Culturally Adaptive Digital Maternal Monitoring In Asean: A Collaborative Qualitative Exploration

Abstract

Maternal mortality remains a major public health challenge in ASEAN countries, particularly in developing countries where disparities in maternal healthcare quality and access still exist. Digital maternal monitoring, including the implementation of digital partographs, has emerged as an important strategy to improve maternal safety, clinical documentation, and decision-making during labor. However, the implementation of digital health systems in maternal care still faces several challenges, including low digital literacy, limited infrastructure, and lack of cultural adaptation. This study aimed to explore perceptions, readiness, acceptability, and cultural factors related to the implementation of digital partographs among healthcare students and maternal healthcare stakeholders in Indonesia and Malaysia. This study used a collaborative qualitative exploratory design involving Universitas Galuh Indonesia and MAHSA University Malaysia. Data were collected through in-depth interviews, Focus Group Discussions (FGD), and preliminary questionnaires involving Diploma in Nursing students from MAHSA University. The findings showed that most participants had positive perceptions toward digital partographs and demonstrated strong readiness for digital health implementation. Participants believed that digital partographs could improve documentation efficiency, support clinical decision-making, and enhance maternal monitoring. However, cultural factors, family involvement, communication approaches, and local values remained important determinants influencing technology acceptance. The study highlights the importance of integrating cultural adaptation into digital maternal monitoring systems. The development of a culturally adaptive enhancement model for digital partographs has the potential to improve usability, acceptability, and sustainability of maternal healthcare technology in ASEAN countries.