Effect of Online Mobile Health Applications on Maternal and Child Health in Rural and Remote Areas of Australia

This research proposal aims to investigate the impact of online mobile health applications on maternal and child health in rural and remote areas of Australia. The proposal includes a literature review, research hypothesis, study design, sampling technique, data collection, statistical analysis, ethics application, limitations, significance, research question, and justification of proposed synopsis. The proposal concludes that mobile health applications are enabling remote areas to access healthcare information about maternal and child health in a better manner.

Research proposal 1
Running Head: Research proposal
Research proposal

Research proposal 2
Table of Contents
Literature review.........................................................................................................................................3
Synopsis.......................................................................................................................................................5
Topic:.......................................................................................................................................................5
Background..............................................................................................................................................5
Research hypothesis:...............................................................................................................................5
Study design............................................................................................................................................5
Sampling technique and data collection..................................................................................................5
Statistical analysis....................................................................................................................................5
Ethics application.....................................................................................................................................5
Limitations of the study...........................................................................................................................5
Significance of the study..........................................................................................................................5
Research question...................................................................................................................................5
Justification of proposed synopsis...............................................................................................................6
Conclusion...................................................................................................................................................7
References...................................................................................................................................................8

Research proposal 3
Literature review
In rural and remote areas, the individuals are experiencing poorer health as compared to urban
complements. The life expectancy of rural population is lower in rural and remote areas as compared to
urban areas. As well as, there are higher rate of injury mortality in maternal and child health. In other
words, the healthcare services in rural and remote areas are not good for maternal and child health. In
the 21st century, the online care services or mobile applications are supporting to care services for the
maternal and child health. Mobile application for healthcare services is a general term in which the
wireless technology and mobile phones are used in healthcare services. Through this technological
advancement the individuals can understand the basic care services and develop their health in effective
manner.
According to Noordam, Kuepper, Stekelenburg, & Milen (2011), the use of mobile phones has improved
the maternal and child health services in low and middle income areas or remote areas. The mobile
applications allowed the care providers to communicate with the patients who are living in remote
areas. These healthcare services are available anytime for the individuals at lower cost. The researcher
used scientific and gray literature with use of different linked terms such as mobile telecommunication,
maternal health and LMIC (Low and Middle Income Countries). In this research study, it is analyzed that
communication is an effective way of improving maternal health. Therefore, the use of mobile phone is
an effective method of communicating with the individuals. Through use of mobile applications the
individuals gained several information that are required for maternal and child health. However, there is
a need of confidentiality of the information about the users.
Along with this, Kallander, Tibenderana, Akpogheneta, Strachan, Hill, Asbroek, & Meek (2013) argued
that use of mobile application is a portable electronic device with a software application, which can be
used by the patients to attain the healthcare advices in proper manner. The mobile application supports
the performance of the care workers with broadcasting of medical updates, reminders and learning
materials in rural and remote locations. In this research study, the researchers have examined 6 themes
on mobile applications with use of different peer-reviewed articles, journals, key reports and websites.
The primary mobile health technologies are assessed with use of personal digital assistants, mobile
phones, patient monitoring devices and mobile telemedicine instruments. It is also analyzed how these
tools can be used in awareness, education, and access of data and growth health care information
system. It s also analyzed that the mobile phone application in care services are supportive in monitoring
patients, medical decision making and tracking supplies of drugs. In this concern, it is analyzed that the
mobile phone applications are helpful in improving the maternal and child health in effective manner.
Furthermore, Evans, Wallace, & Snider (2012) depicted that mobile phone technology is rapidly growing
in the healthcare industry to prevent the diseases. Mobile applications allow the organizations to
disseminate the care information to a varied and large population in less time. Use of mobile phones in
healthcare is an innovative way of promoting the healthcare services with including use of mobile phone
applications, voice response of calls and web-based intercession. The wide spreading adoption of mobile

