Mobile Health (mHealth) in Infectious Disease Control: A Review of Global Innovations and Outcomes

Mobile health (mHealth) is transforming the detection, monitoring, management, and control of infectious diseases worldwide. It reviews mHealth technologies worldwide, focusing on their applications in low- and middle-income countries. Evidence from a broad range of studies is compiled to review mHealth interventions in disease tracking, risk messaging, providing medical advice, monitoring medication intake, and telemedicine. Defending against outbreaks of Ebola, Zika, and COVID-19 has been made easier by using SMS messages, GPS applications, and artificial intelligence (AI) in many countries across sub-Saharan Africa, South Asia, Latin America, and high-income nations. Evidence suggests that mHealth applications reduce reaction times, keep people more informed, support following treatment plans, and are scalable in places where resources are few. How well these things work depends on their infrastructure, digital skills, trust, and how they interact with other parts of the system. Some major difficulties are privacy issues, incomplete regulations, unequal mobile use, and challenges with connecting to national health data systems. The suggestions for this paper are to unify digital health protocols, join forces across sectors, and design mHealth solutions with the community to ensure equity, security, and sustainability. If mHealth is developed and managed appropriately, it will help strengthen and include all in the international health care system, providing timely action against infectious diseases.