What do women value in a maternal education app? A sequential mixed-methods study on user perspectives of EMAeHealth

eHealth is a resource that provides continuity of care from midwives and maternal education, allowing for the personalization of information and the selection of resources tailored to individual needs. However, for many available digital tools, information on their quality and usability is lacking. The objective of this study was to explore the perceptions of users of the EMAeHealth digital app, which was designed and developed by midwives, regarding its acceptance, usability, strengths, and weaknesses for implementation.

This was an exploratory sequential mixed-methods study. Semi-structured individual interviews were conducted between January and March 2024. Participants were selected by purposive sampling. Subsequently, an ad hoc survey was created based on these results to be filled in anonymously.

The acceptance rate of the EMAeHealth app was 64%. In the qualitative analysis, there were two categories: 1) 'What makes this app stand out?', including accessibility, quantity, quality, good organization of information, and credibility of the source; 2) 'Remaining potential', describes the improvement recommendations that were most strongly agreed with, both in the interviews and in the survey with 106 women, which were related to personalization, inclusion of a chat box with the midwife, and connection of the app with the health records services, with ratings 4.38 ± 0.83, 4.28 ± 1.00 and 4.16 ± 1.10 out of 5 points, respectively.

A digital tool would expand the availability of information, personalization, and resources offered in maternal education, increasing its reach and effectiveness. However, it is necessary to carry out further work on the individualization of information and its adaptation to each woman's health situation and stage of life.