Abstract

This study aimed to compare the effect of education through smart phone SMS and face-to-face method for mothers on the awareness and care for premature newborns hospitalized in Valiasr hospital in Birjand, Iran. In this quasi-experimental study, 15 mothers of premature neonates hospitalized in NICU ward of Valiasr hospital in Birjand were chosen and then assigned into intervention and control groups randomly. The required information was collected through mother and neonate demographics questionnaire as well as the questionnaire for measuring mothers' awareness about breast-feeding and premature neonatal care. The intervention group received education in a face-to-face session and then for four weeks through SMS. On the other hand, the control group received only one face-to-face educational session. After three months, we investigated the indices of neonatal development (height, weight, head circumference) and the premature neonate care measurement questionnaire. In order to compare the developmental indices regarding investigation of awareness and manner of care in both groups, independent t-test was used, with P<0.05 considered significant. The neonatal development indices at the beginning of birth and three months later were measured which showed a significant difference in the intervention group. Furthermore, a significant difference was observed the two groups in terms of awareness and manner of care provided by their mothers (p<0.05). Education through SMS to mothers with hospitalized neonates is effective in persistence of care and controlling the natural course of growth of premature neonates. Thus, as cell phone is economical and usable by the most individuals in the society, it can be employed to improve health and for education in follow-up and helping in improvement of health status of premature neonates.