Factors Affecting the Adoption of ICT for Health Service Delivery in Namibia: The Role of Functional Literacy and Policy Implications

Abstract

The article examines ICT use in health service provision in Namibia. The patterns of ICT use for health services by patients, public and private health service providers are not yet fully understood. This study describes ICT applications in health service delivery to patients in the Khomas and Oshana regions of Namibia. The study interviewed 134 patients and 21 health service providers. Factor analysis on ICT use identified three main factor groupings namely, ‘high technology’, ’mobile technology’ and ‘traditional technology’. Multinomial regression results showed the major factors affecting multiple ICT awareness in the two regions as functional literacy, diverse sources of health information services, age and educational level of the patients. Logistic regression results on individual ICT use identified functional literacy, personal privacy, cost of ICT, age, education, and positive perceptions about ICT applications in improving health services as statistically significant factors influencing adoption by both rural and urban patients in Namibia.