The use of digital media by women using the maternity services in a developed country

Ir Med J. 2014 Nov-Dec;107(10):313-5.

Abstract

The provision of high quality healthcare information about pregnancy is important to women and to healthcare professionals and it is 1 driven, in part, by a desire to improve clinical outcomes,. The objective of this study was to examine the use of digital media by women' to access pregnancy information. A questionnaire was distributed to women attending a large maternity hospital. Of the 522 respondents, the mean age was 31.8 years, 45% (235/522) were nulliparous, 62% (324/522) lived in the capital city and 29% (150/522) attended the hospital as private patients. Overall 95% (498/522) used the internet for pregnancy information, 76% (399/522) had a smartphone and 59% (235/399) of smartphone owners had used a pregnancy smartapp. The nature of internet usage for pregnancy information included discussion forums (70%), social networks (67%), video media (48%), e-books (15%), blogs (13%), microblogs (9%) and podcasts (4%). Even women who were socially disadvantaged reported high levels of digital media usage. In contemporary maternity care women use digital media extensively for pregnancy information. All maternity services should have a digital media strategy.

MeSH terms

  • Cell Phone
  • Communication
  • Computers, Handheld
  • Consumer Health Information / methods
  • Consumer Health Information / statistics & numerical data*
  • Delivery of Health Care / methods*
  • Delivery of Health Care / statistics & numerical data*
  • Developed Countries
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Internet / statistics & numerical data*
  • Ireland
  • Maternal Health Services / methods*
  • Maternal Health Services / statistics & numerical data*
  • Pregnancy
  • Social Media / statistics & numerical data
  • Surveys and Questionnaires