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

Zakar R, Zakria Zakar M, Qureshi S, Fischer F (2014)
BMC Women's Health 14(1): 105.

Zeitschriftenaufsatz | Veröffentlicht | Englisch
 
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Abstract / Bemerkung
Background 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.
Stichworte
Health information; Information communication; Women’s health; Pakistan; Rural women
Erscheinungsjahr
2014
Zeitschriftentitel
BMC Women's Health
Band
14
Ausgabe
1
Art.-Nr.
105
ISSN
1472-6874
Finanzierungs-Informationen
Open-Access-Publikationskosten wurden durch die Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft und die Universität Bielefeld gefördert.
Page URI
https://pub.uni-bielefeld.de/record/2693877

Zitieren

Zakar R, Zakria Zakar M, Qureshi S, Fischer F. Harnessing information technology to improve women’s health information: evidence from Pakistan. BMC Women's Health. 2014;14(1): 105.
Zakar, R., Zakria Zakar, M., Qureshi, S., & Fischer, F. (2014). Harnessing information technology to improve women’s health information: evidence from Pakistan. BMC Women's Health, 14(1), 105. doi:10.1186/1472-6874-14-105
Zakar, Rubeena, Zakria Zakar, Muhammad, Qureshi, Shazia, and Fischer, Florian. 2014. “Harnessing information technology to improve women’s health information: evidence from Pakistan”. BMC Women's Health 14 (1): 105.
Zakar, R., Zakria Zakar, M., Qureshi, S., and Fischer, F. (2014). Harnessing information technology to improve women’s health information: evidence from Pakistan. BMC Women's Health 14:105.
Zakar, R., et al., 2014. Harnessing information technology to improve women’s health information: evidence from Pakistan. BMC Women's Health, 14(1): 105.
R. Zakar, et al., “Harnessing information technology to improve women’s health information: evidence from Pakistan”, BMC Women's Health, vol. 14, 2014, : 105.
Zakar, R., Zakria Zakar, M., Qureshi, S., Fischer, F.: Harnessing information technology to improve women’s health information: evidence from Pakistan. BMC Women's Health. 14, : 105 (2014).
Zakar, Rubeena, Zakria Zakar, Muhammad, Qureshi, Shazia, and Fischer, Florian. “Harnessing information technology to improve women’s health information: evidence from Pakistan”. BMC Women's Health 14.1 (2014): 105.
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