Informatics and Health · Published 2025-04-10 · DOI 10.1016/j.infoh.2025.02.001
Purpose: Addressing women's health has become a crucial priority across cultures. Information technology solutions, particularly mobile health applications (MHAs), offer significant opportunities to enhance healthcare, empower women, and personalize care for pregnant women. This study aimed to evaluate the quality and features of Persian mobile health applications for maternity care available on Android platforms. Methods: In December 2021, we systematically searched Persian Android app stores (Cafe Bazaar and Myket) and Google Play using relevant keywords. Two researchers independently extracted both general and specific features from the selected MHAs. Additionally, the quality of the applications was assessed by two independent evaluators using the Mobile Application Rating Scale (MARS). To evaluate inter-rater agreement and the relationships between different variables, we employed Spearman's rho correlation coefficient, with a significance level set at 0.05. Findings: A total of 17 applications (1 % of those reviewed) were selected based on our inclusion and exclusion criteria for further evaluation. Within these, Yekzan (App2) and Madarsho (App5) demonstrated the most extensive general features in their design, with Yekzan also achieving the highest number of specific features. Four MHAs received an overall MARS score exceeding 4. The overall MARS scores showed a significant positive correlation with subjective quality (P < 0.001, r = 0.947), general features (P < 0.001, r = 0.740), specific features (P < 0.05, r = 0.588), and user ratings on the platforms (P < 0.05, r = 0.511). Interpretation: There is currently no comprehensive Persian MHA that encompasses all necessary features for maternity care, and many applications fall short of acceptable quality standards for this vulnerable group. It is essential for health policymakers and specialists to establish the necessary standards and features for these applications.
Abstract from DOAJ. Public domain (CC0 1.0).
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