title: "Who's afraid?": attitudes of midwives to the use of information and communication technologies (ICTs) for delivery of pregnancy-related health information.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Usage rates for information and communication technologies (ICTs) in healthcare have been increasing in recent years, but often lag behind general usage rates for populations as a whole. Research into such differential rates of ICT use across different segments of the population has identified a number of possible causal factors that limit usage.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The research investigated midwives' attitudes and experiences of ICT use to identify potential causal factors that encourage or inhibit their usage in antenatal care.
  
  
  METHODS
  Semi-structured interviews, focus groups and short surveys were conducted with midwives who provide antenatal education at an Australian metropolitan hospital. Thematic and statistical analyses were used to interpret the data.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Although midwives recognised the potential benefits of using ICTs to deliver pregnancy-related health information many had reservations about their use in everyday work. These reservations centred on lack of training in use of ICTs, the perceived legal risks associated with social media, potential violations of patient privacy, misdiagnosis and misunderstandings between midwife and client.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Midwives face a number of barriers to effective use of ICTs in healthcare including material access, skills access, usage access and motivational access. Motivational access appears to be a key concern due to the high perception of risk associated with social media in particular. Reducing the motivational barriers through a range of interventions with midwifery staff may assist in overcoming other barriers to ICT use in antenatal care. Further research is required to determine whether these findings are generalisable to other healthcare contexts.
authors: Faculty of Health Sciences, School of Paediatrics and Reproductive Health, Discipline of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, The University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA 5005, Australia; The Robinson Research Institute, Lyell McEwin Hospital, Elizabeth Vale, SA 5112, Australia.
authors: J A
authors: JA
authors: Dalton
authors: Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, School of Social Sciences, Discipline of Anthropology and Development Studies, The University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA 5005, Australia. Electronic address: dianne.rodger@adelaide.edu.au.
authors: D L
authors: DL
authors: Rodger
authors: Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, School of Humanities, Discipline of Media, The University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA 5005, Australia.
authors: M
authors: M
authors: Wilmore
authors: Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, School of Social Sciences, Discipline of Anthropology and Development Studies, The University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA 5005, Australia.
authors: A J
authors: AJ
authors: Skuse
authors: Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, School of Humanities, Discipline of Media, The University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA 5005, Australia.
authors: S
authors: S
authors: Humphreys
authors: Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, School of Humanities, Discipline of Media, The University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA 5005, Australia.
authors: M
authors: M
authors: Flabouris
authors: Faculty of Health Sciences, School of Paediatrics and Reproductive Health, Discipline of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, The University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA 5005, Australia; The Robinson Research Institute, Lyell McEwin Hospital, Elizabeth Vale, SA 5112, Australia.
authors: V L
authors: VL
authors: Clifton
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D001315:Australia; D005239:Fear; D005260:Female; D017144:Focus Groups; D058015:Health Communication / Q000379:methods*; D006293:Health Promotion; D006801:Humans; D007407:Interviews as Topic; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009042:Motivation; D009721:Nurse Midwives / Q000523:psychology*; D009723:Nurse-Patient Relations; D010353:Patient Education as Topic / Q000379:methods*; D011247:Pregnancy; D011295:Prenatal Care / Q000379:methods*; D036301:Qualitative Research; D061108:Social Media / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*
keywords: Antenatal education; Health communication; ICTs; Information and communication technologies; Social media