UWCScholar :: Browsing by Author "Pather, Shaun"

Browsing by Author "Pather, Shaun"

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A health informatics model for user-centred design using a positive deviance approach: A case for diabetes self-management
(University of the Western Cape, 2020) Petersen, Fazlyn; Pather, Shaun; Tucker, William D.
Over the past twenty years there have been substantive efforts across the African continent to ensure penetration and reach of mobile technology to the citizenry. However there continues to be a debate on precisely how developmental outcomes may be forged through this escalating penetration of communications technologies. This paper responds to the question of how development outcomes in the area of health, and specifically that of diabetes mellitus, can be achieved through the effective application of ICTs in the context of mobile applications. Diabetes Mellitus is a leading cause of morbidity in low-income and middle-income countries, with the number of patients projected to increase globally to 205 million by 2035. The increased number of patients in countries with limited resources requires innovative approaches to support a regime of patient self-management. In pursuance of this, and given the increasing pervasiveness of communications infrastructure amongst communities in South Africa, the role of Information and communications technology (ICT) in addressing the problem requires investigation. In particular, issues in relation to the adoption and effective use of ICTs, especially amongst previously disadvantaged and underserved communities, warrants exploration. The paper thus assesses the role of m-health at primary care level and posits a user-centred design approach to involve patients in designing an m-health intervention which meets their needs.
The adoption of e-commerce in the Lesotho tourism industry
(Wiley, 2016) Mapeshoane, Tsebetso J.; Pather, Shaun
Over the years, Information and Communication Technology (ICT) has been revolutionising global markets. In developed nations, for example, there has been a push for developing countries to adopt ICT as leverage towards improving their economic development. However, in the current era, ICT adoption has not been as widespread as anticipated in some parts of the world, with its use in developing countries especially, lagging behind. This is particularly so amongst the small, medium, micro-enterprise (SMME) sector, important drivers of the economy in the developing world. SMMEs in developing countries have been hindered in the uptake of ICTs, largely due to underlying issues such as the high cost of ICT, inadequate and unreliable infrastructure, as well as lack of policy necessary to promote competition and growth within the ICT sectors.
Barriers for user acceptance of Mobile Health applications for Diabetic patients: Applying the UTAUT model
(Springer Nature, 2020) Petersen, Fazlyn; Jacobs, Mariam; Pather, Shaun
The literature illustrates that technology will widen health disparity if its use is restricted to patients who are already motivated and demonstrate good self-management behaviours. Additionally, despite the availability of free mobile health (m-health) applications for diabetes self-management, usage is low. There are also limited studies of m-health acceptance in South Africa. This research is delineated to the Western Cape, South Africa. The populace suffers from increasing numbers of diabetic patients. Segments of the population also suffer from technological forms of exclusion, such as limited internet access. Therefore, the objective of this study was to identify challenges for user acceptance that discourages the use of m-health applications. This study analysed 130 semi-structured interviews, using thematic content analysis
A benefits framework for public access ICT4D programmes
(Wiley-Blackwell, 2020) Pather, Shaun; Uys, Corrie
There have been expectations across the developing world that information and communications technologies (ICTs) will deliver benefits to marginalised people. Despite many programmes related to the promotion of Internet uptake and usage amongst poorer communities, evidence regarding such benefit is lacking, and there is little agreement in respect of frameworks and metrics to evaluate the benefits thereof. This paper reports on a case study that investigated the nature of a public access information and communication technologies for development (ICT4D) pro-gramme and presents a framework for assessing the associated benefits in the South African context.
A conceptual framework for the adoption of e-logistics technologies: Towards improved data analytics practice in the Western Cape fishing industry
(University of the Western Cape, 2023) Khumalo, Bradley Bucky; Pather, Shaun
E-logistics technologies to enhance supply chain efficiencies and improve data analytics across nations and industries continue to be developed. These provide the capacity and capability to enable timely, accurate and readily accessible data analytics at low cost and greater efficiencies. The abundance of these technologies has not translated to increased e-logistics technology adoption in the local fishing industry. Instead, the industry continues to use, as part of its operations, outdated methods of data collection resulting in frequently inaccurate and incoherent analyses. While quantitative fisheries management has significantly improved, data analytics has remained a challenge. Consequently, there have been numerous calls for the adoption and implementation of e-logistics technologies which would improve data analytics capabilities, complementing quantitative fisheries management interventions.
Determinants for the acceptance and use of mobile health applications: Diabetic patients in the Western Cape, South Africa
(University of Western Cape, 2019) Petersen, Fazlyn; Pather, Shaun; Tucker, William D.
