Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

A Pervasive Wireless Knowledge Management Solution to Address Urban Health Inequalities with Indigenous Australians

  • Chapter
  • First Online:
Perspectives of Knowledge Management in Urban Health

Part of the book series: Healthcare Delivery in the Information Age ((Healthcare Delivery Inform. Age,volume 1))

  • 685 Accesses

Abstract

A recent study by Adelaide Aboriginal and Torres Straight Islander Health (Gallaher et al., In Our Own Backyard: Urban Health Inequalities and Aboriginal Experiences of Neighbourhood Life, Social Capital and Racism, 2009) revealed some alarming findings concerning the health status of these groups. One of the key health areas that requires attention is that of chronic diseases in general and diabetes in particular. We propose using a wireless knowledge-based system developed by INET for enabling effective and efficient monitoring of patients with diabetes. We argue that systematic use of this solution can improve self-management and lead to positive healthcare outcomes. Key aspects of the wireless diabetes solution to facilitate self-management of diabetes patients are highlighted. Adoption facilitators and barriers, assessment criteria, and policy implications are also discussed.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Log in via an institution
Chapter
USD 29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD 89.00
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
USD 119.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info
Hardcover Book
USD 169.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

References

  • ABS (2003) Population Projections, Australia, 2002-2101, Cat. No. 3222.0, Canberra: Australian Bureau of Statistics.

    Google Scholar 

  • ABS (2006) National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Survey 2004-05. ABS Cat. no. 4715.0, Canberra: ABS.

    Google Scholar 

  • AIHW (2007) National Indicators for Monitoring Diabetes: Report of the Diabetes Indicators Review Subcommittee of the National Diabetes Data Working Group: AIHW cat. no. CVD 38, Canberra: AIHW.

    Google Scholar 

  • AIHW (2008) Diabetes: Australian Facts 2008, Canberra: Australian Institute of Health and Welfare.

    Google Scholar 

  • AIHW, A. (2005) The health and welfare of Aboriginal and Torres Straits Islander peoples. ABS cat. no. 4704.0. AIHW cat. no. IHW 14, Canberra: ABS & AIHW.

    Google Scholar 

  • Balas, E.A., Krishna, S., Kretschmer, R.A., Cheek, T.R., Lobach, D.F. and Boren, S.A. (2004) “Computerized knowledge management in diabetes care”, Medical Care Vol. 42, No. 6, pp 610–621.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Bodenheimer, T., Lorig, K., Holman, H. and Grumbach, K. (2002) “Patient self-management of chronic disease in primary care”, Journal of American Medical Association (JAMA) Vol. 288, No. 19, pp 2469–2475.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Britt, H., Miller, G.C., Charles, J., Pan, Y., Valenti, L., Henderson, J., Bayram, C., O’halloran, J. and Knox, S. (2007) General Practice Activity in Australia 2005-06, Cat. no. GEP 16, Canberra: AIHW.

    Google Scholar 

  • Campbell, S., Braspening, J., Hutchinson, A. and Marshal, M. (2003) “Research methods using in developing and applying quality indicators in primary care (improving the quality of health care)”, British Medical Journal Vol. 326, pp 816–819.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Catanzariti, L., Faulks, K. and Waters, A.-M. (2007) National Diabetes Register: Statistical Profile 1999-2005, AIHW cat. no. CVD 39, Canberra: AIHW.

    Google Scholar 

  • Chau, S. and Turner, P. (2006) “Utilisation of mobile handheld devices for care management at an Australian aged care facility”, Electronic Commerce Research and Applications Vol. 5, pp 305–312.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Colagiuri, S., Colagiuri, R. and Ward, J. (1998) National Diabetes Strategy and Implementation Plan, Canberra: Diabetes Australia.

    Google Scholar 

  • Coon, P. and Zulkowski, K. (2002) “Adherence to American diabetes association standards of care by rural health care providers”, Diabetes Care Vol. 25, 2224–2229.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Craig, M.E., Fernia, G., Broyda, V., Lloyd, M. and Howard, N.J. (2007) “Type 2 diabetes in Indigenous and non-Indigenous children and adolescents in New South Wales”, Diabetes Medicine Vol. 367, pp 497–499.

    Google Scholar 

  • Da (2007) Diabetes Facts, New South Wales: Diabetes Australia.

