MOBILE PHONE UTILIZATION FOR ENHANCING CHILD HEALTH: KNOWLEDGE, ATTITUDES AND PRACTICE OF MOTHERS IN FEDERAL TEACHING HOSPITAL, GOMBE.

Globally e-health interventions have expanded significantly and despite huge mobile phone penetration in Nigeria, its deployment in health remains largely unexplored. To establish the use of mobile phones for health by mothers of children admitted in the paediatric wards of Federal Teaching Hospital, Gombe. Three hundred and eighteen structured questionnaires were administered to mothers of children on admission in the paediatric medical ward, emergency paediatric ward, and the special care babies unit over 10 weeks. There were 96.7% (298/308) between 16 and 45 years; 35.1% and 33.8% of mothers had tertiary and secondary level education respectively, 89.3% (275) were married, 65.9% had monogamous marriages; 75.4.% (212/281) of mothers had 1-4 children 94.5% of mothers possessed a mobile phone, 68.5%(139/203) accessed the internet daily, 69.5% (210/302) had access to the internet, 77.5% (203/262) belonged to a social media platform, 64.7% mothers used internet for health, 81% of mothers with tertiary education accessed the internet for health (p<0.05), 66.7% (148/222) have used their phones for healthcare consultation, 54.9%(157/286) have called a healthcare worker which was highest among tertiary-educated mothers (p<0.05), and 88.5% would preferably call a doctor. Symptoms that necessitated the phone call were diarrhoea, convulsions, excessive crying, and vomiting. 59.3% preferred to call healthcare workers anytime, 27% at night. 36% received a prescription 35% were advised and 27% were referred. 87% were satisfied with the healthcare response via phone. 23% have children with chronic illness and 97.3% (291/299) would like to have a Paediatric call Centre for their children's health. Higher maternal education enhanced the use of mobile phones for child health.

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The Authors declare that no competing interest exists.