Prospective acceptability of using mHealth interventions for oral health promotion in a sample of Egyptian women: A cross-sectional study

Background Unless a health intervention is acceptable to target audience and aligns with their needs and preferences, there is increased likelihood that they would not engage with and benefit from it as planned. Despite that, there is paucity of studies exploring acceptability of oral health promotion interventions prior to implementation. This cross-sectional study was designed to investigate Egyptian women's “prospective acceptability” to use mobile technologies in promoting access to oral health services. Methods A total of 959 participants completed a questionnaire, based on Sekhon's theoretical framework of acceptability, either in-person or virtually. Data was collected on sociodemographics, smartphones’ ownership and usage patterns, acceptability to use mHealth interventions, and any potential motivators and barriers. Chi-square test was used for descriptive statistics and regression analysis was performed to identify predictors of acceptability to use digital technology in improving oral and dental health. Results 83 % of women residing in urban settings versus 80.7% in rural settings believed that mHealth could improve health outcomes. WhatsApp was identified by 68% of participants as the preferred application for adopting mobile health services. Health awareness (36.8%) and effort & time saving (29%) were the most commonly cited motivators for using mHealth while lack of time (33%) and privacy issues (14.2%) were the main barriers. Conclusions mHealth is perceived as a highly acceptable approach for promoting oral health among Egyptian women. However, mHealth interventions should take into consideration privacy concerns and personal security when targeting this group.