Jørn Braa

• Mahundi, Masoud; Senyoni, Wilfred; Luambano, Merina Marcelino; Sæbø, Johan Ivar; Müller, Sune Dueholm & Ngwila, Mustapha [Show all 10 contributors for this article] (2026). The extent and factors influencing the quality of routine healthcare data in Bahi and Dodoma councils in Tanzania. SSM - Health Systems. 7, p. 1–9. doi: 10.1016/j.ssmhs.2026.100304.
• Ndagijimana, Similien; Semakula, Muhammed; Ishimwe, Christa; Sebakunzi, Thierry; Umuhire, Vivianne Niyonkuru & Hirwa, Sylvain Muzungu [Show all 24 contributors for this article] (2026). Spatial and spatio-temporal modelling of climate variability and under-five diarrhoeal disease in Rwanda. Environmental Research: Health. 4(3), p. 1–13. doi: 10.1088/2752-5309/ae8322. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  Background. Diarrhoeal disease remains a leading cause of morbidity and mortality among children under five years (U5) in Rwanda, contributing substantially to healthcare utilisation and imposing considerable economic burdens on households and the health system. National estimates indicate that approximately 14.3% of children under five experienced diarrhoea in the two weeks preceding the 2019–2020 Rwanda Demographic and Health Survey, and diarrhoea has been reported as the third leading cause of death in this age group. Climate variability may influence the risk of diarrhoeal disease, but evidence on how specific climatic factors affect diarrhoeal incidence across Rwanda’s diverse ecological zones and seasons remains limited. This study examined associations between maximum temperature, minimum temperature, rainfall, and relative humidity and U5 diarrhoeal incidence at the sector level in Rwanda. Methods. Monthly counts of U5 diarrhoeal cases reported by health facilities across 416 administrative sectors in Rwanda from January 2015 to December 2024 were analysed together with satellite-derived climate data. Spatio-temporal statistical models were used to evaluate associations between standardised climate variables and diarrhoeal incidence rates while accounting for geographic and seasonal variation. Model comparison relied on both goodness-of-fit metrics and out-of-sample predictive diagnostics. Results. Diarrhoeal incidence showed clear spatial and seasonal patterns, with persistently higher rates in northern and eastern Rwanda. In the final model maximum temperature was positively associated with increased diarrhoeal incidence, with a one-standard-deviation increase corresponding to a 5.6% rise in the estimated incidence rate ratio (RR = 1.056; 95% CrI: 1.02–1.09). Relative humidity showed a protective association (RR ≈ 0.919; 95% CrI: 0.89–0.94), while rainfall showed limited immediate effects. Conclusion. Under-five diarrhoeal incidence in Rwanda showed marked spatial and seasonal variability. Maximum temperature was positively associated with diarrhoeal incidence rates, while relative humidity showed an inverse association that may partly reflect unmeasured confounding by drought, water access, and WASH infrastructure. External validation is needed before the modelling framework can be applied operationally. These findings highlight the importance of preparedness during hotter periods and strengthened prevention and surveillance efforts in high-risk areas.

• Amarakoon, Pamod Madusanka; Gundersen, Ragnhild Bassøe; Muhire, Andrew; Utvik, Vetle Alvenes & Braa, Jørn Anders (2023). Exploring health information system resilience during COVID-19 pandemic: case studies from Norway, Sri Lanka & Rwanda. BMC Health Services Research. 23(1). doi: 10.1186/s12913-023-10232-0. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  The study aims at exploring health system resilience by defining the scope on health information systems, one of the six building blocks of the health system. The empirical evidence is derived using qualitative data collection and analysis in the context of Norway, Sri Lanka and Rwanda during the COVID-19 pandemic. The case studies elicit bounce back and bounce forward properties as well as the agility as major attributes of resilience present across the countries. Existing local capacity, networking and collaborations, flexible digital platforms and enabling antecedent conditions are identified as socio-technical determinants of information system resilience based on the case studies across the countries.

• Braa, Jørn Anders; Sahay, Sundeep & Monteiro, Eric (2023). Design Theory for Societal Digital Transformation: The Case of Digital Global Health. Journal of the AIS. 24(6), p. 1645–1669. doi: 10.17705/1jais.00816. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  With societal challenges, including but not limited to human development, equity, social justice, and climate change, societal-level digital transformation (SDT) is of imminent relevance and theoretical interest. While building on local-level efforts, societal-level transformation is a nonlinear extension of the local level. Unfortunately, academic discourse on digital transformation has largely left SDT unaccounted for. Drawing on more than 25 years of intensive, interventionist research engagement with the digital transformation of public healthcare information management and delivery in more than 80 countries in the Global South, we contribute to theorizing SDT in the form of a design theory consisting of six interconnected design principles. These design principles articulate the interplay and tensions of accommodating over time increased diversity and flexibility in digital solutions, while simultaneously connecting local, national, and regional/ global efforts.

