Digital Technology-Enhanced Remote Health Services: Antenatal Clients' Perception, Acceptance and Readiness at a...

Digital technology offers promising solutions for monitoring pregnant women but client's readiness for its adoption in Nigeria remains underexplored. This study assessed antenatal clients' perceptions and readiness for digital health adoption.

This cross-sectional survey involved 228 antenatal clients recruited through systematic sampling. Participants completed the 16-item Technology Readiness Index (TRI 2.0) and supplementary perception scales on 5-point response scales. Respondents were categorised as explorers, pioneers, skeptics, paranoids, or laggards based on their TRI scores. The range of Cronbach's alpha for scales was: 0.80-0.92. Data were analysed using SPSS version 29, applying descriptive and generalised linear regression analyses, with statistical significance set at p ≤ 0.05.

The response rate was 100% and most participants were aged 25-34 (43.9%), married (51.8%), and held tertiary education (38.6%). Ownership of digital devices was smartwatches (6.1%), smartphones (25.9%), and computers (26.3%). Clients prioritised e-prescription (3.09±1.11) and access to personal health information (3.08±1.13) as top benefits of remote services. TRI Scores were overall TRI (3.00±0.31), optimism (3.12), innovativeness (3.22), discomfort (3.12), and insecurity (3.19). Majority (90.4%) were classified as skeptics. Unemployed clients showed lower acceptance of devices for remote maternal monitoring (B = -0.13, 95% CI: -0.24, -0.01, p = 0.033).

Despite the global momentum toward digital maternal health solutions, antenatal clients in Nigeria demonstrate low digital engagement and are predominantly skeptics. Targeted interventions including digital literacy campaigns, improved trust through data privacy protections, and broader infrastructural investments are critical for promoting equitable adoption of remote digital maternal health solutions.