Research proposal 4
phones and rapid technological advancement have made easy for the remote areas to access relevant
information regarding the health issues in quick manner. As well as, the advanced interventions,
different modes of interactivity and opportunities to interact with the customers and patients also
involved the healthcare organizations to provide their care services through the mobile applications for
remote areas. In this research study, randomized pilot evaluation study is used by the researcher to
attain relevant information about the impact of mobile application on maternal and child health. In
addition, all of the research participants were pregnant women who have presented for care at Fairfax
region, Virginia Health Department. These participants randomized to join up in ‘text4baby’ and receive
standard healthcare intervention or receive common care control in continuous manner. After that a
survey is conducted by telephone to know the behavior and attitude to ‘text4baby’. In this research
study the sample size was 260 women who are seeking pre-natal care from Fairfax Health Department.
The data are collected from the research participants through survey and interview strategy and the
collected data are analyzed through different statistical methods such as t-test and regression to attain
most reliable research outcomes. The research outcomes determined that the use of mobile
applications is increasing rapidly in the remote areas as the individuals can get better knowledge about
the health issues of maternal and child.
Along with this, Qiang, Yamamichi, Hausman, Altman, & Unit (2011) stated that mobile application is a
young and dynamic field that can develop well-being in the people across the world. The cost of mobile
applications is lower as compared to physical consultation with the care professionals. It his concern, the
mobile applications may be helpful for the patients in managing their treatment when the attention of
healthcare professionals is unavailable, costly and difficult to obtain regularly in remote areas. The
mobile health applications are supportive in tracking the patients and developing the quality of care in
remote and rural areas in effective manner. The mobile health applications can also be used to manage
the supply system in the healthcare industry with reducing the delays in medicine shipments and
provide the authenticity of the products purchased by the customers. In this research study, the
researcher used entire data from different secondary sources to investigate the role of mobile phone
applications in maternal and child health.
In this concern, it is analyzed that the mobile health applications are helping the individuals in getting
better care services in remote and rural areas where the care professionals cannot provide their care
services in physical manner. In remoteness areas, it is not possible to get care services in quick manner
from the healthcare organizations so that the online access and mobile apps are helpful for the
individuals in getting primary care services for maternal and child health. Therefore, the use of mobile
phones has improved the maternal and child health services in low and middle income areas or remote
areas. The mobile applications allowed the care providers to communicate with the patients who are
living in remote areas.

Research proposal 5
Synopsis
Topic:
To investigate the effect of online mobile health applications on maternal and child health: In context of
Australia
Background
In remote and rural areas the individuals are facing several issues in getting better healthcare services.
The implementation of online health services or mobile applications in healthcare services improved the
healthcare services for maternal and child health in Australia (Liu, Zhu, Holroyd, & Seng, 2011).
Research hypothesis:
If, online health services or mobile applications are implemented in the healthcare services than it will
improve the maternal and child health in remote and rural areas.
Study design
Cross-sectional research study will be used in this research study to attain reliable research outcomes. In
this research study, survey method will be used as an effective quantitative research method. The
survey will be conducted in 6 rural and remote areas of Australia for 4 months.
Sampling technique and data collection
In this research study cluster sampling will be used to collect relevant information, where the target
population will be 60 healthcare professionals of different government hospitals in different rural and
remote areas of Australia. In addition, both primary and secondary data collection methods will be used
to collect relevant information about the research topic.
Statistical analysis
In this research study, descriptive statistical analysis method will be used to obtain a valid and reliable
research outcome.
Ethics application
The acceptance of the research participants will be obtained with appropriate guidelines and standards
of Australian system for healthcare researches.
Limitations of the study
The major limitations of this research study are limited timescale, limited number of rural areas and
limited fund for the research study.
Significance of the study
The research study has significance to understand the impact of technological innovation in care
services for maternal and child health.

