Table 4.

Summary of Studies included in the Systematic Review, N = 12

Author & year	Country& Setting	Study methods	Study population	mHealth intervention platforms	Barriers	Facilitators
Jahangir et al. [42]	Bangladesh Community-based Rural	Qualitative In-depth interviews	Health providers	Sexual health services SMS or text-messaging	- Low levels of technological and health literacy. -Not possible to provide diagnoses of STIs over the phone -Not possible to provide physical examination on phone. -Emotional burden for receiving too many calls and time.	-mHealth quite good for providing counselling. -Gets quick information to clients - Easy referral services to clinics - Time and cost management for traveling to health facilities. - Effective in time managemt for providing services. -Culturally appropriate in providing SRH information. -Effective in providing greater access to health information for women regarding STIs. -Provides an innovative platform to bridging the health communication gaps in sexual health
Peprah et al. [46]	Ghana Rural	Qualitative In-depth interviews	Healthcare providers	Sexual and reproductive services Phone call	-Language barrier. -Illiteracy or low educational level of recipients. - Lack of trust. -Mobile network connectivity challenges.	mHealth saves waiting hours’ time. -Delivering services via mHealth technology saves time. -mHealth reduces workload. -mHealth able to contact many clients at a time for healthcare.
Braun et al. [37]	Tanzania Rural	Qualitative IDIs	Community health workers	Family planning (FP) services text messaging	-Low technological skills. -Limited power for battery charging -Cost of mobile phone.	- Timelier - More convenient contacting clients from remote locations. -Ease of use of technology confidential information and care. -Increased method choice. -Improved privacy, confidentiality and trust with clients.
Dev et al. [38]	Kenya Rural	Qualitative In-depth interviews	Healthcare providers (nurses)	Contraception services Mobile phone call	- Limited technological literacy - Workload for receiving calls from clients. -Emotional stress.	-Helps deliver the appropriate and detailed SRH information. -Saves time for providing education or counselling. -Improves client provider interactions relationship. - Allows discuss confidential issues with women on contraceptives privately with women to make better decisions -Maximizes time or saves providers time in providing counselling process.
Logie et al. [44]	Nigeria Keyna Rural	Mixed method Qualitive In-depth interviews (IDIs)	Healthcare providers	Sexual and reproductive health services Mobile phone call	-Does not work if a client/ person doesn’t have a phone. -Lack of regular internet access. -Lack of technological literacy of using mobile apps. - Cost of mobile phones	-Able to target specific health information to clients in rural areas based on health demographics. -Able to provide access to SRH information for underserved group. - Easier to provide mHealth apps SRH confidentially for young people in remote areas. -Easy for healthcare providers to constantly remind or follow up on clients.
Ibembe [41]	Kenya Health facility Rural	Qualitative IDIs	Healthcare professionals	Reproductive health services Mobile phone call	-Lack of technological expertise. -Poor network connectivity. -Cost of phone credit or airtime. -Lack of motivation. -Lack of technological literacy and skills. - Not owning a cell phone.	-Easy consultation. - Addressing challenges distance between health providers and users. - Trust and confidentiality are built. Around health providers and users. -Quality and timely health decision making.
Ong et al. [45]	Cambodia Rural/urban	Qualitative Focus group discussions (FGDs) IDIs	Community health workers	Sexual and reproductive health/HIV Text messaging Voice messaging	-Lack of financial support for service provision. -Network connectivity interruptions.	- Able to provide information on HIV and STIs prevention issues. - Able to link up with many clients with SRH services. -Able to connect groups of clients. -Able to help clients in making SRH decisions -More efficient to deliver information directly and more frequently to a larger group via mobile phones.
Khatun et al. [43]	Bangladesh Rural	Qualitative IDIs		Health services Mobile phone call	-Technological human resource inadequacy. -Healthcare personnel readiness to use mobile technology for SRH services. -Lack of technological skills by some HCPs and young people. - illiteracy barriers.	-Decrease in patient loads in rural healthcare centers. -mHealth consultation saves time - Enables health providers to provide quality health services. -Culturally sensitive and technology friendly solution
Hirsch-Moverman et al. [40]	Lesotho Rural	Qualitative IDIs	Healthcare providers Health facility & community -based	Health services/HIV text messaging	-Lack of technology infrastructure. -Limited network connectivity -Limited electricity connectivity. -Community members influence of use of mobile phones for SRH services.	-Facilitates communication between patients’ providers. -Ability to be able to follow-up patients frequently. -mHealth communication messages strengthen the patient–provider bond. -Ability to monitor patients over phone. -Easily able to track and follow up patients.
Jennings et al. [29]	Kenya Rural	Qualitative FGDs/IDIs	Community health workers & nurses Health facility-based	HIV services Voice calls, Text messaging	- Cost for airtime for maintenance of phones. -Lack of technological by clients	- Protects the confidentiality of information. - Convenient for follow -Easy referral of clients to HCPs. -Timelier notification f information -Save time -Reduces unnecessary visits.to health facilities
Hampshire et al. [39]	Ghana & Malawi Peri-urban & rural	Qualitative IDIs	Health workers Community-based	Contraception/family planning/HIV prevention education. Text messaging phone calls Voice messaging	-Not having personal mobile phones. -Temporary mobile phone breakdown can be problematic. -Poor or unreliable network - Mobile phone credit or airtime. -Limited sources to buy credit Emotional burden for receiving calls at night.	--Mobile phones help in emergencies, staff making emergency calls. -Helps in communicating with patients’ colleagues, obtaining clinical advice.
Chang et al. [39]	Uganda Rural	Qualitative IDIs	Peer health workers	HIV services Text messaging Voice messaging	-Phone maintenance cost -Lack of power/electricity to charge phones. -Mobile phones theft .	-Facilitates task shifting. Time saving. -Facilitates exchange of information or communication between HCPs and patients and HCPs. -Improved peer health workers morale.