A Descriptive Analysis of Smartphone Access and Frontline Service Delivery During the COVID-19 Lockdown in Chhattisgarh, India

The objective of this study is to analyse the role of communication technology, such as smartphones, in influencing public service provision. The penetration of smartphones is low in rural India, particularly among frontline health workers, who are typically women. This study analyses the association between smartphone ownership, communication practices, and information-oriented service provision among frontline health workers, beneficiaries and supervisors during the COVID-19 lockdown in Chhattisgarh, India. It uses data from a phone survey conducted with 642 frontline workers and employs regression analysis to study the associations, adjusting for observable frontline worker and subdistrict characteristics. Qualitative data from interviews with 19 government officials support the importance of technology in communication during COVID-19. Owning a smartphone allows flexibility for frontline workers in communicating during the lockdown over phone calls or WhatsApp with their beneficiaries, supervisors and other frontline workers. Communications over smartphones did not crowd out in-person interactions, suggesting that the overall frequency of communication was higher during the lockdown than for those frontline workers without smartphones. Frontline workers with smartphones could provide counselling services, antenatal care and immunisation support at a significantly higher rate. To conclude, smartphone-based technology can complement the usual communication channels, providing a viable option if there are service disruptions.