• Paton, Chris; Braa, Jørn Anders; Muhire, Andrew; Ruiz, Luis Marco; Kobayashi, Shinji & Fraser, Hamish [Show all 8 contributors for this article] (2022). Open Source Digital Health Software for Resilient, Accessible and Equitable Healthcare Systems. Yearbook of Medical Informatics. ISSN 0943-4747. 31(1), p. 67–73. doi: 10.1055/s-0042-1742508. Full text in Research Archive
• Amarakoon, Pamod Madusanka; Braa, Jørn Anders; Sahay, Sundeep & Muhire, Andrew (2022). Building Digital Resilience to Combat Pandemics: Comparison of South Korea, Sri Lanka and Rwanda. In Zheng, Y.; Abbott, P. & Robles-Flores, J. A. (Ed.), Freedom and Social Inclusion in a Connected World : 17th IFIP WG 9.4 International Conference on Implications of Information and Digital Technologies for Development. Springer. ISSN 9783031194290. doi: 10.1007/978-3-031-19429-0_18. Full text in Research Archive
• Sahay, Sundeep; Braa, Jørn Anders & Amarakoon, Pamod Madusanka (2022). Digital Resilience for What? Case Study of South Korea. In Zheng, Y.; Abbott, P. & Robles-Flores, J. A. (Ed.), Freedom and Social Inclusion in a Connected World : 17th IFIP WG 9.4 International Conference on Implications of Information and Digital Technologies for Development. Springer. ISSN 9783031194290. doi: 10.48550/arXiv.2108.09950. Full text in Research Archive
• Sahay, Sundeep; Braa, Jørn Anders & Amarakoon, Pamod Madusanka (2022). Digital Resilience for What? Case Study of South Korea. In Zheng, Y.; Abbott, P. & Robles-Flores, J. A. (Ed.), Freedom and Social Inclusion in a Connected World : 17th IFIP WG 9.4 International Conference on Implications of Information and Digital Technologies for Development. Springer. ISSN 9783031194290. doi: 10.48550/arXiv.2108.09950. Full text in Research Archive
• Kobayashi, Shinji; Falcón, Luis; Fraser, Hamish; Braa, Jørn; Amarakoon, Pamod & Marcelo, Alvin [Show all 7 contributors for this article] (2021). Using Open Source, Open Data, and Civic Technology to Address the COVID-19 Pandemic and Infodemic. Yearbook of Medical Informatics. ISSN 0943-4747. 30(1), p. 38–43. doi: 10.1055/s-0041-1726488. Full text in Research Archive
• Amarakoon, Pamod Madusanka; Braa, Jørn Anders & Sahay, Sundeep (2021). Building Resilient Information Systems for Child Nutrition in Post-conflict Sri Lanka during COVID-19 Pandemic. In Masiero, Silvia & Nielsen, Petter (Ed.), IFIP 9.4 2021 – 1st Virtual Conference Conference Theme: Resilient ICT4D. Proceedings. Universitetet i Oslo. ISSN 9788273684622. doi: 10.48550/arXiv.2108.09726. Full text in Research Archive
• Amarakoon, Pamod Madusanka; Braa, Jørn Anders & Sahay, Sundeep (2021). Building Agility in COVID-19 Information Systems Response in Sri Lanka: Recommendations for Practice. In Masiero, Silvia & Nielsen, Petter (Ed.), IFIP 9.4 2021 – 1st Virtual Conference Conference Theme: Resilient ICT4D. Proceedings. Universitetet i Oslo. ISSN 9788273684622. doi: 10.48550/arXiv.2108.09727. Full text in Research Archive
• Poppe, Olav; Sæbø, Johan Ivar & Braa, Jørn (2021). WHO digital health packages for disseminating data standards and data use practices. International Journal of Medical Informatics. ISSN 1386-5056. 149. doi: 10.1016/j.ijmedinf.2021.104422. Full text in Research Archive
• Poppe, Olav; Saugene, Zeferino; Kossi, Edem Kwame; Braa, Jørn & Sæbø, Johan Ivar (2020). Rapid Systems Response to COVID-19: Standards Disseminated as Digital Health Packages. In Bandi, Rajendra; Klein, Stefan; Madon, Shirin; Raghavendra, Ranjini & Monteiro, Eric (Ed.), IFIPJWC: IFIP Joint Working Conference on the Future of Digital Work: The Challenge of Inequality. Springer. ISSN 9783030646967. p. 237–250. doi: 10.1007/978-3-030-64697-4_18. Full text in Research Archive
• Amarakoon, Pamod; Braa, Jørn; Sahay, Sundeep; Pandula, Siribaddana & Hewapathirana, Roshan Hashantha (2020). Building Agility in Health Information Systems to Respond to the COVID-19 Pandemic. IFIP Advances in Information and Communication Technology. ISSN 1868-4238. p. 222–236. doi: 10.1007/978-3-030-64697-4_17. Full text in Research Archive
• Amarakoon, Pamod Madusanka; Braa, Jørn Anders & Sahay, Sundeep (2020). Building Agility in Health Information Systems to Respond to the COVID-19 Pandemic: The Sri Lankan Experience. In Bandi, Rajendra; Klein, Stefan; Madon, Shirin; Raghavendra, Ranjini & Monteiro, Eric (Ed.), IFIPJWC: IFIP Joint Working Conference on the Future of Digital Work: The Challenge of Inequality. Springer. ISSN 9783030646967. doi: 10.1007/978-3-030-64697-4_17. Full text in Research Archive
• Poppe, Olav; Sæbø, Johan Ivar & Braa, Jørn (2019). Strategies for standardizing health information analysis: flexible standards revisited. IFIP Advances in Information and Communication Technology. ISSN 1868-4238. 551, p. 260–271. doi: 10.1007/978-3-030-18400-1_21. Full text in Research Archive
• Senyoni, Wilfred Felix; Kimaro, Honest Christopher; Braa, Jørn & Kumalija, Claud (2019). An institutional perspective on the adoption of open dashboard for health information systems in tanzania. IFIP Advances in Information and Communication Technology. ISSN 1868-4238. 551, p. 272–283. doi: 10.1007/978-3-030-18400-1_22. Full text in Research Archive
• Sitompul, Taufiq; Senyoni, Wilfred; Braa, Jørn & Yudianto, * (2019). Convergence of Technical and Policy Processes: A Study of Indonesia’s Health Information Systems. IFIP Advances in Information and Communication Technology. ISSN 1868-4238. 551, p. 390–401. doi: 10.1007/978-3-030-18400-1_32. Full text in Research Archive
• Chu, Anh; Phommavong, Chansaly; Lewis, John; Braa, Jørn & Senyoni, Wilfred (2017). Applying ICT to health information systems (HIS) in low resource settings: Implementing DHIS2 as an integrated health information platform in Lao PDR. IFIP Advances in Information and Communication Technology. ISSN 1868-4238. 504, p. 536–547. doi: 10.1007/978-3-319-59111-7_44. Full text in Research Archive
• Nguyen, Thanh Ngoc; Nielsen, Petter & Braa, Jørn (2017). Scaling Information Infrastructures: The Case of the Medical Licensing System in a Southeast Asian Country. AJIS. Australasian Journal of Information Systems. ISSN 1449-8618. 21. doi: 10.3127/ajis.v21i0.1518. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  Scaling health information systems from small-scale pilots to national systems in developing countries poses a key challenge to systems designers and health managers. Consequently, many projects dissolve and die before they reach the scale where they are useful for information management. The concept of bootstrapping, from the information infrastructure literature, has proven useful for discussing and understanding how to initiate and grow largescale, complex and networked information systems from scratch. We use the concept of bootstrapping to analyze and discuss an empirical case of building a large-scale medical licensing system in a Southeast Asian country. Beyond describing the process leading up to the success of the licensing system, we contribute to the literature by identifying a range of factors influencing the bootstrapping process, and we suggest methods of making the bootstrapping strategy relevant in this context.

