Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40779590›Full record

ArticlePloS one2025

"It's like a book in the palm of my hand": Adapting the Safe Delivery App for Papua New Guinea to improve quality of maternal and newborn care.

Delly Babona, Lucy Au, Cherolyn Polomon, Arpita Deb, Hilde Cortier, Disha Agarwalla, John Bolnga, Michaela A Riddell, Angela Kelly-Hanku, Caroline S E Homer and 1 more

Abstract read
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Article in PloS one, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

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1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

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The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

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4 · The record

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PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

11 authors.

Delly BabonaThe Burnet Institute, Melbourne, Australia.
Lucy AuUNFPA PNG, National Capital District, Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea.
Cherolyn PolomonPacific Adventist University, Koiari Park Campus, Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea.
Arpita DebMaternity Foundation, Copenhagen, Denmark.
Hilde CortierMaternity Foundation, Copenhagen, Denmark.
Disha AgarwallaMaternity Foundation, Copenhagen, Denmark.
John BolngaMadang Provincial Health Authority, Madang Province, Papua New Guinea.
Michaela A RiddellThe Kirby Institute, UNSW, Sydney, Australia.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8852-0569
Angela Kelly-HankuThe Kirby Institute, UNSW, Sydney, Australia.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0152-2954
Caroline S E HomerThe Burnet Institute, Melbourne, Australia.
Lisa M VallelyThe Kirby Institute, UNSW, Sydney, Australia.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8247-7683

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundHealth workers in many low- and middle-income countries are not adequately trained to provide quality antenatal and intrapartum care. The freely available Safe Delivery App (the App) provides health care professionals with direct and instant access to evidence-based, up-to-date clinical guidelines equipping them with an on-the-job reference guide, even in the most remote areas. In this paper we describe the uptake and acceptability and the process to align the App in Papua New Guinea (PNG).

methodsBetween June 2022 and December 2024, quantitative and qualitative methods were used to explore the usage and acceptability of the App among health care workers in PNG, re-designing images and aligning clinical content with PNG national clinical guidelines. Dissemination of the App took place through formal and informal networks, including a training of trainers' program in one province.

resultsThe App was seen as an acceptable and useful tool among midwives and nurses working clinically, particularly those in remote areas and midwifery educators. There was an increase in the use of the App, from 354 registered users in 2022 to 1304 in 2024. The majority of users were midwives and nurses, working in primary health care facilities and nursing and midwifery establishments. Participants reported that the App has led to changes in practice, supporting and encouraging staff to follow evidence-based guidelines, improving their clinical management.

conclusionThe Safe Delivery App is seen as a useful tool, supporting clinical practice, knowledge and skills, providing users with more confidence in their ability to provide quality maternal and newborn health care. Wider implementation of the App across PNG may be a potential way to support health care workers in the remote settings, providing up to date evidence based clinical guidance in the absence of skilled midwives and doctors.

Indexed as

Delivery, ObstetricMaternal Health ServicesMobile ApplicationsAdultFemaleHealth PersonnelHumansInfant, NewbornMidwiferyPapua New GuineaPregnancyQuality of Health Care

Identifiers

PMID40779590
PMCPMC12334014

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.