Impact of mobile health on maternal and child health service utilization and continuum of care in Northern Ghana

Abstract

Maternal and child mortality are of public health concern. Most of these deaths occur in rural communities of developing countries. Technology for maternal and child health (T4MCH) is an intervention introduced to increase Maternal and Child Health (MCH) services utilization and continuum of care in some health facilities across Ghana. The objective of this study is to assess the impact of T4MCH intervention on MCH services utilization and continuum of care in the Sawla-Tuna-Kalba District in the Savannah Region of Ghana. This is a quasi-experimental study with a retrospective review of records of MCH services of women who attended antenatal services in some selected health centers in the Bole (comparison district) and Sawla-Tuna-Kalba (intervention district) of the Savannah region, Ghana. A total of 469 records were reviewed, 263 in Bole and 206 in Sawla-Tuna-Kalba. A multivariable modified Poisson and logistic regression models with augmented inverse-probability weighted regression adjustment based on propensity scores were used to quantify the impact of the intervention on service utilization and continuum of care. The implementation of T4MCH intervention increased antenatal care attendance, facility delivery, postnatal care and continuum of care by 18 percentage points (ppts) [95% CI - 17.0, 52.0], 14 ppts [95% CI 6.0%, 21.0%], 27 ppts [95% CI 15.0, 26.0] and 15.0 ppts [95% CI 8.0, 23.0] respectively compared to the control districts. The study showed that T4MCH intervention improved antenatal care, skilled delivery, postnatal services utilization, and continuum of care in health facilities in the intervention district. The intervention is recommended for a scale-up in other rural areas of Northern Ghana and the West-African sub-region.

Analysis of long-term family dynamics in mothers who have undergone fetal myelomeningocele surgery using telemedicine: a pilot study

“…Some studies describe the benefits and ease of use of telemedicine in health services, highlighting the use of technology for interventions in maternal and child health. The main objective is to improve not only care, but also prenatal care, postnatal follow-up, and child care, and to reduce the risk of maternal and neonatal mortality or morbidity 16 , 17 . In Arkansas, telemedicine is commonly used in obstetrics through the Antenatal and Neonatal Guidelines, Education and Learning System (ANGELS), the statewide telemedicine network.…”

Utilization of Antenatal Care and Skilled Birth Delivery Services in Sub-Saharan Africa: A Systematic Scoping Review

“…Pregnant women and postnatal mothers 124 (90.5) [41][42][43][44][45][46][47][48][49][50]58,74,[76][77][78][79][80][81][82][83][84][85][86][87][88][100][101][102][103][104][105][106]110,114,116,118,120,122,[126][127][128][129][130][131][132][133]137,[139][140][141]145,151,…”

“…Between 50 and 75% 50 (36.5) [48,50,81,83,[85][86][87][88]102,104,106,114,118,129,130,133,140,163,178] 75% and above 87 (63.5) [45][46][47]49,58,74,77,80,82,84,90,100,103,105,107,110,116,122,128,132,137,139,141,143,151,154,156,166,172]…”

“…This also undermined the use of ANC and SBD services. A study conducted in Ghana by Nuhu et al reported the impact of T4MCH intervention on MCH service utilization and found that T4MCH improved ANC and skilled delivery service utilization in the intervention district [130]. Oguntunde et al's study found that male support groups and engagement are considered as being important to the health of women during pregnancy, labour, delivery and the postpartum period, as well as the health of newborns and children [84].…”