• Hewapathirana, Roshan; Amarakoon, Pamod & Braa, Jørn (2017). Open source software ecosystems in health sector: A case study from Sri Lanka. IFIP Advances in Information and Communication Technology. ISSN 1868-4238. 504, p. 71–80. doi: 10.1007/978-3-319-59111-7_7. Full text in Research Archive
• Braa, Jørn; Sahay, Sundeep; Lewis, John & Senyoni, Wilfred (2017). Health information systems in Indonesia: Understanding and addressing complexity. IFIP Advances in Information and Communication Technology. ISSN 1868-4238. 504, p. 59–70. doi: 10.1007/978-3-319-59111-7_6. Full text in Research Archive
• Nguyen, Thanh Ngoc & Braa, Jørn (2016). Scaffolding health information infrastructure's generativity by scaffolded gateways: The case of Vietnam. Electronic Journal of Information Systems in Developing Countries. 75(4), p. 1–22. doi: 10.1002/j.1681-4835.2016.tb00546.x. Full text in Research Archive
• Jolliffe, Bo; Poppe, Olav; Adaletey, Denis Leonard & Braa, Jørn (2015). Models for Online Computing in Developing Countries: Issues and Deliberations. Information Technology for Development. ISSN 0268-1102. 21(1), p. 151–161. doi: 10.1080/02681102.2014.902354. Full text in Research Archive
• Nguyen, Thanh Ngoc; Ha, Son Thai & Braa, Jørn (2015). Assembling a national health information infrastructure: The case of Vietnam. Electronic Journal of Information Systems in Developing Countries. 66(7), p. 1–18. doi: 10.1002/j.1681-4835.2015.tb00477.x. Full text in Research Archive
• Shaw, Vincent & Braa, Jørn (2014). Approaches to Participatory Design in Africa in the Age of Cloud Computing. In Clement, Andrew; Winschiers, Heike; D'Andrea, Vincenzo & Bødker, Keld (Ed.), Proceedings of the 13th Participatory Design Conference: Short Papers, Industry Cases, Workshop Descriptions, Doctoral Consortium papers, and Keynote abstracts - Volume 2. ACM Digital Library. ISSN 9781450332149. p. 45–48. doi: 10.1145/2662155.2662180. Full text in Research Archive
• Sahay, Sundeep; Sæbø, Johan Ivar & Braa, Jørn (2013). Scaling of HIS in a global context: Same, same, but different. Information and organization. ISSN 1471-7727. 23(4), p. 294–323. doi: 10.1016/j.infoandorg.2013.08.002. Full text in Research Archive
• Poppe, Olav; Jolliffe, Bob; Adaletey, Denis Leonard; Braa, Jørn & Manya, Ayub Shisia (2013). Cloud Computing for Health Information in Africa? Comparing the Case of Ghana to Kenya. Journal of Health Informatics in Africa. ISSN 2197-6902. 1. doi: 10.12856/JHIA-2013-v1-i1-45. Full text in Research Archive
• Matavire, Rangarirai; Chidawanyika, Henry; Braa, Jørn; Nyika, Ponesai & Katiyo, Joshua (2013). Shaping the Evolution of the Health Information Infrastructure in Zimbabwe. Journal of Health Informatics in Africa. ISSN 2197-6902. 1. doi: 10.12856/JHIA-2013-v1-i1-73. Full text in Research Archive
• Pundo, Raphael; Manya, Ayub Shisia; Mburu, Erastus & Braa, Jørn (2013). The Consistency and Concurrency Between the Kenya HIV/AIDS Program Monitoring System (KePMs) and the National Reporting System (DHIS2), 2012. Journal of Health Informatics in Africa. ISSN 2197-6902. Full text in Research Archive
• Adaletey, Denis Leonard; Poppe, Olav & Braa, Jørn (2013). Cloud Computing for Development – Improving the Health Information System in Ghana. In Cunningham, Paul & Cunningham, Miriam (Ed.), IST-Africa 2013 Conference Proceedings. International Information Management Corporation Limited. ISSN 9781905824380. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  The health sector in many developing countries is undergoing restructuring to meet set goals, especially the health related Millennium Development Goals. To be able to monitor the performance of the health sector, an efficient Health Information System (HIS) is essential. This paper describes the process of implementing an online data warehouse based on the open source District Health Information Software 2 (DHIS2) in Ghana, integrating existing vertical reporting systems run by various health programmes. We discuss how an online deployment has solved many of the challenges facing the previous HIS in Ghana, and how it is an example of how cloud computing can be leverage to great effect in developing countries.