The increased pervasiveness of information communication and technology and increasing internet access creates anticipation for how contemporary technologies can address critical developmental problems. Non-communicable diseases are the leading cause of death globally, even though more than 40% of the deaths are premature and avoidable. Diabetes is such a disease that causes 80% of non-communicable disease deaths in low and middle-income countries. Diabetes is also the leading cause of death in the Western Cape province of South Africa. Diabetes thus constitutes a challenge to achieve Sustainable Development Goal 3 that focuses on health and well-being for all people, at all ages. The potential of technology, such as the use of m-health applications, is recognised as a means to advance the Sustainable Development Goals through supporting health systems in all countries.
Determinants for the acceptance and use of mobile health applications: Diabetic patients in the Western Cape, South Africa
(University of Western Cape, 2019) Petersen, Fazlyn; Pather, Shaun; Tucker, William D.
The increased pervasiveness of information communication and technology and increasing internet access creates anticipation for how contemporary technologies can address critical developmental problems. Non-communicable diseases are the leading cause of death globally, even though more than 40% of the deaths are premature and avoidable. Diabetes is such a disease that causes 80% of non-communicable disease deaths in low and middle-income countries. Diabetes is also the leading cause of death in the Western Cape province of South Africa. Diabetes thus constitutes a challenge to achieve Sustainable Development Goal 3 that focuses on health and well-being for all people, at all ages. The potential of technology, such as the use of m-health applications, is recognised as a means to advance the Sustainable Development Goals through supporting health systems in all countries.
Determinants of ICT adoption and uptake at a rural public-access ICT centre: A South African case study
(Routledge, 2021) Frans, Cecilia; Pather, Shaun
The global Covid-19 pandemic has created a heightened sense of awareness of the inequalities that prevail in society. Access to real-time information delivered via broadband internet has become critical for survival. However, the reality of the digital divide implies that some citizens, especially those in far-flung rural areas, are not as fortunate as others to be able to access such information given that internet access at a household level is only a reality across approximately 12% of South Africa. As such, the deployment of public-access ICT centres is still considered to be an important intervention by governments as a digital divide eradication strategy. However, the success of these initiatives is threatened by a lack of understanding of the issues relating to the adoption of ICTs in these communities. Qualitative data were collected via focus groups and the Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology (UTAUT) was applied as an analytical lens. The findings uphold the independent dimensions of UTAUT in explaining ICT adoption. The findings were also mapped to the Access, Capability and Environment (ACE). It was found that other external factors including those of corruption, training benefits and community exclusion are determinants of ICT adoption in a rural community.
Evaluating user satisfaction of university administration systems in the South African context
(University of the Western Cape, 2019) Watungwa, Tatenda; Pather, Shaun
nformation Systems evaluation (ISE) is an area of research that has been conducted in depth across various contexts in relation to all phases of the systems development life cycle. In practice though, ISE is an often-overlooked dimension in the management of technology. Outcomes from carefully planned ISE exercises can potentially add value to an organization especially from a knowledge management context. Data derived from ISE can provide the managers of organizations with insights into users’ knowledge about systems operations and the efficiency thereof.
A framework for developing citizen-centric e-government applications in developing countries: The design-reality gap in Uganda
(University of Western Cape, 2020) kyakulumbyE, Stephen; Pather, Shaun; Jantjies, Mmaki
E-government should be at the heart of service delivery in developing countries if the life of citizens, especially the socially and economically marginalised, is to be improved. Often in developing contexts, citizens have been treated as recipients of such interventions, in a top-down approach from central governments, resulting in the non-use of such interventions. A situation of non-use of e-services results in wastage of the public fiscus. The extant literature points to a number of underlying causes of the problem. One such problem is the “Design-Reality Gap."
A framework for developing citizen-centric e-government applications in developing countries: The design-reality gap in Uganda
(University of Western Cape, 2020) kyakulumbyE, Stephen; Pather, Shaun; Jantjies, Mmaki
E-government should be at the heart of service delivery in developing countries if the life of citizens, especially the socially and economically marginalised, is to be improved. Often in developing contexts, citizens have been treated as recipients of such interventions, in a top-down approach from central governments, resulting in the non-use of such interventions. A situation of non-use of e-services results in wastage of the public fiscus. The extant literature points to a number of underlying causes of the problem. One such problem is the “Design-Reality Gap."