    Google Scholar 

  • Dixon, T. and Webbie, K. (2005) Diabetes-related deaths 2001–2003. AIHW Bulletin No. 32. Cat. no. AUS 69, Canberra: AIHW.

    Google Scholar 

  • Dixon, T. and Webbie, K. (2006) The National System for Monitoring Diabetes in Australia (AIHW Cat. No. CVD 32), Canberra: Australian Institute of Health and Welfare.

    Google Scholar 

  • Downer, S.R., Meara, J.G., Da Costa, A.C. and Sethuraman, K. (2006) “SMS text messaging improves outpatient attendance”, Australian Health Review Vol. 30, No. 3, pp 389–396.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Ehealthimpact (2006) Study on Economic Impact of eHealth: Developing an evidence-based context-adaptive method of evaluation for eHealth, Bonn: Information Society and Media.

    Google Scholar 

  • Eley, R., Fallon, T., Soar, J., Buikstra, E. and Hegney, D. (2008) “The status of training and education in information and computer technology of Australian nurses: a national survey”Journal of Clinical NursingVol. 17, pp 2758–2767.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Francis, C.F., Feyer, A.-M. and Smith, B.J. (2007) “Implementing chronic disease self-management in community settings: lessons from Australian demonstration projects”Australian Health ReviewVol. 31, No. 4, pp 499–509.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Gallaher, G., Ziersch, A., Baum, F., Bentley, M., Palmer, C., Edmondson, W. and Winslow, L. (2009) In Our Own Backyard: Urban Health Inequalities and Aboriginal Experiences of Neighbourhood Life, Social Capital and Racism, Adelaide: Flinders University of South Australia.

    Google Scholar 

  • Gallego, G., Fowler, S. and Van Gool, K. (2008) “Decision makers’ perceptions of health technology decision making and priority setting at the institutional level”Australian Health ReviewVol. 32, No. 3, pp 520–526.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Goldberg, S. (2009) “An Evolution of using social networks in chronic disease management”, Proceedings of the 22nd Bled eConference: Facilitating an Open, Effective and Representative Society, Bled, Slovenia.

    Google Scholar 

  • Goldberg, S.E.A. (2002a) Building the Evidence for a standardized Mobile Internet (wireless) Environment in Ontario, Canada, January Update, Internal INET Documentation, Ontario, Canada: INET.

    Google Scholar 

  • Goldberg, S.E.A. (2002b) HTA Presentational Selection and Aggregation Component Summary. Internal INET Documentation, Ontario, Canada: INET.

    Google Scholar 

  • Goldberg, S.E.A. (2002c) Wireless POC Device Component Summary, Internal INET documentation, Ontario, Canada: INET.

    Google Scholar 

  • Goldberg, S.E.A. (2002d) HTA Presentation Rendering Component Summary, Internal INET documentation, Ontario, Canada: INET.

    Google Scholar 

  • Goldberg, S.E.A. (2002e) HTA Quality Assurance Component Summary, Internal INET documentation, Ontario, Canada: INET.

    Google Scholar 

  • Gururajan, R. and Murugesan, S. (in press) “Wireless solutions developed for the Australian healthcare: A review”, Proceedings of the 4th International Conference on Mobile Business, Sydney, Australia.

    Google Scholar 

  • Harvey, P.W., Petkov, J.N., Misan, G., Fuller, J., Battersby, M.W., Cayetano, T.N., Warren, K. and Holmes, P. (2008) “Self-management support and training for patients with chronic and complex conditions improves health-related behaviour and health outcomes”, Australian Health Review Vol. 32, No. 2, pp 330–338.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Hunt, D., 2007. Urgent health system reform needed to tackle disease epidemic, says head of new University of Melbourne centre [online]. University of Melbourne. Available from: http://uninews.unimelb.edu.au/view.php?articleID=4615 [Accessed Access Date 2008].

  • Icic (2008). Improving Chronic Illness Care: The Chronic Care Model.

