The Effect of Mobile Application Support for Postpartum Women on Postpartum Quality of Life

Abstract

Objective: This study aims to determine the effect of a mobile application prepared by midwives on postpartum quality of life, and to present a mobile training method for use by health care professionals. Methods: The sample for this randomized controlled study consisted of 64 (experimental group = 32, control group = 32) postpartum women for whom inclusion criteria for participation in the study were that they presented to a private counseling center had the ability to use the internet and mobile applications. The study was conducted between March 1, 2018 and July 15, 2019. Data were collected using the Maternal Postpartum Quality of Life Questionnaire (MAPPQOL) and the Web-based Education Software Scale (WBESS) to gather descriptive characteristics of the participants and obstetric data. Applicable statistical methods, which included Mann-Whitney U test, and Spearman correlation test. Results: The mean scores on the MAPPQOL for the control and experimental group were 21.99 ± 2.97 and 20.30 ± 4.33. There was nostatistically significant difference between the mean scores obtained by the two groups on the MAPPQOL (p = 0.073; p> 0.05). Furthermore, there was no statistically significant relationship between the mean scores on the total MAPPQOL and the mean MAPPQOL subscale scores of the experimental group and the mean scores on the WBESS and the subscale scores of this scale (p> 0.05). It was found that the experimental group’s competence level of the mobile application (62.5 %, n = 32) was very good according to their WBESS mean score. Conclusion: Postpartum quality of life score swere found to be higher in the postpartum patients who used the mobile application and it was observed that mobile application support increased postpartum quality of life. The scope was found to be valid this comprehensive mobile training model can be in recommended for use midwifery applications.