Testing the acceptability of stillbirth awareness messages in an SMS program for fathers

• Published in: Health promotion journal of Australia Vol. 34; no. 1; pp. 149 - 155
• Main Authors: Fletcher, Richard, Symonds, Ian, StGeorge, Jennifer, Warland, Jane, Stark, Michael
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: West Perth, WA Australian Health Promotion Association 01.02.2023; Blackwell Publishing Ltd; John Wiley and Sons Inc
• Subjects: Acceptability; Anxiety; Avoidance behavior; Birth; Birth intervals; Brief Report; Cell Phone; Cellular telephones; Child; Childbirth & labor; Cigarette smoking; Complications; Decision making; Expectant fathers; Father-child relations; Fathers; Female; Group decision making; Health aspects; Humans; Information; Male; Men's Health; Messages; Mobile phones; Mothers; Post-traumatic stress disorder; Pregnancy; Prevention; Psychological aspects; Public health; Quality of service; Ratings; Risk analysis; Risk factors; Risk perception; Short message service; Sleep; Smoking; Stillbirth; Text Messaging; Timing
• ISSN: 1036-1073; 2201-1617
• DOI: 10.1002/hpja.686

Issue addressed: To raise expectant fathers' awareness of risk factors for stillbirth. Methods: A set of brief text messages was developed addressing recognised risk factors for stillbirth: avoidance of maternal cigarette smoking, maternal going to sleep on side messaging, awareness of the importance of noticing and reporting changes in foetal movement and fathers' involvement in shared decision making for timing of birth. Eight messages were inserted into the SMS4dads pilot program being conducted by NSW Health. Feedback on the messages was requested. Participants rated the quality of the messages on a three-point Likert scale and provided comments. Results: Overall, 2528 messages were sent to 626 fathers' mobile phones, 45% of fathers replied with 666 ratings and 115 comments evaluating the texts. The quantitative ratings indicated substantial overall approval of the messages. Within the coding category "Evaluation of Message Content," three themes described fathers' reactions and feelings about the smoking, movement, side sleeping and birth timing messages: "important-good information," "not appropriate/anxiety provoking" and "not relevant-obvious." Three themes reflecting the attributes of the messages within the "Service Quality" category were "need more information," "complements public health" and "child voice fit." Conclusions: Results indicate that the messages are an acceptable way to provide information and suggested actions addressing stillbirth risk factors to fathers-to-be. So what?: Fathers' awareness of the risk factors for stillbirth can assist mothers to take appropriate actions for a healthy birth. Information on risk factors can be provided to fathers via a father-focused text messaging service.