Improving Knowledge About Pregnancy for Deaf South African Women of Reproductive Age Through a Text Messaging–Based Information Campaign: Mixed Methods Study

BACKGROUND: Signing Deaf South Africans have limited access to health information and, consequently, limited knowledge about health. Maternal and neonatal mortality rates are high. Cell phone use is high, making it a potentially effective way of communicating about maternal and child health. OBJECTIVE: The primary aim of this study was to assess whether an SMS text messaging–based health information campaign could improve knowledge about pregnancy, antenatal care, and healthy living during pregnancy for signing Deaf South African women of reproductive age. The secondary aim was to evaluate the acceptability of such an intervention. METHODS: This study was designed as a pretest-posttest study. A baseline questionnaire assessed participants’ knowledge about pregnancy, antenatal care, and healthy living during pregnancy before an SMS text messaging–based information campaign was conducted. After the campaign, an exit questionnaire was administered containing the same questions as the baseline questionnaire with additional questions on general acceptability and communication preferences. The results were compared between baseline and exit using the McNemar and Wilcoxon signed rank tests. A focus group aimed to obtain further information on the impact and acceptability of SMS text messages. The focus group was analyzed inductively. RESULTS: The study showed a statistically significant improvement in overall health knowledge among participants. Despite this, some participants found the medical terminology challenging to understand. Several ways of improving SMS text messaging campaigns for the Deaf were identified, including using Multimedia Messaging Services with a person signing messages and linking information campaigns to a communication service that would enable Deaf people to pose questions. The focus group also suggested that SMS text messages might play a role in motivating healthy behaviors during pregnancy. CONCLUSIONS: The SMS text messaging campaign effectively improved Deaf women’s knowledge about pregnancy, antenatal care, and healthy living during pregnancy and has the potential to affect health behavior. This contrasts with a similar study on hearing pregnant women. This suggests that SMS text messages may be particularly effective in improving Deaf people’s health knowledge. However, attention should be paid to Deaf participants’ specific needs and communication preferences to optimize impact. The potential of using SMS text messaging campaigns to affect behavior should be studied. TRIAL REGISTRATION: Pan-African Clinical Trials Registry (PACTR) PACTR201512001352180; https://tinyurl.com/3rxvsrbe