The effect of mHealth and conventional awareness campaigns on caregivers’ developmental literacy

Abstract

Children in impoverished settings face a multitude of risk factors that may impact early childhood development (ECD). Poor ECD can lead to negative outcomes and the continuation of the intergenerational cycle of poverty. Early stimulation from caregivers can counter the effects of risk factors. Increased developmental literacy supports positive parenting, thus improving ECD outcomes. This study aimed to determine if mHealth and conventional awareness campaigns have an effect on caregivers’ developmental literacy. Caregivers were recruited from a primary healthcare facility in a low-resource setting. Participants were randomly divided into three groups; two intervention groups (mHealth and conventional awareness campaigns) and a control group. Caregivers’ developmental literacy was assessed prior to their exposure to awareness campaigns. Participants were reassessed after three months, during which the intervention groups received the same information, through different mediums. The results showed that neither of the awareness campaigns was more effective (p=.359); as the intervention groups’ results were similar to those of the control group. There was, however, a significant improvement (p=.000) from pre-test to post-test, across the entire sample. The improvements may be due to pre-test face-to-face (FTF) interviews between healthcare professionals and caregivers. FTF interviews may be effective in fostering developmental literacy in primary caregivers of young children in low socio-economic populations.