Dietary Intake, Psychosocial Wellbeing, Sexual and Reproductive Health
Conditions
Keywords
Dietary intake, SRH, Ethiopia, Psychosocial wellbeing
Brief summary
Background: Female university students in Ethiopia experience a high burden of sexual and reproductive health, nutrition, and psychosocial problems, exacerbated by limited access to essential health services and support. Mobile technology provides an opportunity to deliver accessible, evidence-based health interventions. Objective: To evaluate the effectiveness of a mobile technology-based intervention in improving SRH, nutrition, and psychosocial well-being among female university students in Ethiopia. Methods: A concurrent mixed-methods study will be conducted among first-year female university students. Baseline quantitative and qualitative assessments will identify needs, barriers, and facilitators. A randomized controlled trial will evaluate a comprehensive mobile health education intervention delivered monthly. Quantitative data will be analysed using descriptive and inferential statistics, while qualitative data will undergo thematic analysis. Expected Outcomes: Improved sexual and reproductive health, dietary practices, and psychosocial well-being among female university students. Duration and Budget: The project will be implemented over the proposed study period with a total budget of 1,208,564 Ethiopian birr.
Detailed description
This is a mobile technology based interventional study to improve sexual and reproductive health, nutrition, and psychosocial wellbeing of female university students.
Interventions
BEHAVIORALBehavioural change intervention will be provided through mobile application
Behavioural change intervention will be provided through mobile application to improve sexual and reproductive health, nutrition, psychosocial, and appropriate digital use.The intervention packages or contents of the intervention will be developed based on the survey finding. Content of the intervention will include appropriate digital use, the basics of SRH, adolescent nutrition, psychosocial wellbeing, risk factors, and prevention measures. Nutrition messages will include nutrient requirements, the benefits of a healthy diet, the dietary habits of adolescents, the adverse consequences of junk food consumption, short- and long-term consequences of taking unhealthy diet. Possible solutions to improve dietary intake. A simple message about detailed description of the contents of the intervention will be delivered monthly through mobile technology for three consecutive years. Feedback will be collected from students after delivery of message to make sure whether students read or not.
BEHAVIORALRoutine care
Students in the control group will receive message provided through gender office.
Sponsors
Bahir Dar University
Study design
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Intervention model
PARALLEL
Primary purpose
PREVENTION
Masking
SINGLE (Outcomes Assessor)
Intervention model description
A two-arm parallel cluster randomized controlled trial will be conducted to assess the effect of mobile technology interventions on enhancing sexual and reproductive health, nutrition, and psychosocial Well-being among Female University Students in Ethiopia.
Eligibility
Sex/Gender
FEMALE
Healthy volunteers
Yes
Inclusion criteria
* Regular undergraduate female university student will be included in the study. * First year female students will be included in the study.
Exclusion criteria
• Students who have no mobile phone will be excluded from the study.
Design outcomes
Primary
| Measure | Time frame | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Dietary intake | Baseline assessment will be done from August 1-September 30, 2026 (8 weeks) and endline assessment will be done from April to May 2028 (8 weeks). | Dietary intake will be the primary outcome and will be measured using food frequency questionnaire. Students who have a higher score for healthy foods will be considered as having appropriate dietary practice, otherwise not. |
| Sexual and reproductive health | Baseline assessment will be done from August 1-September 30, 2026 (8 weeks) and endline assessment will be done from April to May2028 (8 weeks) . | Sexual and reproductive health will be the primary outcomes and will be assessed using questionnaires. |
| Psychosocial well-being | Baseline assessment will be done from August 1-September 30, 2026 (8 weeks) and endline assessment will be done from April to May2028(8 weeks) . | Psychosocial well-being will be the primary outcomes of this studyand will be assessed using questionnaires. |
Countries
Ethiopia
Contacts
CONTACTYeshalem M Demilew, PhD
CONTACTElenie A Mengesha, PhD
Outcome results
None listed