Smartphone Apps in Mental Health Support Groups for Pregnant Women in Democratic Republic of Congo: Engagement and Behavioural Changes Detection

Pregnant women in low-resource settings often face mental health challenges without adequate support structures. A mixed-methods approach was employed, including qualitative interviews and quantitative app usage data analysis to assess participant engagement and detect significant behavioural changes. App usage data indicated an average daily active user rate of 75%, with a notable increase in postnatal support group participation (60%) compared to pre-group baseline levels. Smartphone apps can be effective tools for supporting mental health among pregnant women, particularly in terms of increasing engagement and promoting behavioural improvements. Further research should explore the long-term impact and scalability of these interventions across different regions and contexts. Pregnant Women, Mental Health Support Groups, Smartphone Apps, Democratic Republic of Congo Treatment effect was estimated with $\text{logit}(p_i)=\beta_0+\beta^\top X_i$, and uncertainty reported using confidence-interval based inference.