Research proposal 6
Research question
The research question is how mobile applications are supporting to healthcare services in remote and
rural areas? This research question will be discovered through an appropriate literature review.
Justification of proposed synopsis
a) Justification for choice of quantitative study design:
In this research study, survey method is used as study design as it is an effective method of data
collection. It is an effective and easy method of collecting information from the research participants
through using the questionnaire methodology. A systematic questionnaire will be provided to the
research participants to know their views in the research issues. The research participants will be free to
five their response for the questions. Quantitative research method experiment is not used in this
research study as it requires depth understanding and different experiments that are costly and time
consuming (Mitchell and jolly, 2012). The survey is conducted through the use of a systematic
questionnaire. As well as, cohort-research study is will not be used in this research study as it is used to
compare a group with another group for a specific condition.
b) Justification for sampling technique:
In this research study, the cluster sampling is an effective method of collecting data from different
segments of the population where as the random sampling method will not be used in this research
study as random sampling method in not able to conduct the survey on different segments of
population. In random sampling method, the research participants are selected randomly and purely by
chance (Marczyk, DeMatteo, & Festinger, 2017). Another cause of using cluster sampling is that it is an
appropriate method of conducting survey within a district, city and so on. In this research study, some
specific areas will be selected to attain appropriate information about the research issue, which are
away from the urban areas or better physical care services. In other words, some specific geographical
areas will be selected to accomplish the research study in more reliable manner. In this concern, cluster
sampling is used as an appropriate sampling method for this research study to attain appropriate
information from the target research participants.
c) Justification for data collection method:
In this research study, the primary data collection method play an essential role in collecting appropriate
data from the research participants as the researcher will conduct survey to collect data directly from
the research participants (Hakim, 2012). The primary data are first hand data or collected directly from
the research participants so that the primary data will improve the reliability and validity of the research
outcomes. The survey will be directly conducted to the healthcare professionals of government hospitals
of selected areas of Australia as the healthcare professionals communicate regularly with the patients so
that they will be able to give appropriate information about the research issue. On the other hand, the
secondary data will be used to support the validity of the primary data in effective manner. The
secondary data will be collected from different published material s such as books, journals, articles and
online publications.

Research proposal 7
d) Justification for descriptive and inferential statistical analysis:
The descriptive statistical method fits for this research study to analyze the collected data as the sample
size is only 60. It is an effective statistical tool for small sample size population. On the other hand
inferential statistical method is not used for this research study as it fits for large population.
e) Justification for Human Resource Ethics committee:
There is a specific Human resource Ethics Committee in Australia, which had imposed some ethical
standards for healthcare researchers. It is essential for the researchers to follow these standards to
accomplish the research study without any issue. In order to obtain the acceptance of the research
participants a consent form is signed from the research participants, which contain the purpose and
procedures of the research study (Ali et al., 2013). As well as, the consent form will provide authenticity
to secure personal information of the research participants. On the other hand, an oral communication
is not used for ethical application as it is not an authentic and legal proof to provide the authenticity of
the information of the research participants (Munhall, 2012).
Conclusion
From the above discussion, it can be concluded that the mobile health application is enabling the
remote areas to access healthcare information about the maternal and child health in better manner. It
is analyzed that the individuals are becoming more aware about the healthcare services in remote areas
and improving their health with use of mobile health applications.

Research proposal 8
References
Ali, H., Donovan, B., Wand, H., Read, T. R., Regan, D. G., Grulich, A. E., & Guy, R. J. (2013). Genital warts
in young Australians five years into national human papillomavirus vaccination programme:
national surveillance data. Bmj, 346, f2032.
Evans, W. D., Wallace, J. L., & Snider, J. (2012). Pilot evaluation of the text4baby mobile health
program. BMC public health, 12(1), 1031.
Hakim, C. (2012). Research Design: Succesful Designs for Social Economics Research. USA: Routledge.
Kallander, K., Tibenderana, J. K., Akpogheneta, O. J., Strachan, D. L., Hill, Z., Asbroek, A. H., & Meek, S. R.
(2013). Mobile health (mHealth) approaches and lessons for increased performance and
retention of community health workers in low-and middle-income countries: a review. Journal
of medical Internet research, 15(1).
Liu, C., Zhu, Q., Holroyd, K. A., & Seng, E. K. (2011). Status and trends of mobile-health applications for
iOS devices: A developer's perspective. Journal of Systems and Software, 84(11), 2022-2033.
Marczyk, G., DeMatteo, D., & Festinger, D. (2017). Essentials of research design and methodology. USA:
John Wiley.
Mitchell, M. L., & Jolley, J. M. (2012). Research design explained. UK: Cengage Learning.
Munhall, P. (2012). Nursing research. USA: Jones & Bartlett Learning.
Noordam, A. C., Kuepper, B. M., Stekelenburg, J., & Milen, A. (2011). Improvement of maternal health
services through the use of mobile phones. Tropical Medicine & International Health, 16(5), 622-
626.
Qiang, C. Z., Yamamichi, M., Hausman, V., Altman, D., & Unit, I. S. (2011). Mobile applications for the
health sector. Washington: World Bank, 2.