Table 1 Telehealth intervention on diabetes and hypertension in migrants
Studies | Price et al. [60] | Foreman et al. [61] | Garner et al. [62] |
|---|---|---|---|
Year | 2011–2012 | 2022 | 2021 |
Objective | Determine rates of ownership of mobile devices and willingness to use mHealth strategies | To evaluate a bi-national consulate-based teleophthalmology screening service for diabetic retinopathy (DR) among Mexican migrants in the USA | Evaluate the use of a culturally relevant evidence-based application to improve health literacy in hypertension and type 2 diabetes among a migrant Indian subpopulation in Hong Kong |
Target Population | Hispanic Migrant Farm Workers | Mexican Migrants in the United States | Asian Indian Migrants to Hong Kong |
Location | Charleston County, South Carolina, USA | Mexican consulates in California | Hong Kong, China |
Participants | 80 Migrant Farm Workers, 70% male with a mean age of 29.8 years | 508 adult visitors with self-reported diabetes at Mexican consulates in California | 46 participants ≥ 18 years. Asian, Indian ethnicity born in India and migrated to Hong Kong |
Methods | A questionnaire was designed to evaluate demographic information, essential hypertension status, and self-reported medication adherence. A series of 9 questions to assess attitudes toward remote monitoring for chronic disease management via mobile phone | Questionnaires and fundus photography. Photographs were graded for DR by retina fellows in Mexico via teleophthalmology | A mobile health application designed to improve hypertension and type 2 diabetes mellitus health literacy was tested using a mixed-methods design to determine its impact on improving health literacy in this subpopulation |
Results | 81% (65/80) owned cell phones capable of sending and receiving health-related messages. Most participants (65/80, 81%), were receptive to using mHealth technology. Relations between age and attitudes toward using mHealth were not statistically significant | 97.6% of participants were aware that diabetes can cause vision loss. 24.4% had undergone an eye examination in the past year. Barriers to care were cost (53.9%) and insurance (45.6%). Most (85.4–91.1%) reported that Spanish-speaking providers and provision of screening in primary care would increase participation in screening. Any DR, vision-threatening DR, or proliferative DR were found in 30.2%, 9.9%, and 5.4% of participants, respectively. Nearly one-fifth (19.5%) received referrals | Quantitative findings indicated the mobile health application was effective in improving health literacy. Qualitative findings revealed participant perceptions about the application explored its informative nature, usability and likability of application components, and its ability to initiate intentionality for a healthier lifestyle among users |