• Purkayastha, Saptarshi & Braa, Jørn (2013). Big Data Analytics for developing countries – Using the Cloud for Operational BI in Health. Electronic Journal of Information Systems in Developing Countries. 59, p. 1–17. doi: 10.1002/j.1681-4835.2013.tb00420.x. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  The multi-layered view of digital divide suggests there is inequality of access to ICT, inequality of capability to exploit ICT and inequality of outcomes after exploiting ICT. This is evidently clear in the health systems of developing countries. In this paper, we look at cloud computing being able to provide computing as a utility service that might bridge this digital divide for Health Information Systems in developing countries. We highlight the role of Operational Business Intelligence (BI) tools to be able to make better decisions in health service provisioning. Through the case of DHIS2 software and its Analytics-as-a-Service (AaaS) model, we look at how tools can exploit Cloud computing capabilities to perform analytics on Big Data that is resulting from integration of health data from multiple sources. Beyond looking at purely warehousing techniques, we suggest understanding Big Data from Organizational Capabilities and expanding organizational capabilities by offloading computing as a utility to vendors through cloud computing.

• Braa, Jørn & Sahay, Sundeep (2012). Health Information Systems Program: Participatory design within the HISP network. In Jesper, Simonsen & Robertson, Toni (Ed.), Routledge International Handbook of Participatory Design. Routledge. ISSN 9780415694407. p. 235–257. doi: 10.4324/9780203108543.ch10. Full text in Research Archive
• Braa, Jørn; Heywood, Arthur Brookes & Sahay, Sundeep (2012). Improving quality and use of data through data-use workshops:. Zanzibar, United Republic of Tanzania. Bulletin of the World Health Organization. ISSN 0042-9686. 90(5), p. 379–384. doi: 10.2471/BLT.11.099580. Full text in Research Archive
• Sæbø, Johan Ivar; Kossi, Edem Kwame; Titlestad, Ola Hodne; Tohouri, Romain Rolland Francis & Braa, Jørn (2011). Comparing strategies to integrate health information systems following a data warehouse approach in four countries. Information Technology for Development. ISSN 0268-1102. 17(1), p. 42–60. doi: 10.1080/02681102.2010.511702. Full text in Research Archive
• Tohouri, Romain Rolland Francis; Asangansi, Ime Effiong; Titlestad, Ola Hodne & Braa, Jørn (2010). The Change Strategy towards an Integrated Health Information Infrastructure: Lessons from Sierra Leone. In Jr., Ralph H. Sprague, (Eds.), 2010 43rd Hawaii International Conference on System Sciences. IEEE (Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers). ISSN 9780769538693. p. 1–10. Full text in Research Archive
• Titlestad, Ola Hodne; Staring, Knut & Braa, Jørn (2009). Distributed development to enable user participation multilevel design in the HISP network. Scandinavian Journal of Information Systems (SJIS). ISSN 0905-0167. 21(1), p. 27–50. Full text in Research Archive
• Kossi, Edem Kwame; Sæbø, Johan Ivar; Titlestad, Ola Hodne; Tohouri, Romain Rolland Francis & Braa, Jørn (2009). Comparing Strategies to Integrate Health Information Systems Following a Data Warehouse Approach in Four Countries. In Byrne, Elaine; Nicholson, Brian & Salem, Fadi (Ed.), Assessing the Contribution of ICT to Development Goals. Dubai School of Government and International Federation for Information Processing. ISSN 9780903808057. Full text in Research Archive
• Kanjo, Chipo; Moyo, Christon M.; Galimoto, Marlen Stacey; Braa, Jørn & Muyepa, Anthony Cosmo (2009). Towards Harmonisation of Health Information Systems in Malawi: Challenges and Prospects. In Cunningham, Paul & Cunningham, Miriam (Ed.), The IST-Africa 2009 Conference Proceedings,. International Information Management Corporation Limited. ISSN 9781905824113. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  Building an information system for health requires a lot of consultations and collaboration with all stakeholders involved for the process to be successful particularly in situations where there are a number of vertical programs that need to be integrated into one system. A critical review of the Malawi health management information system indicates that there is more to having a harmonised information system than stakeholder involvement and buy-in. This paper analyses the challenges and prospects faced in a situation where there is stakeholder buy-in yet the vertical programs’ information systems remain fragmented. Furthermore, new programmes are sprouting because it is claimed that the national health management information system is not addressing the needs of the programmes. The paper suggests an approach to policy makers and programme managers that would harmonise

• Williamson, Louisa Joan; Kaasbøll, Jens Johan; Braa, Jørn & Sun, Violeta (2008). South-South collaboration: adapting information systems integration strategies in Namibia. In Cunningham, Paul & Cunningham, Miriam (Ed.), IST-Africa 2008 Conference Proceedings. International Information Management Corporation Limited. ISSN 9781905824076. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  The research tests the feasibility of an information systems integration strategy within the Namibian health care system. Early findings suggest that the transfer of ‘best practices’ may be inappropriate in different country contexts, or that previously considered ‘best practices’ are less than optimal. The adaptation process builds on a South-Africa - Namibia collaboration of sharing practices, experiences and expertise. The role of South-South collaboration in supporting adaptation interventions in offering opportunities to explore both feasibility and appropriateness of potential interventions is addressed. The finding emphasizes the usefulness of extending joint knowledge on how to develop information systems in the health sectors of African and Asian countries.

