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СпутникиРНSpaceXРоскосмосNASABackground The increasing availability of online health information has transformed how pregnant women seek and interpret pregnancy-related advice. While internet resources may enhance knowledge and engagement in care, concerns remain regarding the accuracy and reliability of such information. Methods A qualitative descriptive study was conducted using semi-structured interviews with obstetricians, midwives, and nurses involved in maternity care. Participants were purposively selected. Interviews were audio-recorded, transcribed verbatim, and analyzed using thematic analysis. Results Four themes emerged: misinformation from online sources, perceived non-compliance with professional advice, self-diagnosis and self-management behaviors among pregnant women, and increased time and resource demands on health care providers. Conclusion Online health information can empower pregnant women but may also complicate patient–provider communication. Promoting digital health literacy and guiding women toward reliable online resources may improve maternity care interactions.
Research Article
[version 1; peer review: awaiting peer review]
Frincy Francis1, Sheeba Elizabeth2, Arcalyd Rose Ramos3, [...] Vidya Seshan
https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4733-5302
4, Raya Abdullah Al Zahli5, Rajeswari S6, Sawsan Abuhammad7, Ream Langhehttps://orcid.org/0000-0002-7407-4294
8Frincy Francis1, Sheeba Elizabeth2, [...] Arcalyd Rose Ramos3, Vidya Seshan
https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4733-5302
4, Raya Abdullah Al Zahli5, Rajeswari S6, Sawsan Abuhammad7, Ream Langhehttps://orcid.org/0000-0002-7407-4294
81 Maternal and Child Health, Sultan Qaboos University College of Nursing, Muscat, Muscat Governorate, Oman
2 Maternal and Child Health, Sultan Qaboos University College of Nursing, Muscat, Muscat Governorate, Oman
3 Fundamentals and Administration Department, Sultan Qaboos University College of Nursing, Muscat, Muscat Governorate, Oman
4 Nursing, University of Sharjah College of Health Sciences, Sharjah, Sharjah, United Arab Emirates
5 Medical OPD, Sultan Qaboos University Hospital, Seeb, Muscat Governorate, Oman
6 College of Nursing, Sri Ramachandra Institute of Higher Education and Research (Deemed to be University), Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India
7 Nursing, University of Sharjah College of Health Sciences, Sharjah, Sharjah, United Arab Emirates
8 University of Sharjah College of Medicine, Sharjah, Sharjah, United Arab Emirates
Frincy Francis
Roles: Conceptualization, Data Curation, Methodology, Project Administration, Writing – Original Draft Preparation
Sheeba Elizabeth
Roles: Formal Analysis, Methodology, Writing – Review & Editing
Arcalyd Rose Ramos
Roles: Formal Analysis, Project Administration, Writing – Review & Editing
Vidya Seshan
Roles: Conceptualization, Data Curation, Project Administration, Writing – Original Draft Preparation, Writing – Review & Editing
Raya Abdullah Al Zahli
Roles: Data Curation, Writing – Review & Editing
Rajeswari S
Roles: Data Curation, Resources, Writing – Review & Editing
Sawsan Abuhammad
Roles: Data Curation, Formal Analysis, Writing – Review & Editing
Ream Langhe
Roles: Resources, Writing – Review & Editing
OPEN PEER REVIEW
REVIEWER STATUS AWAITING PEER REVIEW
Corresponding author: Vidya Seshan Competing interests: No competing interests were disclosed.
Grant information: This study was funded by the Dean’s Fund (SQU/CON/DF.02/2017) by the College of Nursing, Sultan Qaboos University. The content in the article is the author's responsibility and doesn’t reflect the view of the funding institution.
The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.
