteracy and can reach out to disadvantaged women living under a conservative patriarchal regime
dc.identifier.urihttp://dx.doi.org/10.1186/1472-6874-14-105
dc.identifier.urihttps://lib.digitalsquare.io/xmlui/handle/123456789/13519
dc.relation.uriBMC women's health
dc.subjectWomen (only)
dc.subjectClient
dc.subjectAddressing individual beliefs and practices
dc.subjectDemand for services
dc.subjectSocial and behavior change communication
dc.subjectHealth education or promotion
dc.titleHarnessing information technology to improve women's health information: evidence from Pakistan.en
dcterms.abstractBACKGROUND More than half of Pakistani women are illiterate marginalized and experience myriad health problems These women are also disadvantaged in terms of their restricted mobility and limited access to public space Nonetheless user friendly information and communication technologies ICTs have opened up new opportunities to provide them with information that is essential for their health and well being METHODS We established an Information and Communication Centre ICC in a village in Sialkot Pakistan on a pilot basis in 2009 The basic philosophy of the ICC was to provide women with health related information by exposing them to modern sources of information on their doorstep By design the ICC was a community based and community managed institution where women could access information through online e g internet mobile phone etc and offline e g CDs TV etc resources The ICC was managed by a group of local volunteer women who had the capacity and skills to use the devices and tools of modern ICTs RESULTS We noted an overwhelming participation and interest from local women in the activities of the ICC The women wanted to receive information on a wide range of issues from family planning antenatal care and childcare to garbage disposal and prevention of domestic violence Overall the ICC was successful in initiating a meaningful information dialogue at community level where much needed information was retrieved negotiated mediated and disseminated through intimate and trusted relations CONCLUSION We conclude that ICTs have the capacity to cross the barriers of illiteracy and can reach out to disadvantaged women living under a conservative patriarchal regime
dcterms.contributorZakar, Rubeena
dcterms.contributorZakar, Muhammad Z
dcterms.contributorQureshi, Shazia
dcterms.contributorFischer, Florian
dcterms.identifierhttp://dx.doi.org/10.1186/1472-6874-14-105
dcterms.relationBMC women's health
dcterms.subjectWomen (only)
dcterms.subjectClient
dcterms.subjectAddressing individual beliefs and practices
dcterms.subjectDemand for services
dcterms.subjectSocial and behavior change communication
dcterms.subjectHealth education or promotion
dcterms.titleHarnessing information technology to improve women's health information: evidence from Pakistan.en
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