• Braa, Jørn & Muquingue, Humberto N. F. F. (2007). Health Information Systems and Open Source Software Development: Need for Cross-country Collaboration in Africa –Experiences from the HISP/BEANISH Network. In Cunningham, Paul & Cunningham, Miriam (Ed.), IST-Africa 2007 Conference Proceedings. IIMC International Information Management Corporation, 2007. ISSN 9781905824045. Full text in Research Archive
• Braa, Jørn; Igira, Faraja Teddy; Titlestad, Ola Hodne; Lungo, Juma Hemed; Sheikh, Yahya Hamad & Mahundi, Masoud [Show all 9 contributors for this article] (2007). Designing and Implementing Hospital Management Information Systems: Experiences from Zanzibar. In Cunningham, Paul & Cunningham, Miriam (Ed.), IST-Africa 2007 Conference Proceedings. IIMC International Information Management Corporation, 2007. ISSN 9781905824045. Full text in Research Archive
• Lungo, Juma Hemed; Sheikh, Yahya Hamad; Igira, Faraja Teddy; Titlestad, Ola Hodne; Braa, Jørn & Bakar, Abubakar [Show all 7 contributors for this article] (2007). Implementation of ICTs in Health and Management Information System for Zanzibar. In Cunningham, Paul & Cunningham, Miriam (Ed.), IST-Africa 2007 Conference Proceedings. IIMC International Information Management Corporation, 2007. ISSN 9781905824045. Full text in Research Archive
• Braa, Jørn; Hanseth, Ole; Heywood, A; Mohammed, Woinshet Abdella & Shaw, Vincent (2007). Developing health information systems in developing countries: The flexible standards strategy. MIS Quarterly. ISSN 0276-7783. 31. Full text in Research Archive
• Jacucci, Edoardo; Shaw, Vincent Paul & Braa, Jørn (2006). Standardization of health information systems in South Africa: The challenge of local sustainability. Information Technology for Development. ISSN 0268-1102. 12(3), p. 225–239. Full text in Research Archive
• Joao, Carlos de Timoteo Mavimbe; Muquingue, Humberto N. F. F.; Braa, Jørn & Bjune, Gunnar Aksel (2006). Immunization coverage in Mozambique: From concepts to decision-making. Health Policy. ISSN 0168-8510. Full text in Research Archive
• Iacucci, Eduardo & Braa, Jørn (2005). Standardization of Health Information Systems in South Africa: the Challenge of Local Sustainability. IFIP International Federation for Information Processing. ISSN 1571-5736. Full text in Research Archive
• Braa, Jørn; Hanseth, Ole & Mohammed, Woinshet Abdella (2005). Flexible standards. In Sherif, Mostafa Hashem & Egyedi, Tineke M. (Ed.), Standardization and innovation in information technology. IEEE (Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers). ISSN 9780780394704. p. 41–54. Full text in Research Archive
• Mavimbe, Joao Carlos de Timóteo; Braa, Jørn & Bjune, Gunnar Aksel (2005). Assessing immunization data quality from routine reports in Mozambique. BMC Public Health. 5(108). Full text in Research Archive
• Braa, Jørn; Monteiro, Erik & Sahay, Sundeep (2004). Networks of action: sustainable health information systems across developing countries. MIS Quarterly. ISSN 0276-7783. 28(3), p. 337-362–362. Full text in Research Archive
• Braa, Jørn & Blobel, Bernd (2003). Strategies for health information systems development in developing countries. The WITFOR health commission�s report. In Khakhar, Dipak (Eds.), WITFOR 2003 White Book. Proceedings of IFIP World Information Technology Forum. IFIP Press, Information Federation for Information Processing. ISSN 9783901882180. Full text in Research Archive
• Braa, Jørn & Hedberg, Calle (2002). The struggle for developing District health information systems in South Africa. The Information Society. ISSN 0197-2243. 18(3). Full text in Research Archive
• Nhampossa, Jose Leopold & Braa, Jørn (2001). A study of the actual and potential usage of information and communication technology at district and provincial levels in Mozambique with a focus on the health sector. Electronic Journal of Information Systems in Developing Countries. 5(2). Full text in Research Archive
• Braa, Jørn; Heywood, Arthur & King, Maylene Shung (1997). District level information systems: two cases from South Africa. Methods of Information in Medicine. ISSN 0026-1270. 36(2), p. 115–121. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  The health system in South Africa has to date been fragmented and centralised. The priority of the new government is to establish an integrated and decentralised district health system of which a key element is the development of district health and management information systems (H & MIS). This paper presents experiences from two projects in the Western Cape in which a process to establish a district-based H & MIS was initiated and a situation analysis of the information systems was done. The two projects applied different research methods but the results show with remarkable consistency that much time is used on data collection, but information is not used at local level. The projects have applied different approaches towards developing a district H & MIS but in both important pre-requisites for a successful, action-led H & MIS include local ownership and motivation, a process based around existing local management structures and the active involvement of the community.

