Perceptions of the influence of a mobile phone-based messaging platform on caregiver ECD knowledge, attitudes and practices: a qualitative exploration in an informal settlement in Nairobi

BMC Primary Care

Research

Kenneth Odhiambo Okelo¹  Margaret Nampijja¹  Silas Onyango¹  Patricia Kitsao-Wekulo¹  Elizabeth W. Kimani-Murage¹  Ruth Muendo¹  Elizabeth Wambui¹ 

[1] African Population and Health Research Center, P.O. Box 10787-00100, APHRC Campus, Manga Close, Off Kirawa Road, Nairobi, Kenya;

关键词: Early childhood development;    Stimulation;    Caregiver knowledge;    Mobile phone technology;   

DOI  :  10.1186/s12875-023-02127-0

 received in 2022-03-15, accepted in 2023-08-16,  发布年份 2023

来源: Springer

【 摘 要 】

BackgroundPrograms supporting initiatives for children younger than three years are inadequate and not accessible to many families, particularly in resource-limited settings. Many primary caregivers have little knowledge on how to monitor the development of their children or the importance of engaging children in stimulative activities during the course of early development. Health system limitations make it difficult for health workers to educate and demonstrate stimulative engagement to caregivers. The massive use of technology can be used to facilitate access to growth and development programs for children. We developed and implemented a mobile phone technology to help caregivers monitor and stimulate their children’s development in real-time. This study explored the influence that this intervention had on the caregivers’ early child development (ECD) knowledge, attitudes and practices.MethodsIn this qualitative cross-sectional study, we conducted interviews through eight (8) focus group discussions, three (3) key informant interviews and 9 indepth interviews among a total of 111 participants including primary caregivers (n = 87), community health volunteers (CHVs) (n = 21) health managers and workers (n = 3) to determine their attitudes and experience with the intervention with regards to improving their KAP. Interviews were audio-recorded, transcribed, and analyzed thematically.ResultsCaregivers and CHVs reported that the intervention had provided them with new knowledge that positively influenced their ECD caregiving attitudes and practices. CHVs and health workers and managers reported that the intervention had provided caregivers with confidence in caring for their children while increasing their knowledge on how to monitor and stimulate their children’s development.ConclusionMobile phone technology can be effectively used to enhance caregivers’ knowledge of ECD and enable them to monitor and support their children’s development in real-time.Trial registrationThe trial was registered with the Pan African Clinical Trial Registry (www.pactr.org) database (ID number: PACTR201905787868050 Date: 6/05/2019.

【 授权许可】

CC BY   
© BioMed Central Ltd., part of Springer Nature 2023

【 图 表 】

Fig. 1