Accepted for/Published in: JMIR Research Protocols
Date Submitted: Sep 1, 2023
Date Accepted: Apr 15, 2024
Effectiveness of Mobile Phone Messaging Based Message Framing Intervention for Improving Maternal Health Service Uptake and New-born Care Practice in Rural Jimma Zone, Ethiopia: Protocol for Cluster Randomized Controlled Trial
ABSTRACT
Background:
Ethiopia is a country with a high toll of maternal and neonatal mortality rates. In 2019/2020, maternal and newborn mortality rates were estimated to be 412/ 100,0000 births and 30 / 10,000 births, respectively. While mHealth's interventions to improve maternal and neonatal health management have shown promising results, there are still insufficient scientific studies to assess the effectiveness of mobile phone messaging-based message framing for maternal and newborn health.
Objective:
The aim of this research is to examine the effectiveness of mobile phone messaging-based message framing intervention for improving the use of mothers and new-borns health services in the Jimma Zone, Ethiopia
Methods:
A three-arm cluster-randomized trial design is being employed to evaluate the effects of mobile phone-based intervention effects on maternal and newborn health service utilization. Trial arms are: (1) gain framed messages (2) loss framed messages, and (3) usual care. Twenty-one Health posts were randomized and 588 pregnant women who had a gestational age of < 20 weeks irrespective of their antenatal care status were randomly assigned to the trial arms. The baseline survey was conducted and the outcome of the study will be assessed after intervention which is carried out for six months. The intervention consists of a series of messages that are being dispatched every 3 days from the date of enrolment until 6 months. The control group is receiving existing care without messages. The primary outcomes of interest are antenatal visits, institutional deliveries, early postnatal care, and newborn care practice, whereas Self-reported Iron supplementation, exclusive breastfeeding, neonatal vaccinations, and maternal morbidity. The outcome will be analyzed using a generalized linear mixed model and reported according to the Consolidated Standards of Reporting Trials (CONSORT)- EHEALTH statement for randomized control trials.
Results:
Recruitment of all 588 of the intervention participants and baseline survey were carried out in March 2023. The intervention is rolled out starting from May 2023 and it ends in October 2023. The endline assessment will be carried out in December 2023.
Conclusions:
This trial is used to understand how mobile phone messaging-based message framing will improve maternal and newborn health service utilization. It provides evidence for policy guidelines around mHealth-based message framing to improve maternal and newborn health. Clinical Trial: The trial was registered on the clinical trials website https://pactr.samrc.ac.za on 4th January 2022. The trial identifier is PACTR202201753436676
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