Effect of smartphone app-based health care intervention for health management of high-risk mothers: a study protocol for a randomized controlled trial

Abstract

Background: The 4th Industrial Revolution with the advent of the smart era, in which artificial intelligence, such as big data analysis and machine learning, is expected, and the provision of healthcare services using smartphones has become a reality. In particular, high-risk mothers who experience gestational diabetes, gestational hypertension, and prenatal and postpartum depression are highly likely to have adverse effects on the mother and newborn due to the disease. Therefore, continuous observation and intervention in health management are needed to prevent diseases and promote healthy behavior for a healthy life. Methods: This randomized controlled trial will provide mothers 18 years of age or older with health care information collected based on evidence-based literature data using a smartphone app for 6 weeks. About 500 mothers will be selected in consideration of the dropout rate due to the characteristics of mothers. The study group and control group will be computer-generated in a 1:1 ratio through random assignment. The research group will receive health management items through the app, and health management information suitable for the pregnancy cycle is pushed to an alarm. The control group will receive the health management information of the paper. We also followed the procedure for developing mobile apps using the IDEAS framework. Discussion: These results show the effectiveness of smart medical healthcare services and promote changes in health behaviors throughout pregnancy in high-risk mothers.