Abstract:
ABSTRACT
Background: Mental health problems are the commonest morbidities of women during
the prenatal period. Mobile phone penetration has substantially increased in Ethiopia
and identified as a good vehicle for enhancing evidence-based monitoring and selfsupport
for
individuals
with
a
high
risk
of
mental
health
problems.
However,
evidence
is
scarce
on
the
intention
to
use
mobile
phones
and
its
predicting
factors
to
receive
mental
health
support
among
prenatal
women
in
Ethiopia.
Objective: To assess the intention to use a mobile phone to receive mental health
support and its predicting factors among women attending antenatal care at public
health facilities in Ambo town, Ethiopia 2022.
Methods and materials: An institutional-based cross-sectional was conducted among
women attending antenatal care at public health facilities in Ambo town from May 20 to
June 20. A total of 715 prenatal women were included and a systematic random
sampling technique was employed. An interviewer-administered structured
questionnaire was used. Kobocollect mobile application was used for data collection
and exported to SPSS version 25 for the descriptive part, and AMOS 26 structural
equation modeling was also used to describe and assess the degree and significance of
relationships between variables.
Results: A total of 699 (97.8%response rate) responded to complete all the
questionnaires. The structural equation modeling results show that perceived
usefulness has a positive effect on attitude (?=0.391, p<0.001) and intention to use
(?=0.253, p<0.001). The perceived ease of use influences perceived usefulness
(?=0.253, p<0.001) and attitude ?=0.579, p<0.001). The intention to use is positively
affected by attitude (?=0.662, p<0.001). Also, trust has a positive effect on perceived
usefulness (?=0.580, p<0.001) and intention to use (?=0.113, p=0.005).
Conclusion and recommendation: The level of intention to use a mobile phone
among prenatal women is high and attitude, perceived usefulness, and trust had
positive effects on intention to use a mobile phone. Therefore, hospitals and healthcare
providers establish strategies and policies for providing mobile phone-based mental
health support to prenatal women.
Keywords: mHealth, ANC, TAM, Intention to Use, Mental Health, Ethiopia