    Google Scholar 

  • Istepanian, R.S.H., Jovanov, E. and Zhang, Y.T. (2004) “Guest Editorial: Introduction to the special section on m-health: beyond seamless mobility and global wireless healthcare connectivity”, IEEE Transactions on Information Technology and BiomedicineVol. 8, No. 4, pp 405–414.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Istepanian, R.S.H. and Lacal, J.C. (2003) “Emerging mobile communication technologies for health: some imperative notes on m-health”, Proceedings of the 25th Annual International Conference of the IEEE EMBS, New York.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kenagy, J.W., Berwick, D.M. and Shore, M.F. (1999) “Service quality in health care”, Journal of American Medical Association (JAMA)Vol. 281, No. 7, pp 661–665.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Khambati, A., Warren, J., Grundy, J. and Hosking, J. (2008) “A model driven approach to care planning systems for consumer engagement in chronic disease management”, Proceedings of the HIC 2008 Australia’s Health Informatics Conference, Health Informatics Society of Australia Ltd (HISA).

    Google Scholar 

  • Knuiman, M.W., Welborn, T.A. and Bartholomew, H.C. (1996) “Self-reported health and use of health services: a comparison of diabetic and nondiabetic persons from a national sample”, Australian and New Zealand Journal of Public HealthVol. 20, No. 3, pp 241–247.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Mirza, F., Norris, T. and Stockdale, R. (2008) “Mobile technologies and the holistic management of chronic diseases”, Health Informatics JournalVol. 14, No. 4, pp 309–321.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Neville, G., Greene, A., Mcleod, J. and Tracy, A. (2002) “Mobile phone text messaging can help young people with asthma”, British Medical JournalVol. 325, pp 600.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Norris, A.C. (2002) Essentials of Telemedicine and Telecare, Chichester: Wiley.

    Google Scholar 

  • Opie, A. (1998) “Nobody’s asked me for my view: users’ empowerment by multidisciplinary health teams”, Qualitative Health ResearchVol. 18, pp 188–206.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Poulton, B.C. (1999) “User involvement in identifying health needs and shaping and evaluating services: is it being raised?” Journal of Advanced NursingVol. 30, No. 6, pp 1289–1296.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Radin, P. (2006) “To me, it’s my life: medical communication, trust, and activism in cyberspace”, Social Science and MedicineVol. 6, pp 591–601.

    Google Scholar 

  • Rao, S. and Troshani, I. (2007a) AMC-ER Challenges and Rewards: Experiences of Australian Content Exporters, Adelaide, South Australia: Australian Mobile Content – Export Research Initiative, m.Net Corporation Ltd.

    Google Scholar 

  • Rao, S. and Troshani, I. (2007b) AMC-ER Initial Selection of Content, Markets, and Distribution Channels for the Australian Mobile Content – Export Research Initiative, Adelaide, South Australia: m.Net Corporation Ltd.

    Google Scholar 

  • Rasmussen, B., Wellard, S. and Nankervis, A. (2001) “Consumer issues in navigating health care services for type I diabetes”, Journal of Clinical NursingVol. 10, pp 628–634.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Reach, G., Zerrouki, D., Leclercq, D. and D’ivernois, J.F. (2005) “Adjusting insulin doses: from knowledge to decision”, Patient Education and CounselingVol. 56, No. 1, pp 98–103.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Rowland, D. (2003) “An ageing population: emergence of a new stage of life?” in S. Khoo & P. Mcdonald (eds.) The Transformation of Australia’s Population: 1970-2030Sydney: UNSW Press, 239–265.

    Google Scholar 

  • Rudi, R. and Celler, B.G. (2006) “Design and implementation of expert-telemedicine system for diabetes management at home”, Proceedings of the International Conference on Biomedical and Pharmaceutical Enginering 2006 (ICBPE2006), IEEE, 11-14 December 2006, Singapore.

    Google Scholar 

  • Russell, L.B., Churl Suh, D. and Safford, M.M. (2005) “Time requirements for diabetes management: too much for many?” The Journal of Family PracticeVol. 54, No. 1, pp 52–56.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Skulimowski, A.M. (2006) The Challenges to the Medical Decision Making System posed by mHealth. Available.: http://ipts.jrc.ec.europa.eu/home/report/english/articles/vol81/ICT1E816.htm Kraków, Poland: Centre for Decision Sciences and Forecasting, Progress & Business Foundation, Institute for Prospective Technological Studies (IPTS).