• Braa, Jørn (1996). Participatory design in the Third World. Ukjent. Full text in Research Archive
• Braa, Jørn (1996). Decentralisation, primary health care and information technology in developing countries: case studies from South Africa and Mongolia. Ukjent. Full text in Research Archive
• Braa, Jørn & Monteiro, Eric (1996). Infrastructure and institutions: the case of public health in Mongolia. Ukjent. Full text in Research Archive
• Braa, Jørn & Monteiro, Eric (1995). Infrastructure and institutions - the case of public health in Mongolia. Ukjent. p. 171–188. Full text in Research Archive
• Braa, Jørn & Power, Michael (1995). Information Technology, Development and health. Ukjent. p. 134–141. Full text in Research Archive
• Braa, Jørn (1995). Decentralisation, primary health care and information technology in developing countries: Case studies from Mongolia and South Africa. Ukjent. Full text in Research Archive
• Braa, Jørn; Monteiro, Eric & Reinert, Erik (1995). Technology transfer vs. technological learning: IT-infrastructure and health care in developing countries. Information Technology for Development. ISSN 0268-1102. 6, p. 15–23. doi: 10.1080/02681102.1995.9525252. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  The notion of technological ‘transfer’ rests on a conception of technology as artifacts. This, as many have argued, neglects the crucial aspects of the social and cultural context of use. Technology has to be learnt rather than transferred. Based on this, we attempt to analyze the conditions and possibilities for technological learning about IT‐infrastructure in developing countries. In so doing, we distinguish between local, contextual learning and institutional or technological infrastructure for learning. These processes of learning need to take place in areas sheltered from international competition. Examples from Mongolia and South African health care are used to illustrate our points.

• Braa, Jørn & Heywood, Arthur (1995). South Africa, Africa and health information systems - The need for a reciprocal collaboration. Ukjent. Full text in Research Archive

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• Sahay, Sundeep; Sundararaman, T & Braa, Jørn (2017). Public Health Informatics. Designing for change -A developing country perspective. Oxford University Press. ISBN 9780198758778. 270 p. Full text in Research Archive
• Braa, Jørn & Sahay, Sundeep (2012). Integrated Health Information Architecture: Power for the Users. Design Development and Use. Matrix Publishing. ISBN 9789381320068. 362 p. Full text in Research Archive
• Braa, Jørn & Sahay, Sundeep (2012). Integrated Health Information Architecture - Power to the Users. Matrix Publishers. ISBN 9789381320068. 384 p. Full text in Research Archive
• Braa, Jørn & Sahay, Sundeep (2012). Integrated Health Information Architecture: Power to the Users: Design, Development and Use. Matrix Publishers. ISBN 9789381320068. 362 p. Full text in Research Archive

