Application of eHealth in Maternal and Child Healthcare for Ethnic Minorities in Vietnam: Effectiveness and Impact from an Intervention Project

Abstract

This article draws on a study evaluating the effectiveness and social impact of a project applying digital technology to maternal and child healthcare in Vietnam’s mountainous ethnic minority regions. Through mobile phone applications, the project provided thousands of ethnic minority women with essential knowledge and skills in maternal, newborn, and child health. The applications also ensured personalised prenatal care schedules for each mother, enabling them to recognise and adopt positive self-care health behaviours. The project generated spillover effects on family relationships, gender equality, ethnic minority communities, and local healthcare human resources in the context of digital transformation. As the first application of digital technology for this group of ethnic minority women, the intervention’s effectiveness still exhibits certain limitations. Nevertheless, it aligns with the digital transformation roadmap in maternal and child healthcare and requires further in-depth research to ensure effectiveness and sustainability for similar interventions in the future.