2023 Seed Grant Award Problem Statements

Good Health and Well Being

Problem #12: Use Complete Health^TM System to Study the Impact of Digital Health Intervention

Country/Region of execution:  Africa

Collaborating Organization:  mDoc Healthcare

mDoc is a digital health social enterprise that optimizes the end-to-end self-care experience for people living with regular and chronic health needs by leveraging quality improvement methodologies, behavioral science, data, and technology.

Problem Statement Description:  Noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) such as overweight/obesity, diabetes mellitus, cancer, and cardiovascular disease (CVD) are becoming more prevalent globally, and Africa has to contend with a double burden of communicable and non-communicable diseases.  Moreover, a person may suffer multiple NCDs simultaneously, complicating treatment options and outcomes. For instance, 41% of all obesity-related deaths in 2017 could be attributed to CVD¹. 

The increasing prevalence of obesity in Nigeria is driven by a shift towards more sedentary lifestyles and increased consumption of both calorie-dense foods and foods with high levels of refined sugar and saturated fats². These problems are compounded by low health literacy across all low- and middle-income countries³. 

mDoc aligns with SDG3 and aims to ensure the healthy lives of all people and to prevent needless suffering from preventable diseases like obesity and premature death from comorbidities of obesity through its CompleteHealth™ platform. 

CompleteHealth™ is a digital platform that allows members who sign up to gain access to both a coach-led multidisciplinary care team as well as a platform for monitoring and tracking their health. The health coach, along with the care team (comprising nutritionists, behavioral wellness coaches, and a fitness coach), engages with the members through an omnichannel approach and provides regular digital nudges on monitoring their health metrics, including their weight, health education, nutritional advice, and virtual exercise classes. The members create personalized action plans with their health coaches, including plans for increased exercise and better nutrition. 

So far, early data from CompleteHealth™ has shown a sustained reduction in the blood pressure of women of reproductive age. We are eager to expand this to help people with overweight or obese control their disease.