Awareness and Use of Mobile Health Applications for Maternal Health Information among Women of Eha-Alumona Community in Enugu State, Nigeria

Background: Mobile health (mHealth) applications offer significant potential for improving maternal healthcare by providing access to essential health information, remote consultations, and monitoring services. However, in many rural areas like Eha-Alumona, Enugu State, maternal mortality remains high, raising concerns about whether women in these communities are aware of and utilising these digital health solutions. Objective: This study examined the awareness, utilisation, perception, and factors affecting the use of mobile health applications for maternal health among women in Eha-Alumona, a rural community in Enugu State, Nigeria. Method: Adopting a descriptive survey research design, 384 women in Eha-Alumona who are either pregnant or have been recently pregnant were sampled using the Cochran formula and multistage sampling. The participants were selected from Agbamere, Uwani, Ama Okpara, Eha, Isienu and Amaechi Elu villages. Data were collected through structured Likert-scale questionnaire with a consistency coefficient of 0.89, and analyzed using descriptive statistical tools, including percentages and mean averages. Results: Findings revealed a moderate level of awareness but significantly low utilisation of mHealth applications, with respondents generally showing positive perceptions of the applications’ usefulness, ease of use, and trustworthiness. However, key barriers to adoption included low internet speed, high data costs, lack of technical skills, and the absence of recommendations from healthcare providers. Conclusion: The study concludes that mobile health applications are not being sufficiently leveraged for maternal healthcare in Eha-Alumona due to limited awareness and adoption. This indicates the need for targeted interventions to not only increase awareness of these applications but also eliminate barriers to their adoption, ensuring that they contribute to improving maternal health outcomes in the community. Unique Contribution: This study provides insight into the interplay between digital health innovations and maternal healthcare in rural Nigeria. By identifying key barriers to mHealth adoption, it highlights the importance of addressing infrastructural, economic, and institutional challenges to enhance the effectiveness of digital health solutions in underserved communities. Key Recommendation: Government agencies, healthcare stakeholders, and technology developers should implement awareness campaigns, enhance internet infrastructure, subsidize data costs, and train healthcare providers to actively promote the adoption of mHealth applications among rural women.