  • Tabrizi, J.S., Wilson, A.J., Coyne, E.T. and O’rourke, P.K. (2008) “Review of patient-reported type 2 diabetes service quality”, Australian Health ReviewVol. 32, No. 1, pp 23–33.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Thow, A.M. and Waters, A.-M. (2005) Diabetes in culturally and linguistically diverse Australians: identification of communities at high risk. Cat. no. CVD 30, Canberra: AIHW.

    Google Scholar 

  • Tong, B. and Stevenson, C. (2007) Comorbidity of cardiovascular disease, diabetes and chronic kidney disease in Australia, AIHW cat. no. CVD 37, Canberra: AIHW.

    Google Scholar 

  • Van Eyk, H. and Baum, F. (2002) “Learning about interagency collaboration: Trialling collaborative projects between hospitals and community health services”, Health and Social Care in the CommunityVol. 10, No. 4, pp 262–269.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Vanjara, P. (2006) “Application of mobile technologies in healthcare diagnostics and administration”, in A. Lazakidou (ed.) Handbook of Research on Informatics in Healthcare and MedicineHershey, PA: Idea Group, pp 113–130.

    Google Scholar 

  • Wellard, S.J., Rennie, S. and King, R. (2008) “Perceptions of people with type 2 diabetes about self-management and the efficiency of community based services”, Contemporary NurseVol. 29, No. 2, pp 218–226.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Wickramasinghe, N. and Goldberg, S. (2003) “The wireless panacea for healthcare”, Proceedings of the 36th Hawaii International Conference on System Sciences, Hawaii, 6–10 January, IEEE.

    Google Scholar 

  • Wickramasinghe, N. and Goldberg, S. (2004) “How M=EC2 in healthcare”, International Journal of Mobile CommunicationsVol. 2, No. 2, pp 140–156.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wickramasinghe, N., Misra, S. (2004) “A wireless trust model for healthcare”, International Journal of e-HealthVol. 1, pp 60–77.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wickramasinghe, N. and Schaffer, J. (2006) “Creating knowledge driven healthcare processes with the intelligence continuum”, International Journal of Electronic HealthcareVol. 2, No. 2, pp 164–174.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Wickramasinghe, N., Schaffer, J. and Geisler, E. (2005) “Assessing e-health”, in T. Spil & R. Schuring (eds.) E-Health Systems Diffusion and Use: The Innovation, The User, and The User IT ModelHershey, PA: Idea Group.

    Google Scholar 

  • Yu, P., Li, H. and Gagnon, M.-P. (2008) “Health IT acceptance factors i n long-term care facilities: a cross-sectional survey”, International Journal of Health InformaticsVol. In Press (doi:10.1016/j.ijmedinf.2008.07.006), No.

  • Zigbor, J.C. and Songer, T.J. (2001) “External barriers to diabetes care: addressing personal and health systems issues”, Diabetes SpectrumVol. 14, pp 23–28.

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Business IT and Logistics, RMIT University, 2476, 3001, Melbourne, VIC, Australia

    Nilmini Wickramasinghe (Professor)

Authors
  1. Nilmini Wickramasinghe
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Indrit Troshani
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Steve Goldberg
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Nilmini Wickramasinghe .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Johns Hopkins Urban Health Institute, E. Monument St. 2013, Baltimore, 21205, Maryland, USA

    Michael Christopher Gibbons

  2. Health Design and Technology Institute (, Knowledge Management for Healthcare (KAR, Coventry University, Puma Way, Coventry, CV1 2TT, United Kingdom

    Rajeev Bali

  3. , RMIT University, School of Business Information Technolog, GPO Box 2476, Melbourne VIC, 3001, Australia

    Nilmini Wickramasinghe

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2010 Springer Science+Business Media, LLC

About this chapter

Cite this chapter

Wickramasinghe, N., Troshani, I., Goldberg, S. (2010). A Pervasive Wireless Knowledge Management Solution to Address Urban Health Inequalities with Indigenous Australians. In: Gibbons, M., Bali, R., Wickramasinghe, N. (eds) Perspectives of Knowledge Management in Urban Health. Healthcare Delivery in the Information Age, vol 1. Springer, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4419-5644-6_6

Download citation

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4419-5644-6_6

  • Published:

  • Publisher Name: Springer, New York, NY

  • Print ISBN: 978-1-4419-5643-9

  • Online ISBN: 978-1-4419-5644-6

  • eBook Packages: MedicineMedicine (R0)

Publish with us

Policies and ethics

Search

Navigation