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• Dhimal, Meghnath; Joshi, Pramod & Braa, Jørn Anders (2025). Addressing Health Risks of Climate Change through Digital Transformation in Nepal. Journal of Nepal Health Research Council (JNHRC). ISSN 1727-5482. 23(2), p. i–iv. doi: 10.33314/jnhrc.v23i02.5006. Full text in Research Archive
• Manya, Ayub Shisia; Braa, Jørn; Nielsen, Petter & Wasunna, Owino (2015). Utilization of routine health information system to monitor the United Nation’s Millennium Development Goals (MDGS) for 2015 in South Sudan. Full text in Research Archive
• Sæbø, Johan Ivar; Kossi, Edem Kwame; Sahay, Sundeep & Braa, Jørn (2012). A regional approach to Health Information Systems strengthening: Policies and capacity building in West Africa. Full text in Research Archive
• Kossi, Edem Kwame; Kanjo, Chipo; Moyo, Christon M. & Braa, Jørn (2011). Developing Integrated National Health Information Systems in Malawi:Oriented emergence of flexible architecture. Full text in Research Archive
• Sæbø, Johan Ivar; Sahay, Sundeep; Braa, Jørn; Kossi, Edem Kwame & Settle, Dykki (2011). Networks of Networks - Collaborative Efforts to Develop Health Information Systems Across Developing Countries. Full text in Research Archive
• Sæbø, Johan Ivar; Kossi, Edem Kwame & Braa, Jørn (2011). Integrated HIS architecture of interoperable systems through networks of actions: Sierra Leone and West Africa. Full text in Research Archive
• Jolliffe, Bo; Sæbø, Johan Ivar; Kossi, Edem Kwame & Braa, Jørn (2011). Open and flexible Infrastructures: Scaling across diverse settings through open software, open standards, and open architecture. Full text in Research Archive
• Jolliffe, Bo; Braa, Jørn; Sæbø, Johan Ivar; Kossi, Edem Kwame; Kanter, Andrew & Lesh, Neal [Show all 8 contributors for this article] (2010). Comprehensive Yet Scalable Health Information Systems for Low Resource Settings: A Collaborative Effort in Sierra Leone. Full text in Research Archive
• Sæbø, Johan Ivar; Kossi, Edem Kwame; Titlestad, Ola Hodne; Tohouri, Romain & Braa, Jørn (2009). Comparing strategies to integrate health information systems following a data warehouse approach in four countries. Full text in Research Archive
• Sæbø, Johan Ivar; Titlestad, Ola Hodne; Kossi, Edem Kwame; Tohouri, Romain & Braa, Jørn (2009). Integrating Health Information Systems in Sierra Leone. Full text in Research Archive
• Sæbø, Johan Ivar; Titlestad, Ola Hodne; Kossi, Edem Kwame; Braa, Jørn & Tohouri, Romain (2008). Developing the district Health Information System (HIS) in Sierra Leone. Full text in Research Archive
• Braa, Jørn (2007). Building Sustainable Europe-Africa Consortiums and Networks - the Example of BEANISH. Full text in Research Archive
• Braa, Jørn; Monteiro, Eric; Sahay, Sundeep; Staring, Knut & titlestad, ola (2007). Scaling up local learning – experiences from south-south-north networks of shared software development. Full text in Research Archive
• Jacucci, Edoardo; Shaw, Vincent & Braa, Jørn (2005). Standardization of Health Information Systems in South Africa: the Challenge of Local Sustainability. Full text in Research Archive
• Braa, Jørn (2005). A data warehouse approach can manage multiple data sets. Bulletin of the World Health Organization. ISSN 0042-9686. 83, p. 638–639. Full text in Research Archive
• Braa, Jørn & Hanseth, Ole (2005). Flexible Standards. Full text in Research Archive
• Nhampossa, Jose Leopold; Kaasbøll, Jens Johan & Braa, Jørn (2004). Participation in the information system adaptation process in the public sector in Mozambique. Full text in Research Archive
• Titlestad, Ola Hodne; Braa, Jørn & Johan, Sæbø (2004). Participatory health information systems development in Cuba - the challenge of addressing multiple levels in a centralized setting. Full text in Research Archive
• Braa, Jørn (1996). Information systems for health district development : Two cases from South Africa. Full text in Research Archive
• Braa, Jørn (1995). The role of information technology in disease surveillance systems. Full text in Research Archive
• Baqwa, D.; Barry, R.; Bourne, D.; Braa, Jørn; Bradshaw, D. & Daniels, N. [Show all 8 contributors for this article] (1995). A health and management information system for the Western Cape, Report to the Strategic Management Team, Department of Health, Western Cape, South Africa. Ukjent. Full text in Research Archive
• Braa, Jørn (1995). District health and management information systems in South Africa. Full text in Research Archive
• Poppe, Olav; Nielsen, Petter & Braa, Jørn Anders (2021). Digital Platforms for Standardisation in Global Health: The Case of the Digital Health Packages. Universitetet i Oslo. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  This thesis is a study of standardisation within the global health field, investigating the potential role of digital platforms in facilitating such standardisation. It describes and analyses an e$ort of the World Health Organisation (WHO) to disseminate its standards and guidelines on health information to countries by embedding them in digital health packages, which can be implemented in a widely used digital platform. Part of the mandate of WHO is to provide standards and guidance on health information management and use for its 194 member states. However, disseminating these standards and guidance to countries and ensuring their implementation in national health information systems has proven challenging in practice. This points to broader themes discussed in the literature on standards and standardisation, such as barriers to the adoption of standards, tensions arising when implementing global, universal standards in diverse local contexts, and the #exibility of standards. Using the WHO-led digital health packages initiative as a case, the thesis discusses these challenges guided by the research question: What is the potential of digital platforms to support standardisation in global health? The empirical data presented in this thesis was collected through an action research approach. This included involvement in activities related to the implementation of health information systems based on digital platform technolo!y in several countries in West Africa, and in the WHO-led standardisation initiative at the global level. This two-levelled research design allowed a study of the standardisation initiative from the perspective of both standards developers and standards adopters. Analysis of the empirical data is guided by organising vision theory, developed originally to explain the adoption of IT innovations in organisations. Organising vision theory provides concepts that help analyse how di$erent stakeholders, with a shared vision of disseminating global health standards, could be coordinated and mobilised in support of the digital health packages initiative. The findings in this thesis indicate that characteristics of digital platforms can facilitate and support standardisation in global health. These digital platform characteristics include a modular architecture that can be extended with platform complements, the ability to facilitate transactions between groups of users, and an ecosystem of actors around the platform. The thesis, in itself and through the six research papers that constitute a major component of it, includes theoretical, methodological, empirical and practical contributions. Theoretically, it makes the potentially fruitful connection between digital platforms and standardisation, and discusses how di$erent digital platform characteristics can serve to support standardisation in global health. Methodologically, the thesis presents a novel research design for studying large-scale digital phenomenon, based on doing in-depth, qualitative research at two levels, e.g. the national and the global. Empirically, it constitutes a longitudinal digital platform study, of which there are relatively few. Finally, for practitioners, it o$ers concrete advice on how digital platforms can be leveraged in support of standardisation within global health.

