Talking Point: Mobile phone health (mHealth) promotion: Research and experiences

This event was one of our Talking Point series. It was delivered on 31 May 2017.

Mobile phones allow researchers and health promoters to reach at-risk individuals in unprecedented ways and mobile phone health (mHealth) programs are proliferating. This presentation discusses some of the latest innovations in mobile health promotion with a range of case studies using SMS and apps, in Australia and developing countries, in alcohol interventions and sexual health promotion.

As well as covering the evidence base for mHealth promotion, this presentation gives practical tips, candid discussion of obstacles in implementing and researching mHealth, and describe difficulties in translating mHealth research into practice.

Dr Megan Lim, Deputy Program Director, Behaviours and Health Risks, Burnet Institute.

Megan completed her PhD in 2008, with a thesis titled ‘Sex, Drugs, and Young People: Novel Research and Health Promotion Approaches’. Her primary area of expertise is investigating the role of new communications technologies in public health.

She has conducted extensive research into how these technologies (e.g. mobile phones, smartphone apps, and social networking sites) can be used for health promotion, as well as how these media can expose young people to health risks. Her work targets young people in Australia and developing countries, particularly in sexual health and alcohol.