Effect of Short, Animated Video Storytelling on Maternal Knowledge and Satisfaction in the Perinatal Period in South Africa: Randomized Controlled Trial

BACKGROUND

Innovative mobile health (mHealth) interventions can improve maternal knowledge, thereby supporting national efforts to reduce preventable maternal and child mortality in South Africa. Studies have documented a potential role for mobile video content to support perinatal health messaging, enhance maternal satisfaction, and overcome literacy barriers. Short, animated storytelling (SAS) is an innovative, emerging approach to mHealth messaging.

OBJECTIVE

We aimed to measure the effect of SAS videos on maternal knowledge and user satisfaction for mothers enrolled in antenatal care programs at 2 public health facilities in the Tshwane District of South Africa.

METHODS

We used a randomized controlled trial with a nested evaluation of user satisfaction. Participants were randomized 1:1 into Standard-of-Care (SOC) Control, and SAS Intervention groups. The intervention videos were delivered through WhatsApp, and 1 month later, participants responded to telephone surveys assessing their knowledge. The intervention group then participated in a nested evaluation of user satisfaction.

RESULTS

We surveyed 204 participants. Of them, 49.5% (101/204) were aged between 25 and 34 years. Almost all participants self-identified as Black, with the majority (190/204, 93.2%) having completed secondary school. The mean overall knowledge score was 21.92/28. We observed a slight increase of 0.28 (95% uncertainty interval [UI] -0.58 to 1.16) in the overall knowledge score in the intervention arm. We found that those with secondary education or above scored higher than those with only primary education by 2.24 (95% UI 0.76-4.01). Participants aged 35 years or older also scored higher than the youngest age group (18-24 years) by 1.83 (95% CI 0.39-3.33). Finally, the nested user satisfaction evaluation revealed high maternal satisfaction (4.71/5) with the SAS video series.

CONCLUSIONS

While the SAS videos resulted in high user satisfaction, measured knowledge gains were small within a participant population that was already receiving perinatal health messages through antenatal clinics. The higher knowledge scores observed in older participants with higher education levels suggest that boosting maternal knowledge in younger mothers with lower education levels should continue to be a public health priority in South Africa. Given the high maternal satisfaction among the SAS video-users in this study, policy makers should consider integrating similar approaches into existing, broad-reaching perinatal health programs, such as MomConnect, to boost satisfaction and potentially enhance maternal engagement. While previous studies have shown the promise of animated video health education, most of this research has been conducted in high-income countries. More research in underresourced settings is urgently needed, especially as access to mobile technology increases in the Global South. Future studies should explore the effect of SAS videos on maternal knowledge in hard-to-reach populations with limited access to antenatal care, although real-world logistical challenges persist when implementing studies in underresourced South African populations.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

Pan African Clinical Trials Registry PACTR202203673222680; https://tinyurl.com/362cpuny.

Optimizing knowledge and behavioral intention of women and their partners in the perinatal period in South Africa: a randomized control trial study protocol in the Tshwane district, Gauteng province, South Africa

Background

Maternal knowledge that motivates improvements in critical perinatal health behaviors has the potential to significantly reduce maternal and neonatal mortality. However, evidence-based health information often fails to reach mothers and their partners. mHealth video micro-messages, which disseminate evidence-based perinatal health messages, have the potential to address this gap.

Methods

The study will make use of a mixed method design, using both qualitative and quantitative methods. The study consists of two phases. During Phase 1, qualitative in-depth interviews will be used as part of a human-centered design approach to co-create 10 videos on priority perinatal behaviors. During Phase 2, quantitative methods (a randomized control trial) will be used to test the effectiveness of the videos in improving maternal knowledge and intended behavioral change.

Discussion

We hypothesize that by engaging mothers and their partners through emotive, resonant narratives and visuals, we can facilitate the delivery of evidence-based health messages at the foundation of perinatal health, thereby motivating life-saving improvements in health behaviors during the perinatal period.

Trial registration

This trial has been prospectively registered on the Pan African Clinical Trials Registry (PACTR), with the registration number PACTR202203673222680. Registration date: 14 March 2022. 

