NIH and participating Institutes have issued Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/pa-files/PAR-14-028.html titled “Mobile Health: Technology and Outcomes in Low and Middle Income Countries”.
The funding will be used to study innovative Mobile health (mHealth) technology specifically for Low and Middle Income Countries (LMIC) and the health-related outcomes associated with implementation of the technology.
The potential for mHealth is especially relevant in LMICs where cell phone ownership is rapidly rising, but access to traditional healthcare and providers is often limited. In addition, many mHealth applications and devices have been developed in high income countries, but these technologies are not necessarily suitable for the needs of individuals in LMICs
The mHealth technology can include external hardware and/or software components for mobile or wireless devices. NIH is particularly interested in well-designed multidisciplinary projects that focus on tools or interventions for chronic diseases of technology for disease agnostic/cross-cutting applications.
Examples of some of the research areas include:
- Using digital photography and geopositioning capabilities of mobile technologies to aid in the early detection of cancers especially in underserved or remote areas
- Developing capacity-building projects internationally that will offer synchronous and asynchronous management and monitoring of treatment plans
- Creating a communication safety net for cancer survivors that will allow them to thrive after treatment while adhering to a proactive survivorship care plan
- Developing support tools for hospice workers, homecare specialists, caregivers, and patients to improve palliation and end-of-life decision-making
Applications will be accepted from higher education institutions and nonprofits. The number of awards is contingent upon NIH appropriations and the merit of applications. Applicants may request up to $125,000 direct costs per year.
All applications are required to involve partnerships between U.S. and LMIC researchers and should include plans to develop mHealth research capacity in LMICs. The research capacity and international research networks that would be developed should enable future mHealth research, beyond the time period of the grant.
A Letter of Intent is due January 19, 2015 with applications due February 19, 2015.