Gabriela Cormick|Natalie A Kim|Ashlei Rodgers|Luz Gibbons|Pierre Buekens|José M. Belizán|Fernando Althabe
Interest of pregnant women in the use of SMS (short message service) text messages for the improvement of perinatal and postnatal care
Instituto de Efectividad Clínica y Sanitaria|Tulane University|Tulane University|Instituto de Efectividad Clínica y Sanitaria|Tulane University|Instituto de Efectividad Clínica y Sanitaria|Instituto de Efectividad Clínica y Sanitaria
mobile health mhealth emerging useful tool improve healthcare access especially developing world limited access health services linked poor antenatal care maternal perinatal mortalitythe objective study 1 understand pregnant womens access usage cell phones 2 survey health information needs interests population attending public hospitals health centers two cities argentina information available basis develop strategy improving maternal care via cell phonesquestionnaires verbally administered pregnant women attending antenatal care visit community health centers public hospitals rosario santa fe mercedes corrientes participants 18 years age older previously given birth data obtained qualitative analyzed using spss version 18a total 147 pregnant women meeting inclusion criteria rosario 63 mercedes 84 approached verbally consented participate average age 295 years lived urban areas 89 mean travel time 434 minutes required get health center 573 minutes get hospitalninetysix percent women n 140 responded would like receive text messages cell phone calls information regarding prenatal care although topics period time receive information varied greatlyconsidering vast majority interviewed women access interested receiving text messages calls educational information regarding pregnancy infant health pregnant women argentina could benefit mhealth program low access internet suggests option population however cannot assumed representative countrys situationto retain active participation forms health communication 2way text message systems tollfree numbers could considered future cost use implementing options studied