Abstract
Abstract
Background
Mobile health (mHealth) interventions are increasingly promoted to strengthen health communication in rural India. However, evidence remains limited on how rural women translate mobile phone access into meaningful health-related use and trusted engagement, creating challenges for designing equitable digital health strategies.
Methods
A community-based cross-sectional study was conducted among 374 rural women aged ≥ 18 years in five villages under the Rural Health Training Centre area of Gautam Budh Nagar, Uttar Pradesh. Multistage random sampling was employed. Data were collected using a pre-tested structured questionnaire capturing sociodemographic characteristics, mobile phone ownership and access, health-related usage, trust in mobile-delivered information, preferences for information delivery, and perceived barriers. Descriptive statistics summarized patterns, chi-square tests assessed associations, and multivariable logistic regression identified independent predictors of health-related mobile phone use.
Results
Among participants, 51.1% were aged 18–31 years, and 79.7% belonged to the middle socioeconomic class. Smartphone ownership was reported by 54.5% (95% CI: 49.5–59.6), while 35.8% (95% CI: 31.0-40.7) relied on borrowed devices and 2.7% (95% CI: 1.3–4.8) had no mobile access. Despite this, 52.4% (95% CI: 47.2–57.5) reported never using mobile phones for health purposes, and only 3.2% (95% CI: 1.7–5.5) reported consistent use. Trust in mobile health information was moderate, with 66.8% (95% CI: 61.8–71.6) reporting occasional trust. After adjustment, education remained a significant predictor of health-related mobile phone use; women with primary or middle education (AOR = 0.28; 95% CI: 0.14–0.55) and those with no formal education (AOR = 0.20; 95% CI: 0.10–0.39) were less likely to report health-related use compared to graduates. Voice calls were the most preferred communication mode, and lack of knowledge was the most frequently reported barrier.
Conclusion
Although mobile phone access among rural women is relatively widespread, meaningful health-related engagement remains limited. Interventions focusing on digital literacy, voice-based communication strategies, and sociocultural barriers are essential to enhance the effectiveness of mHealth programs in rural settings.