The effectiveness of telehealth in improving the knowledge, attitude, and practice of eclampsia prevention among preeclampsia mothers

Abstract

Despite numerous media efforts to inform the public, the understanding, attitudes, and practices for preventing eclampsia have not significantly improved, and maternal deaths due to eclampsia remain alarmingly high. This study aims to identify the socio-demographic factors related to this issue and to evaluate the effectiveness of telehealth in enhancing the knowledge, attitudes, and practices regarding eclampsia prevention among mothers experiencing preeclampsia. A quasi-experimental design with a control group was implemented to study the effects of telehealth tools on mothers with preeclampsia. Participants were selected using purposive sampling, resulting in a sample size of 104 mothers, which was calculated using the G*Power tool. The key variables in this study included telehealth tools, socio-demographics, knowledge and attitudes, and practices for preventing preeclampsia. Data were collected before and after the intervention. The analysis used univariate and bivariate analysis: the independent t-test used Mann-Whitney and Kruskal-Wallis tests, the paired t-test (dependent t-test) used the Wilcoxon test, and the multivariate analysis used logistic regression. Our study results indicate that a mother’s history of preeclampsia and her number of pregnancies (parity) significantly influenced eclampsia prevention practices. Additionally, knowledge, attitudes, and methods of prevention showed notable changes before and after the telehealth intervention, with all p-values being less than 0.05. The effects of parity on eclampsia prevention practices, as well as the role of telehealth in shaping knowledge and attitudes toward eclampsia prevention and management, were examined in relation to parity and education level. The support systems and advocacy efforts used by health officers can be integrated to improve telehealth services and encourage collaborative research involving multiple health experts.