A Breastfeed-Promoting Mobile App Intervention: Usability and Usefulness Study

Area of Science:

• Mobile Health (mHealth)
• Human-Computer Interaction
• Public Health

Background:

• Exclusive breastfeeding rates in Thailand are below 20%, despite significant health benefits.
• Existing breastfeeding support resources are often country-specific and not tailored for Thai users.
• MoomMae, a mobile health app, was developed to address these gaps by supporting Thai women in breastfeeding and record-keeping.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the usability and usefulness of the MoomMae mobile application.
• To identify areas for improvement in the MoomMae app for breastfeeding mothers in Thailand.

Main Methods:

• A qualitative study involving 21 breastfeeding women using the MoomMae app for 4 weeks.
• Pre- and post-use interviews were conducted to gather feedback on usability and usefulness.
• Convenience and snowball sampling were used for participant recruitment.

Main Results:

• Post-use survey scores indicated good usability (mean 4.33/5) and usefulness (mean 4.60/5).
• Qualitative analysis revealed 137 feedback points, with usability comments being predominantly negative and usefulness comments largely positive.
• 26 unique design issues were identified, with a desire for a pump-reminding notification system.

Conclusions:

• MoomMae demonstrates potential as a self-management tool for breastfeeding mothers in Thailand.
• The app supports on-demand breastfeeding, but its interface requires redesign for better intuitiveness.
• Future development should prioritize features like a pump-reminding notification system.