Supporting childbirth knowledge acquisition and decision-making through digital communication technology: the research design of an ongoing study following a mixed-method approach

Abstract

This paper describes the research design of an ongoing study that overlaps three main fields: technology, health, and social science. This transdisciplinarity approach naturally brings challenges to the methodological plan, which this paper presents, and aims to guide the creation, validation and evaluation of a digital decision aid, and its comparison to a paper-based solution. Through the data collection from different natures, it is expected to be possible to understand the different sources, channels and formats of content that can contribute for childbirth knowledge acquisition; if communication can be facilitated between expectant parents, health care professionals, and childbirth educators; and ultimately, if the tool could provide a mean to create a document regarding birth preferences.