Informing mobile health strategies: Study of mobile phone ownership among rural women for breast cancer control in Ghana.

PAPER pubmed Digital health 2026 Cross-sectional study Effect: unclear Evidence: Low

Read original paper → DOI: 10.1177/20552076261476178 PMID: 42558772 Evidence Lab

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Breast cancer (BC) screening uptake remains low among women in rural Ghana because of structural and informational barriers. Understanding mobile phone ownership, use, and willingness to receive short message service (SMS) messages is essential for designing SMS-based mobile health interventions to improve BC awareness and uptake of clinical breast examinations. OBJECTIVE: To examine mobile phone ownership, usage patterns, and willingness to receive SMS-based BC information among women in rural Ghana to inform the development of a future SMS-based mobile health intervention. METHODS: We analyzed data from 708 women aged ≥25 years who participated in a community-based cross-sectional survey conducted in 14 rural communities in the Ashanti Region of Ghana. Descriptive statistics, chi-square tests, and Firth's penalized logistic regression were performed. RESULTS: Mobile phone ownership was high (98.2%), and most women stated the willing to receive SMS messages about BC (93.9%) and clinical breast examination appointments (93.8%). Respondents who anticipated an early (same-day) response to messages had 13.91 times higher odds of being willing to receive text messages about breast cancer and screening (AOR = 13.91; 95%CI: 6.11, 31.65; p < 0.001) and 9.58 times higher odds of being willing to receive reminders for setting up CBE appointments (AOR = 9.58; 95%CI: 4.44, 20.66; p < 0.001) compared to late responders. Additionally, being comfortable with reading and receiving SMS was significantly associated with a willingness to receive general breast cancer texts (AOR = 10.93; 95%CI: 1.01, 117.70; p = 0.049). CONCLUSION: High mobile phone ownership and willingness to receive SMS messages suggest that SMS-based mobile health interventions may be a feasible strategy for promoting BC awareness and clinical breast examination in rural Ghana. The cross-sectional design assessed stated willingness rather than actual use of an SMS-based intervention and does not permit causal inference.

AI evidence extraction

At a glance

Study type

Cross-sectional study

Effect direction

unclear

Population

Women aged 25 years and older in 14 rural communities in the Ashanti Region of Ghana

Sample size

708

Exposure

mobile phone

Evidence strength

Low

Confidence: 98% · Peer-reviewed: yes

Main findings

In a community-based cross-sectional survey of 708 rural Ghanaian women, mobile phone ownership was 98.2%, and willingness to receive SMS messages about breast cancer (93.9%) and clinical breast examination appointments (93.8%) was high. Anticipating an early response to messages and being comfortable reading/receiving SMS were associated with greater willingness to receive breast cancer-related texts.

Outcomes measured

Mobile phone ownership
Mobile phone usage patterns
Willingness to receive SMS messages about breast cancer
Willingness to receive SMS reminders for clinical breast examination appointments
Factors associated with willingness to receive SMS messages

Limitations

Cross-sectional design
Assessed stated willingness rather than actual use of an SMS-based intervention
Does not permit causal inference

View raw extracted JSON

{
    "study_type": "cross_sectional",
    "exposure": {
        "band": null,
        "source": "mobile phone",
        "frequency_mhz": null,
        "sar_wkg": null,
        "duration": null
    },
    "population": "Women aged 25 years and older in 14 rural communities in the Ashanti Region of Ghana",
    "sample_size": 708,
    "outcomes": [
        "Mobile phone ownership",
        "Mobile phone usage patterns",
        "Willingness to receive SMS messages about breast cancer",
        "Willingness to receive SMS reminders for clinical breast examination appointments",
        "Factors associated with willingness to receive SMS messages"
    ],
    "main_findings": "In a community-based cross-sectional survey of 708 rural Ghanaian women, mobile phone ownership was 98.2%, and willingness to receive SMS messages about breast cancer (93.9%) and clinical breast examination appointments (93.8%) was high. Anticipating an early response to messages and being comfortable reading/receiving SMS were associated with greater willingness to receive breast cancer-related texts.",
    "effect_direction": "unclear",
    "limitations": [
        "Cross-sectional design",
        "Assessed stated willingness rather than actual use of an SMS-based intervention",
        "Does not permit causal inference"
    ],
    "evidence_strength": "low",
    "confidence": 0.979999999999999982236431605997495353221893310546875,
    "peer_reviewed_likely": "yes",
    "keywords": [
        "mobile phone",
        "SMS",
        "mHealth",
        "breast cancer",
        "clinical breast examination",
        "rural women",
        "Ghana",
        "cross-sectional survey"
    ],
    "suggested_hubs": []
}

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AI-extracted fields are generated from the abstract/metadata and may be incomplete or incorrect. This content is for informational purposes only and is not medical advice.

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