Trial registration WHO data set

Registry – Pan African Clinical Trials Registry (PACTR). Date: 14 March 2022. Secondary identification number - grant number: GCCSOAFMNH1. Source of support: Science for Africa Foundation. Primary sponsor – Clinton Health Access Initiative South Africa. Secondary sponsor - Stanford University School of Medicine and Heidelberg University. Contact for public & scientific queries: amandlamamasa@clintonhealthaccess.org; +27 123,426,911; 1166 Francis Baard St, Hatfield, Pretoria, 0028. Public title – Amandla Mama. Scientific title - Optimizing knowledge and behavioral intention of women and their partners in the perinatal period in South Africa. Countries of recruitment – South Africa. Health conditions – antenatal care. Intervention – Amandla Mama mHealth videos, short 2D animated health promotional videos that promote healthy behavior in expectant mothers. Inclusion and exclusion criteria - Expectant mothers and their partners must be 18 years and older. Study type – randomized control trial. Date of first enrollment – 14 March 2021. Sample size – plan to enrol 450 participants, participants enrolled 29 participants. Recruitment Status – suspended. Primary outcome – improving knowledge. Secondary outcome – intended behavioral change. Ethics review – Approved on 24 January 2022 by Pharma-Ethics, contact Mrs. Marzelle Haskins, marzelle@pharma-ethics.co.za. Completion date – N/A. Summary results – N/A. IPD sharing statement – yes, through the publication of results in a journal article.

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12889-022-13600-3.

Perceptions, risk and understandings of the COVID-19 pandemic in urban South Africa

Background

How people perceive the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic and understand their risk can influence their health, behaviours and overall livelihood. The disease’s novelty and severity have elicited a range of attitudes and perspectives countrywide, which consequently influence the public’s adherence to public health prevention and treatment guidelines.

Aim

To investigate perceptions, experiences and knowledge on COVID-19 in a community-based cohort study.

Setting

Adults living in Soweto in South Africa’s Gauteng province during the first six weeks of the national lockdown regulations (i.e. Alert Level 5 lockdown from end of March to beginning of May 2020).

Methods

Participants completed a series of surveys and answered open-ended questions through telephonic interviews (n = 391). We queried their perceptions of the origins of COVID-19, understandings of the disease, personal and communal risks and its relations with the existing disease burden.

Results

Findings from our sample of 391 adults show that perceptions and knowledge of COVID-19 vary across several demographic characteristics. We report moderate levels of understanding about COVID-19, prevention methods and risk, as well as exposure to major physical, psychosocial and financial stressors. Depressive symptoms, perceived infection risk and concern about COVID-19 significantly predicted COVID-19 prevention knowledge.

Conclusion

Public health communication campaigns should focus on continuing to improve knowledge and reduce misinformation associated with the virus. Policymakers should consider the mental health- and non-health-related impact of the pandemic on their citizens in order to curb the pandemic in a manner that maximises well-being.

Perceptions, risk and understandings of the COVID-19 pandemic in urban South Africa

Background: How people perceive the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic and understand their risk can influence their health, behaviours and overall livelihood. The disease’s novelty and severity have elicited a range of attitudes and perspectives countrywide, which consequently influence the public’s adherence to public health prevention and treatment guidelines.Aim: To investigate perceptions, experiences and knowledge on COVID-19 in a community-based cohort study.Setting: Adults living in Soweto in South Africa’s Gauteng province during the first six weeks of the national lockdown regulations (i.e. Alert Level 5 lockdown from end of March to beginning of May 2020).Methods: Participants completed a series of surveys and answered open-ended questions through telephonic interviews (n = 391). We queried their perceptions of the origins of COVID-19, understandings of the disease, personal and communal risks and its relations with the existing disease burden.Results: Findings from our sample of 391 adults show that perceptions and knowledge of COVID-19 vary across several demographic characteristics. We report moderate levels of understanding about COVID-19, prevention methods and risk, as well as exposure to major physical, psychosocial and financial stressors. Depressive symptoms, perceived infection risk and concern about COVID-19 significantly predicted COVID-19 prevention knowledge.Conclusion: Public health communication campaigns should focus on continuing to improve knowledge and reduce misinformation associated with the virus. Policymakers should consider the mental health- and non-health-related impact of the pandemic on their citizens in order to curb the pandemic in a manner that maximises well-being.