MOBILE HEALTH INTERVENTION FOR OBESE SUBFERTILE WOMEN

Abstract

The prevalence of obesity, a significant contributing factor to subfertility, is increasingly recognized among women of childbearing age. 'Aarya', a mobile-based nutrition education application, was developed to address this concern within the Sri Lankan context. The application's creation involved two phases: the first entailed the development, validation, and verification of educational content, followed by the design, development, and evaluation of the application's usability and effectiveness. The participants (n=30) with an average age of 31.9 (±2.80) years, were selected based on the inclusion criteria: with a history of pre-pregnancy overweight or obesity and/or PCOS along with primary or secondary subfertility, possessing digital literacy, and having access to a smartphone. 'Aarya' is designed with iOS and Android operating systems and aims to achieve four primary objectives: managing Body Mass Index (BMI), diet, physical activity, and mindfulness. The application features a user-friendly interface with a navigation bar that includes Dashboard, Diary, Assessment, Journal, Reminders, and Guide. The evaluation demonstrated that 'Aarya' significantly enhances knowledge and awareness among users (n=25), with a high level of acceptability, usefulness, and engagement. Over 70% of participants reported all app features acceptable, except for the physical activity (64%) and mindfulness goals (68%). The app was recommended by 84% of participants (n = 21), and 88% of participants (n = 22) reported overall app satisfaction with its features and usability. The postevaluation results revealed a notable improvement in knowledge among users, with correct responses increasing by 44% to 80% across all questions. This indicates 'Aarya'’s effectiveness in enhancing conceptual understanding among users. 'Aarya' is an innovative step towards empowering Sri Lankan women in subfertility and obesity management through accessible, mobile-based education.