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Learn more about In Review
Research article
Jesmin Pervin
International Centre for Diarrhoeal Disease Research Bangladesh
Corresponding Author
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Background: Timely and appropriate evidence-based practices during antenatal care improve maternal and neonatal health. There is a lack of information on how pregnant women and families perceive antenatal care in Bangladesh. This study explores their perceptions towards developing targeted client communication via text messages for increasing antenatal care utilization, as part of an implementation of an electronic registry for maternal and child health.
Methods: We conducted this qualitative study between May and June 2017 in two sub-districts of Chandpur district, Bangladesh. We selected study participants by purposive sampling. A total of 24 in-depth interviews were conducted with pregnant women (n=10), lactating women (n=5), husbands (n=5), and mothers-in-law (n=4). The health belief model was used to guide data collection and analysis. Thematic analysis was carried out manually. We used behavior change techniques to inform the development of targeted client communications based on the thematic results.
Results: Almost no respondents mentioned antenatal care as a preventive form of care, and only perceived it as necessary if any complications developed during pregnancy. Knowledge of the content of antenatal care and pregnancy complications was low. Women reported a variety of reasons for not attending ANC, including the lack of information on the timing of ANC; lack of decision-making power; long-distance to access care; being busy with household chores and not being satisfied with the treatment by health care providers. Study participants recommended phone calls as their preferred communication strategy when asked to choose between the phone call and text message, but saw text messages as a feasible option. We developed a library of 43 automatically customizable text messages to increase ANC utilization.
Conclusions: Pregnant women and family members had limited knowledge about antenatal care and pregnancy complications. Effective health information through text messages could increase awareness of antenatal care among study participants. This study presents an example of designing targeted client communication to increase antenatal care utilization within formal scientific frameworks, including a taxonomy of behavior change techniques.
Keywords
Targeted client communication, Antenatal Care, Behaviour Change Technique, Bangladesh
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CURRENT STATUS: Under Review
Version 1
Posted 12 Aug, 2020
No community comments so far
Editorial decision: Minor revision
On 09 Feb, 2021
Review #3 received
Received 08 Feb, 2021
Review #2 received
Received 07 Feb, 2021
Reviewer #3 agreed
On 05 Jan, 2021
Reviewer #2 agreed
On 03 Jan, 2021
Review #1 received
Received 11 Oct, 2020
Reviewer #1 agreed
On 24 Sep, 2020
Reviewers invited
Invitations sent on 25 Aug, 2020
Editor assigned
On 21 Jul, 2020
Submission checks complete
On 20 Jul, 2020
Editor invited
On 20 Jul, 2020
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Posted 17 Jul, 2020
This version was not preprinted
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This preprint is under consideration at BMC Public Health. A preprint is a preliminary version of a manuscript that has not completed peer review at a journal. Research Square does not conduct peer review prior to posting preprints. The posting of a preprint on this server should not be interpreted as an endorsement of its validity or suitability for dissemination as established information or for guiding clinical practice.
Learn more about In Review
Research article
Jesmin Pervin
International Centre for Diarrhoeal Disease Research Bangladesh
Corresponding Author
Badges
Prescreen
This manuscript passed our Prescreen assessment
Complete author information
Appropriate declaration statements
Potential risks to human health
Prescreen
Peer Review Timeline
CURRENT STATUS: Under Review
Version 1
Posted 12 Aug, 2020
No community comments so far
Editorial decision: Minor revision
On 09 Feb, 2021
Review #3 received
Received 08 Feb, 2021
Review #2 received
Received 07 Feb, 2021
Reviewer #3 agreed
On 05 Jan, 2021
Reviewer #2 agreed
On 03 Jan, 2021
Review #1 received
Received 11 Oct, 2020
Reviewer #1 agreed
On 24 Sep, 2020
Reviewers invited
Invitations sent on 25 Aug, 2020
Editor assigned
On 21 Jul, 2020
Submission checks complete
On 20 Jul, 2020
Editor invited
On 20 Jul, 2020
Version (no preprint)
Posted 17 Jul, 2020
This version was not preprinted
Metrics
Comments: 0
PDF Downloads: ...
HTML Views: ...
License:
This work is licensed under a CC BY 4.0 License. Read Full License
Background: Timely and appropriate evidence-based practices during antenatal care improve maternal and neonatal health. There is a lack of information on how pregnant women and families perceive antenatal care in Bangladesh. This study explores their perceptions towards developing targeted client communication via text messages for increasing antenatal care utilization, as part of an implementation of an electronic registry for maternal and child health.
Methods: We conducted this qualitative study between May and June 2017 in two sub-districts of Chandpur district, Bangladesh. We selected study participants by purposive sampling. A total of 24 in-depth interviews were conducted with pregnant women (n=10), lactating women (n=5), husbands (n=5), and mothers-in-law (n=4). The health belief model was used to guide data collection and analysis. Thematic analysis was carried out manually. We used behavior change techniques to inform the development of targeted client communications based on the thematic results.
Results: Almost no respondents mentioned antenatal care as a preventive form of care, and only perceived it as necessary if any complications developed during pregnancy. Knowledge of the content of antenatal care and pregnancy complications was low. Women reported a variety of reasons for not attending ANC, including the lack of information on the timing of ANC; lack of decision-making power; long-distance to access care; being busy with household chores and not being satisfied with the treatment by health care providers. Study participants recommended phone calls as their preferred communication strategy when asked to choose between the phone call and text message, but saw text messages as a feasible option. We developed a library of 43 automatically customizable text messages to increase ANC utilization.
Conclusions: Pregnant women and family members had limited knowledge about antenatal care and pregnancy complications. Effective health information through text messages could increase awareness of antenatal care among study participants. This study presents an example of designing targeted client communication to increase antenatal care utilization within formal scientific frameworks, including a taxonomy of behavior change techniques.
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