Voice-Based vs. Text-Based WhatsApp Messaging for Maternal Health Knowledge and Attitudes Among Pregnant and Breastfeeding Women in Abuja, Nigeria
Voice-Based vs. Text-Based WhatsApp Messaging for Maternal Health Knowledge and Attitudes Among Pregnant and Breastfeeding Women in Abuja, Nigeria: A Three-Arm Pilot Randomized Controlled Trial
This pilot randomized controlled trial aims to evaluate whether sending maternal health information via voice-based WhatsApp messages is more effective than text-based WhatsApp messages. The study enrolled 79 pregnant and breastfeeding women in Abuja, Nigeria, who were assigned to receive weekly voice messages, text messages, or standard care over an eight-week period. The primary goal is to determine if voice messaging produces greater improvements in maternal health knowledge and attitudes, which could offer a scalable, low-literacy-friendly tool to improve maternal health outcomes in Nigeria.
Panoramica dello studio
Stato
Condizioni
Descrizione dettagliata
Maternal mortality remains unacceptably high in sub-Saharan Africa, and gaps in maternal health knowledge contribute to delayed care-seeking behavior. While mobile health (mHealth) interventions offer scalable solutions, evidence directly comparing voice-based and text-based delivery formats in African settings is lacking.
This three-arm pilot randomized controlled trial was designed to address this gap by evaluating the preliminary effectiveness of voice-based versus text-based WhatsApp messaging on maternal health knowledge and attitudes. The theoretical rationale for the intervention is grounded in media richness and social presence frameworks, which suggest that voice communication conveys paralinguistic cues and creates greater social presence than text alone, potentially reducing cognitive load for women with limited literacy.
Participants were randomized into three arms: voice-based WhatsApp messaging, text-based WhatsApp messaging, or a standard care control group. The intervention consisted of weekly maternal health messages delivered over an eight-week period. The educational content, adapted from WHO and UNICEF maternal health materials, covered topics including nutrition, danger signs, breastfeeding, and postnatal care. Messages were delivered by a trained research assistant via a WhatsApp broadcast list, with the voice arm receiving audio recordings and the text arm receiving written messages of equivalent content.
The primary objective is to determine if voice-based messaging results in greater improvements in maternal health knowledge and attitudes compared to text-based messaging and standard care. Secondary exploratory objectives include assessing changes in a binary knowledge battery. The results of this pilot trial are intended to establish preliminary effect sizes and inform the design of a definitive, multi-site randomized controlled trial to evaluate voice messaging at scale.
Tipo di studio
Iscrizione (Effettivo)
Fase
- Non applicabile
Contatti e Sedi
Luoghi di studio
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Federal Capital Territory
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Abuja, Federal Capital Territory, Nigeria, 11101
- Kuchingoro Primary Health Care Centre
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Criteri di partecipazione
Criteri di ammissibilità
Età idonea allo studio
Accetta volontari sani
Sessi ammissibili allo studio
Descrizione
Inclusion Criteria:
Pregnant or breastfeeding women attending Kuchingoro Primary Health Care Centre.
Own a mobile phone with WhatsApp capability.
Willing to receive health messages over an eight-week period.
Able to provide informed consent.
Exclusion Criteria:
Inability to provide informed consent.
Any medical condition precluding participation.
Piano di studio
Come è strutturato lo studio?
Dettagli di progettazione
- Scopo principale: Ricerca sui servizi sanitari
- Assegnazione: Randomizzato
- Modello interventistico: Assegnazione parallela
- Mascheramento: Triplicare
Armi e interventi
Gruppo di partecipanti / Arm |
Intervento / Trattamento |
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Sperimentale: Voice-Based Messaging
Participants received weekly maternal health audio messages via WhatsApp for eight weeks. |
Participants received weekly maternal health written messages of equivalent content delivered over eight weeks via a WhatsApp broadcast list. Message content was adapted from WHO and UNICEF materials and covered nutrition, danger signs, breastfeeding, and postnatal care. |
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Comparatore attivo: Text-Based Messaging
Participants received weekly maternal health text messages via WhatsApp for eight weeks. |
Participants received weekly maternal health written messages of equivalent content delivered over eight weeks via a WhatsApp broadcast list. Message content was adapted from WHO and UNICEF materials and covered nutrition, danger signs, breastfeeding, and postnatal care. |
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Nessun intervento: Standard Care
Participants received standard routine care at the health facility without the WhatsApp messaging intervention |
Cosa sta misurando lo studio?
Misure di risultato primarie
Misura del risultato |
Misura Descrizione |
Lasso di tempo |
|---|---|---|
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Maternal Health Knowledge Score (Scale b2)
Lasso di tempo: Baseline (T0) and 8-week follow-up (T2)
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Assessed using a Likert-type scale (Scale b2) to measure maternal health knowledge. Internal consistency was acceptable (α = .78 at baseline, .81 at follow-up). |
Baseline (T0) and 8-week follow-up (T2)
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Collaboratori e investigatori
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Termini relativi a questo studio
Altri numeri di identificazione dello studio
- MIVA/REC/2026/0042
- MIVA/REC/2026/0042 (Identificatore di registro: MIVA Open University Research Ethics Committee)
- MIVA/REC/2026/0042 (Altro identificatore: MIVA Open University)
Piano per i dati dei singoli partecipanti (IPD)
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Descrizione del piano IPD
The datasets generated during and/or analysed during the current study are available from the corresponding author on reasonable request.
Tipo di informazioni di supporto alla condivisione IPD
- LINFA
- CODICE_ANALITICO
Informazioni su farmaci e dispositivi, documenti di studio
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