Conceptual Model Design and Evaluation of a Preeclampsia Self-Management Application; Android based

Preeclampsia is one of the most serious cases of high-risk pregnancies that endanger women’s health worldwide, especially in developing countries. Preeclampsia is a specific pregnancy syndrome with a prevalence of about 7-14%, which is one of the three leading causes of death in pregnant women. Preeclampsia is the second most common cause of maternal mortality in Iran and accounts for 14% of maternal mortality. The present study was conducted to design, create and evaluate mobile-based preeclampsia self-care application.

This study was conducted in four stages to assess the needs of information elements, design, create and evaluate preeclampsia self-care application. In needs assessment step, 42 specialists, assistants and personnel related to the subject working in the Amir Al-Momenin (AS) Educational, Research and Treatment Center affiliated to Semnan University of Medical Sciences participated. The program was then initially evaluated by 7 physicians, and finally the suggestions provided by users in the design of the program were applied and the final version of the program was completed. The application was designed in the Android Studio environment and then its usability was evaluated using the opinions of 20 mothers and the QUIS tool.

The information elements and functional capabilities required by the program were determined. In addition, the program established communication between the patient and the provider, also created the possibility of care management and control of the disease process. The performance of the program was evaluated by physicians and experts and then evaluated by pregnant mothers in terms of usability. The findings showed that users were satisfied with the application.

The use of mobile-based applications is a useful way to increase knowledge and promote the health of pregnant mothers and facilitate their access to medical information and acquire the necessary skills in their disease. This program helps pregnant mothers with preeclampsia to control their disease by observing proper nutrition and treatment principles to minimize the complications of their disease.