Understanding mobile application development and implementation to monitor Posyandu data in Indonesia: a 3-years hybrid action research to build “a bridge” from the community to national use

Abstract Background. There is a small number of facts available to understand better how mobile health application technology on mother and child health (MCH) is developed. This study is aimed: (a) to explore the process of developing the mobile app in MCH community-based services in the Indonesian setting/Posyandu, (b) to perform feasibility assessment among the community health workers (CHWs), and (c) to see the potential use of the mobile app in the country. Method. Using a hybrid method in which the action research principles and the mixed-method, which comprise qualitative and quantitative methods, were synergistically combined for the end-users. The study was conducted in Pasawahan sub-district, Purwakarta, Indonesia, from 2017 to 2019. Content analysis, coding, and categorizing were carried out using NVivo 12 Pro for the transcribed data. Wilcoxon Test (2018 and 2019) was conducted using STATA 15 Special Edition. Results. (1) The use of a CHW notebook for data entry in the Posyandu information system book delayed the data reporting process, resulting in the need to develop a mobile app; (2) There are significant differences of CHW’s knowledge (p=0.000) and skills (p=0.0097) on training (2018) and Posyandu phases (2019); (3) As many as 964 posyandu are registered to Posyandu mobile app from almost all provinces in Indonesia. Conclusions. The 3-years hybrid approach suggests the crucial phases to develop a mobile app in a more user-friendly manner to substitute the use of CHW’s old-fashion book use and that its implementation is promising for national use.