Government facilitated access to ICTs: adoption, use and impact on the well-being of indigent South Africans
(IIMC International Information Management Corporation, 2018) Kassongo, Francois; Tucker, William David; Pather, Shaun
This paper presents preliminary results of an assessment of the impact of a government facilitated ICT access programme on the well-being of poor citizens. It examines South African government efforts in the application of e-government as a critical tool for speeding service delivery to all citizens. The study makes use of Sen’s capability approach as a conceptual framework. The findings demonstrate that the main focus of government programmes is on the deployment of telecommunication infrastructure and e-literacy training. This study argues that, to effectively realise the benefits of ICTs interventions in poor communities, policy makers needs to expand the breadth of their interventions to the extent that the needs of grassroots communities are woven into e-government programmes via consultation. It is further argued that the value proposition of e-government and associated ICTS programmes does not simply comprise the number of e-centres and extent of connectivity. The findings of the study show that e-skills, an understanding of citizens’ urgency and extensive programme awareness are required to deliver the benefits which are written into policy objectives. The latter are important elements of e-government interventions, without which, the widening of the economic and social gap between the haves and have nots, will remain unchecked.
Impact of Socio-Demographic Factors on the Acceptance of Information Communication and Technology (ICT) for Diabetes Self-care
(Springer Nature Switzerland, 2020) Tucker, William D; Baker, Adiel; Petersen, Fazlyn; Pather, Shaun
This research investigates the impact of socio-demographic factors such as age, gender, income and location on ICT acceptance for diabetes selfcare. The investigation is due to the increasing number of diabetic patients in South Africa, where large segments of the population experience technological forms of exclusions. The context warrants research in geographical areas where ICT use is not pervasive yet. This research, used the UTAUT model with purposive sampling for 497 diabetic respondents, residing in low socio-economic communities. It analysed survey data using linear regression. It found that age had a strong moderating effect on all four UTAUT constructs. Gender only had a moderating effect on performance expectancy and social influence. In contrast to findings in the extant literature, income and location had no significant moderating effect in this context.
Mobile technology adoption for improved maternal healthcare in Sudan
(University of the Western Cape, 2023) Zakaria, Duha; Pather, Shaun
Mobile health applications are becoming increasingly prominent worldwide as it is known for delivering effective interventions in healthcare. Moreover, mobile health technologies are vital in achieving SDG 3 (Good Health and Well-being) by 2030, with targets 3.1 and 3.2 having specific relevance to this study. Target 3.1 seeks to “reduce the global maternal mortality ratio to less than 70 per 100,000 live births”. Target 3.2 seeks to “end preventable deaths of new-borns and children under five years of age, with all countries aiming to reduce neonatal mortality to at least as low as 12 per 1,000 live births and under-5 mortality to at least as low as 25 per 1,000 live births”.
Op-ed1: Towards an enabling environment for a digital ecosystem : A foundation for entrepreneurial activity
(University of Western Cape, 2021) Pather, Shaun
During a recent webinar on the topic of digital inclusion and women entrepreneurship, I had the opportunity to share my perspectives in respect of ICT policy with a very engaged audience from across South Africa. The event reminded us of the commitment of the University of the Western Cape to create platforms not only for intellectual debate, but with a view to ensure an impact on the communities we serve. This webinar was conceived with the objective that women would benefit from the discourse that would impact their lives as entrepreneurs.
Optimising business architecture maturity for enhanced alignment of business and IT
(University of the Western Cape, 2022) Groenewald, Hendrina; Pather, Shaun
There are several inputs from industry observers of the continued plight of aligning Business with IT. Alignment today is regarded by numerous as one of the most important aspects for successful businesses. It is noted that in the world of business the organisation’s vision does not always successfully translate into executable objectives which are suitably supported by IT. This indicates a lack of Business/IT Alignment, and alignment with business models which results in underutilized potential to improve the value of IT to the organization if the organization is agile and adaptive to change. The alignment of an organization's business strategy and operating models with its business architecture will impact positively on Business/IT Alignment. Such an alignment has a downstream effect on the organization in respect of its ability to make sound decisions regarding IT expenditure. However, the result from this study indicates that the prevailing low level of maturity of the business architecture practice, and the lack of effective application of business architecture artefacts during operating model design, are negatively impacting the alignment of Business and IT.
Organisational readiness for the adoption of smart delivery management systems for last mile delivery
(University of Western Cape, 2021) Van Zyl, Janine Manuel; Pather, Shaun
Last mile delivery is one of the most expensive and challenging processes within the supply chain for organisations. The last mile delivery component of logistics has also become a very competitive space within the supply chain industry due to the significant rise in e-commerce adoption. Given the advancements in networking and digital solution development, many organisations now have, at their disposal various hardware and software options to improve business processes and associated supply chain efficiencies. However, there is a relatively low level of adoption of smart delivery management systems to date. This study aimed to understand what the readiness factors are that underpin the successful adoption and integration of such systems into the last mile delivery processes.
