Purpose: The aim of the study was establish if increased information and communication technology (ICT) infrastructure investment at the macro level improves the micro level ICT Maturity level within small and medium enterprises (SME’s in Africa. The research further established if urban SME’s benefit more than rural SME’s in terms of ICT maturity level if there has been increased ICT infrastructure investment. Methods: The study makes use of factor analysis to compose a composite index that measures the ICT maturity levels within SME’s in Africa. Further to this it uses that composite index to do statistical tests on the means of samples to answer hypothesis based on the research questions posed. Results: The study finds that there is a significant difference in the ICT maturity level of small and medium businesses in African countries where there has been and increased level of ICT infrastructure investment. Furthermore the study finds that in those African countries where there has been increased ICT infrastructure investment urban SME’s have higher ICT maturity level than rural SME’s. Conclusion: This study has important implications for governmental as well as private sector policy relating to ICT infrastructure investment. The study further also empirically could guide ICT investment towards rural SME’s as a means of improving economic benefit from ICT. / Dissertation (MBA)--University of Pretoria, 2013. / pagibs2014 / Gordon Institute of Business Science (GIBS) / MBA / Unrestricted

The Rural Expansion Program for At-risk Communities to Promote Health Outcomes through the Integration of Mental health and Enabling services in an Existing Primary Care School-Based Setting (REACH ME) program was established to increase access to mental health services at two existing school-based health centers (SBHC) in rural Hancock County, TN. These SBHCs are among the most unique in the nation, holding designations as federally funded qualified health centers - proving primary care services in a geographically isolated, rural, and medically underserved area. The aim of the project is increasing the number of patients receiving mental health and enabling services for not only the children and adolescents of Hancock County, but also adults who use the clinic for primary care services. This project employs a secondary data analysis to determine if there is an increase in the use of mental health services by patients using a school-based health center for care. Variables include number of visits, screening employed, and mental health diagnosis. Data gathered by health center staff and input into Excel will be used. Data collection is ongoing and is expected to be completed in February 2024. Early results indicate an increase in mental health and enabling services from initiation of the project. There were identified facilitators and barriers that impacted the project. Significance for this project is two-fold, identified facilitators and barriers to initiating integrated mental health services in the SBHC setting and increasing early screening, identification, referral and treatment of rural populations with mental health problems.

The Rural Expansion Program for At-risk Communities to Promote Health Outcomes through the Integration of Mental health and Enabling services in an Existing Primary Care School-Based Setting (REACH ME) program was established to increase access to mental health services at two existing school-based health centers (SBHC) in rural Hancock County, TN. These SBHCs are among the most unique in the nation, holding designations as federally funded qualified health centers - proving primary care services in a geographically isolated, rural, and medically underserved area. The aim of the project is increasing the number of patients receiving mental health and enabling services for not only the children and adolescents of Hancock County, but also adults who use the clinic for primary care services. This project employs a secondary data analysis to determine if there is an increase in the use of mental health services by patients using a school-based health center for care. Variables include number of visits, screening employed, and mental health diagnosis. Data gathered by health center staff and input into Excel will be used. Data collection is ongoing and is expected to be completed in February 2024. Early results indicate an increase in mental health and enabling services from initiation of the project. There were identified facilitators and barriers that impacted the project. Significance for this project is two-fold, identified facilitators and barriers to initiating integrated mental health services in the SBHC setting and increasing early screening, identification, referral and treatment of rural populations with mental health problems.