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Attitudes of female market vendors of reproductive age towards use of mobile phones and access to family planning self-care interventions in Northern Uganda: a cross-sectional study

Authors :
Yagos Onen Walter
Pamela Atim
Derrick Amone
Alarakol Simon Peter
Geoffrey Olok Tabo
Source :
BMC Medical Informatics and Decision Making, Vol 24, Iss 1, Pp 1-8 (2024)
Publication Year :
2024
Publisher :
BMC, 2024.

Abstract

Abstract Background Mobile phones are potential digital technologies for accessing family planning self-care interventions. However, their utilization could be possible if women of reproductive age have positive attitudes towards the use of this technology for healthcare purposes. This study aimed to examine the relationship between attitudes towards the use of mobile phones and access to family planning self-care interventions among female market vendors of reproductive age in northern Uganda. Methods A cross-sectional survey design was used. Two hundred and five randomly selected female vendors from the Gulu city main market participated. A structured researcher-administered questionnaire was used to collect the data. Descriptive statistics and standard multiple regression were performed, and the data were analysed using SPSS software version 15. Results Of the 205 participants, 112 (54.6%) reported using smartphones, and 147 (71.7%) were aware of family planning self-care interventions. Participants had moderate attitudes towards access to family planning self-care interventions (mean = 3.18), positive attitudes towards ease of use (mean = 3.31) and usefulness of mobile phones (mean = 3.30), strong positive attitudes towards privacy (mean = 4.04), and skills associated with using mobile phones (mean = 4.04). Furthermore, significant positive relationships existed between ease of use (p value = 0.000), skills (p value = 0.001), privacy (p value = 0.002) and access to family planning self-care interventions. There was, however, an insignificant positive relationship between mobile phone usefulness and access to family planning self-care interventions (p value = 0.189). Conclusions Participants’ positive attitudes towards the use of mobile phones could lead to access to FP self-care interventions, although uncertainty about the usefulness of the use of mobile phones for accessing FP self-care interventions exists. It is therefore important for healthcare practitioners, health development partners and the government to encourage and integrate the use of mHealth into regular FP self-care services and promotional activities while targeting underserved communities in Uganda.

Details

Language :
English
ISSN :
14726947
Volume :
24
Issue :
1
Database :
Directory of Open Access Journals
Journal :
BMC Medical Informatics and Decision Making
Publication Type :
Academic Journal
Accession number :
edsdoj.4bf4acf8190e4480a1efb0e8f4090269
Document Type :
article
Full Text :
https://doi.org/10.1186/s12911-024-02565-5