Asadollahi Fateme, Zagami Samira Ebrahimzadeh, Roudsari Robab Latifnejad
Nursing and Midwifery Care Research Center, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran.
Department of Midwifery, School of Nursing and Midwifery, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran.
BMC Prim Care. 2025 Aug 11;26(1):252. doi: 10.1186/s12875-025-02950-7.
Prenatal care is vital for ensuring healthy pregnancies, yet many women face barriers such as geographic distance, socioeconomic limitations, and lack of transportation. Mobile health (mHealth) technologies offer a promising approach to improving access to prenatal care information. However, the motivations, barriers, and behaviors related to mHealth app use, particularly within diverse cultural and sociodemographic contexts, remain underexplored.
This study aimed to investigate Iranian pregnant women's intention to use mobile health apps and identify its determinants using the Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology (UTAUT) framework.
A sequential exploratory mixed-methods design was employed, comprising qualitative content analysis followed by a quantitative survey. In the qualitative phase, semi-structured interviews were conducted with 14 pregnant women and 7 healthcare professionals, guided by the UTAUT model. Directed content analysis was used to explore participants' experiences and perceptions. In the quantitative phase, a cross-sectional survey based on the UTAUT framework was administered to 60 pregnant women. Inclusion criteria included being currently pregnant, having access to a smartphone, and using an mHealth app for prenatal care. Participants were recruited via email and social media platforms. Data were analyzed using SPSS version 29. A concurrent triangulation approach was used to integrate qualitative and quantitative findings.
Qualitative findings indicated that performance expectancy (PE), effort expectancy (EE), social influence (SI), and facilitating conditions (FC) shaped behavioral intentions to use mHealth apps. Participants appreciated features such as appointment reminders and symptom trackers, but also raised concerns regarding information accuracy and app usability. Social influences from peers and healthcare providers were especially influential. Quantitative results confirmed that PE (B = 0.47, p < .001), EE (B = 0.35, p = .009), and SI (B = 0.28, p = .049) were significant predictors of behavioral intention to use mHealth apps. FC (B = 0.23, p = .131), however, did not have a statistically significant direct effect.
The integration of qualitative and quantitative findings offers a comprehensive understanding of the factors influencing pregnant women's behavioral intentions to use mHealth apps. To enhance adoption and effectiveness, mHealth app design should prioritize usability, credibility, and support mechanisms tailored to prenatal care needs.
产前护理对于确保孕期健康至关重要，但许多女性面临地理距离、社会经济限制和交通不便等障碍。移动健康（mHealth）技术为改善产前护理信息获取提供了一种有前景的方法。然而，与mHealth应用程序使用相关的动机、障碍和行为，尤其是在不同文化和社会人口背景下，仍未得到充分探索。
本研究旨在调查伊朗孕妇使用移动健康应用程序的意愿，并使用技术接受与使用统一理论（UTAUT）框架确定其决定因素。
采用顺序探索性混合方法设计，包括定性内容分析，随后进行定量调查。在定性阶段，在UTAUT模型的指导下，对14名孕妇和7名医疗保健专业人员进行了半结构化访谈。采用定向内容分析来探索参与者的经历和看法。在定量阶段，对60名孕妇进行了基于UTAUT框架的横断面调查。纳入标准包括目前怀孕、能够使用智能手机以及使用mHealth应用程序进行产前护理。通过电子邮件和社交媒体平台招募参与者。使用SPSS 29版对数据进行分析。采用并发三角测量法整合定性和定量结果。
定性研究结果表明，绩效期望（PE）、努力期望（EE）、社会影响（SI）和促进条件（FC）塑造了使用mHealth应用程序的行为意图。参与者赞赏预约提醒和症状跟踪等功能，但也对信息准确性和应用程序可用性表示担忧。来自同伴和医疗保健提供者的社会影响尤其具有影响力。定量结果证实，PE（B = 0.47，p <.001）、EE（B = 0.35，p =.009）和SI（B = 0.28，p =.049）是使用mHealth应用程序行为意图的显著预测因素。然而，FC（B = 0.23，p =.131）没有统计学上的显著直接影响。
定性和定量结果的整合提供了对影响孕妇使用mHealth应用程序行为意图的因素的全面理解。为了提高采用率和有效性，mHealth应用程序设计应优先考虑可用性、可信度以及针对产前护理需求的支持机制。
