Information and Communication Technology to Enhance the Implementation of the Integrated Management of Childhood Illness: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Objective

To evaluate the impact of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) on the implementation of Integrated Management of Childhood Illness (IMCI) and integrated Community Case Management (iCCM) through a systematic review and meta-analysis (PROSPERO registration number: CRD42024517375).

Methods

We searched MEDLINE, EMBASE, Cochrane Library, and gray literature from January 2010 to February 2024, focusing on IMCI/iCCM-related terms (Integrated Management of Childhood Illness, IMCI, integrated Community Case Management, iCCM) and excluding non-ICT interventions. A meta-analysis synthesized the effect of ICT on clinical assessment, disease classification, therapy, and antibiotic prescription through odds ratio (OR; 95% CI) employing a random effects model for significant heterogeneity (I²>50%) and conducting subgroup analyses.

Results

Of 1005 initial studies, 44 were included, covering 8 interventions for IMCI, 7 for iCCM, and 2 for training. All digital interventions except 1 outperformed traditional paper-based methods. Pooling effect sizes from 16 studies found 5.7 OR for more complete clinical assessments (95% CI, 1.7-19.1; I², 95%); 2.0 for improved disease classification accuracy (95% CI, 0.9-4.4; I², 93%); 1.4 for more appropriate therapy (95% CI, 0.8-2.2; I², 93%); and 0.2 for reduced antibiotic use (95% CI, 0.06-0.55; I² 99%).

Conclusion

This review is the first to comprehensively quantify the effect of ICT on the implementation of IMCI/iCCM programs, confirming both the benefits and limitations of these technologies. The customization of digital tools for IMCI/iCCM can serve as a model for other health programs. As ICT increasingly supports the achievement of sustainable development goals, the effective digital interventions identified in this review can pave the way for future innovations.