Within the Frugal Thermometer project, a study was executed in order to better understand issues surrounding fever diagnostics in low resource settings. This study has been published by Human Factors, and is accessible online.
The article seeks to unravel processes around assessing and acting upon fever diagnostics in low resource settings. The researchers argue that fever, possibly indicating serious health issues, is often not recognized soon enough. The diagnostics tools at hand might not be accessible or adapted to local circumstances, and patients might experience unnecessary consequences because of this. Improving diagnostic tools starts with changing the design process. The researchers undertook a literature study, aimed at understanding the barriers to access of diagnostic tools, combined with a so called 'patient journey model'. They arrive at a new 'product-service design' which attempts to improve fever diagnostics and ultimately improve health care in resource constrained contexts.
The study is titled 'Considerations for an Access-Centered Design of the Fever Thermometer in Low-Resource Settings: A Literature Review'. Rikako Iwamoto, Ana Laura Rodrigues Santos, Niels Chavannes, Ria Reis and JC Diehl are forming the researching team and were supported by the CFIA. Please find the full article here.