The role of culture in mobile application adoption amongst diabetes patients in previously disadvantaged communities in the Western Cape
(University of Western Cape, 2021) Jacobs, Miriam; Pather, Shaun
Introduction: Diabetes mellitus is a global health problem with a high mortality rate. Self-management is an essential part of diabetes management and it includes self-care behaviour tasks such as healthy eating, being active and taking prescribed medication. In the current digital age, the use of technology for self- management of the disease is an important consideration. As a first step towards this, individuals have to first accept and use the technology. However, the literature indicates low levels of technology use amongst diabetic patients in environments with low socio- economic indicators and amongst minority groups. Previous studies suggest that there are many factors that influence technology acceptance such as economic, social and cultural factors. Mobile health (m-health) received recognition in healthcare literature in recent years and are known for delivering effective and efficient interventions to patients with chronic conditions such as diabetes. An investigation into m-health acceptance for diabetes management is vital as it impacts the achievement of development goals, including the United Nations’ SDG 3. This research posits that the culture of patients is a possible reason for the low acceptance and use of technology. Research based on the proliferation of culture as a determinant for diabetes self-management at an individual level is limited, especially in the South African context. The main research question pursued in the study reported in this thesis is How does culture influence m-health acceptance of diabetic patients in disadvantaged communities? Research design and methodology: Using an interpretivist paradigm, a case study research design provided the basis to collect data from 20 diabetes patients in Mitchells Plain and Strandfontein. The theoretical model that was used as a lens for investigation comprised a juxtaposition of Hofstede’s cultural dimensions and Unified- Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology 2 (UTAUT2). The analysis of the qualitative data was undertaken with Atlas Ti, using a thematic content analysis process. Results: Eight themes emerged from the data and key results of the study indicate that opinions towards medical practitioners, which reflects power distance has a positive impact on users and non-users. Diabetic patients comply with the opinions of their doctors as they fear disagreeing with them. As such, this may result in having a positive influence on a participant’s ability to adopt and use mobile applications. Caregiver influence, which reflects femininity, has a negative influence on users as a result of diabetic patients being responsible for taking care of their family and others are both home carers and providers for their families. This indicates that patients are more concerned with the quality of their life and family than with the adoption mobile applications. Future work: It is recommended that research should be conducted in other areas in the Western Cape, specifically in the Cape flats to see whether the same sorts of results will be achieved in different communities. This could help policymakers and application developers tailor mobile applications for this target population.
The role of culture in the adoption of mobile applications for the self‑management of diabetes in low resourced urban communities
(Springer, 2022) Jacobs‑Basadien, Mariam; Pather, Shaun; Petersen, Fazlyn
Diabetes mellitus has been documented as a global health problem with a high mortality rate. In the current digital age, the use of technology to overcome such health problems in pursuance of Sustainable Development Goal 3 is widely recognised. The increased penetration of mobile devices provides one avenue to support the self-management of conditions such as diabetes. As a first step towards this, individuals have to first accept and use the technology. However, the literature indicates low levels of technology use amongst diabetic patients with low socio-economic indicators. We posit that the culture of patients is a contributory factor for the low acceptance and use of technology. This study assessed how culture influences mobile health (m-health) acceptance among diabetic patients from low-resourced urban communities through semi-structured interviews. The theoretical model that was used as a lens for the investigation comprised a juxtaposition of Hofstede's cultural dimensions and the Unified-Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology 2 (UTAUT2).
Towards a model for user-centred design using a positive deviance approach: A case for diabetes self-management
(University of Cape Town, 2017) Petersen, Fazlyn; Pather, Shaun; Tucker, William David
Over the past twenty years there have been substantive efforts across the African continent to ensure penetration and reach of mobile technology to the citizenry. However there continues to be a debate on precisely how developmental outcomes may be forged through this escalating penetration of communications technologies. This paper responds to the question of how development outcomes in the area of health, and specifically that of diabetes mellitus, can be achieved through the effective application of ICTs in the context of mobile applications. Diabetes Mellitus is a leading cause of morbidity in low-income and middle-income countries, with the number of patients projected to increase globally to 205 million by 2035. The increased number of patients in countries with limited resources requires innovative approaches to support a regime of patient self-management. In pursuance of this, and given the increasing pervasiveness of communications infrastructure amongst communities in South Africa, the role of Information and communications technology (ICT) in addressing the problem requires investigation. In particular, issues in relation to the adoption and effective use of ICTs, especially amongst previously disadvantaged and underserved communities, warrants exploration. The paper thus assesses the role of m-health at primary care level and posits a user-centred design approach to involve patients in designing an m-health intervention which meets their needs.

Browsing by Author "Pather, Shaun"

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