• Braa, Jørn & Kossi, Edem Kwame (2016). Bottom-up Architecting of National and Regional Health Information Systems in Malawi and West Africa. Universitetet i Oslo. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  The Health Information System (HIS) comprises of six components: resources, indicators, data sources, data management, information products, processes of dissemination and use. On the technological level, computerized systems span across these components. In practice, the software are provided by open source software developers and implemented by different organisations in the HIS environment. Additionally, statistical reporting systems are being implemented in a fragmented way and leading to the production of data that is not easy to use. This stresses the need for integration to avoid chaos and makes the design of interactions across these components a key challenge. The call by global and national actors in the health domain, especially in developing countries, for integrated HIS, requiring better coordination of technical and institutional efforts and reliable information has made the debate on best approaches to building health information architecture more relevant than ever. While proposals for standard HIS architecture has reignited the dualistic arguments of top-down versus bottom-up approaches to HIS development and evolution, some researchers are now calling for a less polarised and more hybridized views that combine the best of both approaches, and contributes to successful architecture. However, knowledge about the process through which such hybrid forms of architecture can be designed and developed in the complex settings of developing countries, remains largely limited. This thesis explores these issues through the following research aim: .i) to better understand the process of architecting HIS in the setting of three West African countries (Sierra Leone, The Gambia and Burkina Faso), in Malawi and at regional level in West African Health Organization (WAHO), ii) to explore an alternative approach to addressing the challenge of fragmentation of HIS, and iii) to explore how to study a big phenomenon like national and international HIS. In this thesis, I analyse the characteristics of the process of architecting which represents a two-way and mutual interaction through which the building of the architecture “blueprint” and its instantiation shape each other over time. More specifically, this thesis takes a sociotechnical perspective to extend our understanding of the boundaries (and their interplays) of this interactional process and conceptualises conditions for the successful evolution of the architecture and its instantiation. The arguments in this study are developed through empirical analysis based on qualitative methods within an interpretive tradition conducted over five years (from 2008 to 2013) from three West African countries (Sierra Leone, the Gambia and Burkina Faso), Malawi and the regional WAHO. I have been engaged in these settings in the processes of HIS strengthening that started in one country (Sierra Leone) and have gradually spread to the Gambia and Burkina Faso, and its subsequent adoption by WAHO. My empirical work has focused on working with HIS stakeholders at various levels in countries and the regional level to iteratively develop and implement integrated HIS adopting an action research framework. Theoretically, the concept of architecture and a collection of related concepts such as integration, interoperability and standards, and the integrative framework by Carlile (2004) were used as lenses, scaffolding devices and analytical tools to analyse the process of architecting. The key theoretical contribution of this thesis has been the development of a bottom-up based architecting conceptual framework which provides tools to analyse the process of architecting at it various boundaries as well as interplays - between and across the boundaries – through which architectures and their instantiations evolve over time. On the practical level, this research provides tools to understand and assess conditions for successful evolution of a given information system. It also contributes to the debate on strategies to study “big” phenomenon over a longer period of time. More specifically, it proposes strategies to carry out research in multiple sites and over a long term.

• Braa, Jørn; Sahay, Sundeep; Kossi, Edem Kwame & Mbondji, Peter (2012). Situation Assessment of Health Information Systems in the ECOWAS Region. West African Health Organization. Full text in Research Archive
• Braa, Jørn; Sahay, Sundeep; Kossi, Edem Kwame & Mbondji, Peter (2012). ECOWAS Health Information Systems Policy and Strategy Document. West African Health Organization. Full text in Research Archive
• Braa, Jørn; Monteiro, Eric; Sahay, Sundeep; Staring, Knut & Titlestad, Ola Hodne (2007). Scaling up local learning – experiences from South-South-North networks of shared software development. Proceedings of IFIP WG 9.4 9th international conference "Taking Stock of E-Development". Full text in Research Archive
• Sæbø, Johan Ivar; Braa, Jørn & Chadna, O (2007). A Flexible Approach to Integrating Health Information Systems: The case of Data Warehouse as Integrator in Botswana. Proceedings of IFIP WG 9.4 9th international conference "Taking Stock of E-Development". Full text in Research Archive
• Shaw, Vincent; Mengiste, Shegaw Anagaw & Braa, Jørn (2007). Scaling of Health Information Systems in Nigeria and Ethiopia –Considering the Options. Proceedings of IFIP WG 9.4 9th international conference - Taking Stock of E-Development. Full text in Research Archive
• Titlestad, Ola Hodne; Sæbø, Johan & Braa, Jørn (2003). Developing Health Information Systems in Cuba -Efforts to transfer the HISP approach from South Africa to Cuba. Universitetet i Oslo. Full text in Research Archive
• Braa, Jørn (1998). Use and design of information technology in third world contexts with a focus on the health sector. Norsk Regnesentral. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  This is a reprint of a thesis for the degree pf Doctor Philosophiae submitted to the Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences at the University of Oslo. The thesis contains a main contribution, eight articles and for appendices. The articles provide empirical material which is discussed and summarized in the main contribution. The thesis is based on fieldwork in Mongolia and South Africa. The theme of the thesis is use and design of information technologies in disadvantage areas, the "third world part" of the third world. The focus is on the health sector an ways to use IT to support a decentralised primary health structure. The adjudicating committee consisted of professor Geoff Walsham, associate professor Mikko Korpela associate professor Kim Halskov Madsen

• Aanonsen, Kari; Braa, Jørn & Maartmann-Moe, Erling (1994). CD-ROM og multimedia i offentlig informasjonsformidling. Norsk Regnesentral. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  Dette notatet oppsummerer resultatene fra prosjektet "Forstudie på bruk av CD-ROM og multimedia i offentlig informasjonsformidling". Prosjektet ble utført av NR i perioden desember 1993 til januar 1994 på oppdrag av Statskonsult. Notatet er laget på grunnlag av intervjuer og samtaler med personer ietatene, skatt, trydg og arbeid og på grunnlag av studier og diskusjoner på NR. Notatet inneholder forslag til prosjekter og anvendelser for utprøving og utnyttelse av multimedia og CD-ROM til formidling av offentlig informasjon til publikum. Forslagene er utarbeidet av NR på basis av ideer og innspill fra intervjuene. Notatet ble laget som sakspapir til et presentasjons- og diskusjonsmøte med de deltakende etater, oppdragsgiver og NR. Poenger fra diskusjonen på dette møtet er hovedsakelig samlet opp i siste kapittel. For den travle leser henviser vi til kapittel 9 som inneholder skisse til 4 prosjekter som kombinerer flere av ideene og mulighetene.

• Braa, Jørn (1993). Informasjonsteknologi (IT) og helse i Afrika - status, problemer og muligheter. En rapport fra Afrikas første konferanse om helseinformatikk. Full text in Research Archive
• Braa, Jørn; Sørgaard, Pål; Holmes, Peter; Mogensen, Preben; Kyng, Morten & Thuring, Manfred [Show all 9 contributors for this article] (1993). D-1.2 Requirements for EuroCODE systems. CODE-NR-93-1. Full text in Research Archive

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