Previously submitted to: JMIR mHealth and uHealth (no longer under consideration since Jan 08, 2026)
Date Submitted: Jan 29, 2025
Warning: This is an author submission that is not peer-reviewed or edited. Preprints - unless they show as "accepted" - should not be relied on to guide clinical practice or health-related behavior and should not be reported in news media as established information.
“Will It Be Used for Me or Against Me?”: A Qualitative Study on the Use of Mobile Health Interventions Among Adolescents and Parents Living in Palestine.
ABSTRACT
Background:
The political determinants of health in Palestine are pronounced, impacting care for chronic disease. Mobile health (mHealth) is increasingly used for self-management of chronic conditions as cardiovascular disease or diabetes among adolescents and adults in other populations, but perceived acceptability among Palestinians remains unknown.
Objective:
To qualitatively assess the acceptability of potential mHealth interventions addressing pertinent health concerns among Palestinian adult and adolescent refugee and non-refugee populations residing in Palestine.
Methods:
The Technology Acceptance Model was used to examine determinants that influence mHealth user acceptance. Twelve dyadic or focus group semi-structured interviews (n=32) were conducted among Palestinian adolescents and parents recruited through stratified cluster sampling from 4 refugee camps, villages, and cities in Palestine. Interviews were transcribed, translated, and analyzed using inductive thematic analysis.
Results:
Participants included 13 families [i.e., n=32) parents, grandparents, and children] from refugee camps (n=14), villages (n=10), and cities (n=8) across the region from diverse professional backgrounds. The following themes were identified: Benefits include improved 1) access to care living under military occupation, 2) real-time health monitoring during stressful encounters due to military occupation, 3) remote health monitoring of self and family members, and 4) health promotion and disease prevention. Barriers include: 1) mHealth weaponization by the Israeli government, 2) lack of resources needed to utilize mHealth, 3) concerns for mHealth validity, and 4) lack of adoption and parameterization by local health professionals. Considerations for a successful mHealth intervention include: 1) mHealth personalization by health outcome, 2) transdisciplinary collaboration and adoption, 3) affordability and validity of tools, and 4) user-education and friendliness.
Conclusions:
Adolescents and parents recognize the potential benefits of mHealth for self-management and are open to engaging in such interventions. However, it's essential to adapt these interventions to cultural, historical, and geopolitical contexts to avoid potential risks based on their living circumstances. Clinical Trial: Not applicable. Not a clinical trial
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