Copyright: © 2026 Francis F et al. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited. How to cite: Francis F, Elizabeth S, Ramos AR et al. Heath Care Providers’ Perspectives on Pregnant Women’s use of Internet Based Health Information: A Qualitative Study [version 1; peer review: awaiting peer review]. F1000Research 2026, 15:1273 (https://doi.org/10.12688/f1000research.184756.1) First published: 01 Aug 2026, 15:1273 (https://doi.org/10.12688/f1000research.184756.1) Latest published: 01 Aug 2026, 15:1273 (https://doi.org/10.12688/f1000research.184756.1)
Healthcare professionals view the increasing use of online platforms by pregnant women as significant in their maternal health knowledge acquisition. Pregnant women frequently use digital resources, including apps, social media, and web communities, to gather pregnancy information and support.1 These platforms provide accessibility and anonymity for seeking advice. However, healthcare providers note challenges from women’s overreliance on online resources, leading to misinformation and inappropriate self-management decisions that may risk maternal and fetal health.2 Reliance on online health information can interfere with clinical recommendation adherence and prompt decisions based on incomplete knowledge.1–2 Pregnant women report feeling overwhelmed by conflicting digital media information, while healthcare professionals struggle with limited consultation time to address these concerns.3 This is especially problematic in high-risk situations like opioid misuse during pregnancy, where women may attempt unsupervised dosage reduction, increasing maternal and fetal risks.4
Despite acknowledgement of the pivotal role healthcare professionals play in guiding pregnant women through digital health information landscapes, there remains a research gap concerning the specific perceptions and experiences of these professionals regarding the use and impact of online platforms by pregnant women. Existing literature primarily focuses on the pregnant women’s perspectives or the technological tools themselves, with limited qualitative inquiry into how health professionals perceive, respond to, and manage the challenges posed by patients’ digital information-seeking behaviors.1–2 Understanding these professional perspectives is crucial in designing effective interventions to support both pregnant women and healthcare providers in navigating digital health information safely and effectively.
Healthcare providers face challenges like time constraints and insufficient training to address patients’ digital health information use, hindering their ability to provide counseling and correct misinformation.3,5 While healthcare professionals play a key role in guiding pregnant women through digital information, research gaps exist regarding their perceptions of patients’ online platform use. Studies mainly focus on pregnant women’s perspectives, not how health professionals handle challenges from patients’ digital information-seeking.1–2 Understanding these professional perspectives is essential for developing interventions to support both parties and improve patient-provider communication.3,5
Pregnant women in the Arab region, including Oman, are increasingly using online platforms and social media to seek health-related information, reflecting global trends in digital health information-seeking behaviors. Studies indicate substantial use of social media among young women of reproductive age in Arab countries for pregnancy-related knowledge and preconception planning, with platforms like Facebook being commonly used.6 In Oman specifically, there has been a notable shift towards online engagement, not only in health-related matters but also broadly in education and social communication, especially accelerated by the COVID-19 pandemic which necessitated greater reliance on digital tools such as webinars and virtual learning platforms.7
Further, surveys in the Middle East and North Africa region, which includes Oman, reveal that a significant proportion of individuals spend extensive time on social media platforms daily, with the pandemic heightening this usage.8 This increased online activity among pregnant women may extend to seeking information about pregnancy health, nutrition, and lifestyle modifications during pregnancy. While direct studies on Oman’s pregnant population’s online health information usage are limited, the broader regional data suggest that such usage is considerable and growing yet accompanied by challenges related to the quality and reliability of information accessible through these channels.6
Thus, while the Arab region including Oman experience increased digital engagement among pregnant women for health knowledge acquisition, there remains a need for research focused explicitly on how these online activities influence maternal health behaviors and outcomes within the local sociocultural context. This research gap is significant considering the unique language, cultural, and health system variations that may affect information dissemination and pregnancy care in these settings.
This study aimed to understand the perspectives of health care professionals about the usage of online sources by pregnant women for maternity-related information and how did it impact their clinical responsibilities and patient interactions. This study will provide an insight into how the use of online resources has impacted pregnancy-related care and what are the challenges healthcare professionals face.
This research employed a descriptive qualitative design, a common method for deeply exploring and describing phenomena or experiences, often from the viewpoint of those who have directly encountered them.9 This design is especially effective for gaining insights into intricate health-related matters, such as experiences during pregnancy or behaviours related to seeking health information. It enables researchers to delve into complex subjects, frequently emphasizing diversity, equity, and social justice.10 The study involved conducting individual in-depth interviews with healthcare workers, including doctors, nurses, and midwives, who are involved in maternity care. The data collection was from January 2020 to June 2020 for a six month period. The researchers strategically gathered data from a specifically selected group of healthcare professionals who provide direct care and health promotion services to pregnant women, ensuring the sources were rich in information. Through these in-depth interviews, participants were able to express their experiences and perspectives in their own words. Additionally, one-on-one interviews were deemed more practical, as doctors and nurses often had demanding schedules that made it difficult to convene for a group discussion. The interview was conducted in English Language.
The inclusion criteria for healthcare professionals (doctors, nurses, and midwives) to participate in this qualitative study were: Currently employed as a doctor, nurse, or midwife in the study setting; Minimum of 2 years’ experience working directly with pregnant women and provides prenatal care, education, or counseling; willing to participate in a 45–60 minute in-depth interview; The exclusion criteria were Interns or Trainees working in the study setting, healthcare professionals with less than two years of experience,those who are not directly involved with pregnancy care, those on leave during data collection period.
The study population consisted of healthcare providers, specifically doctors, nurses, and midwives, who are actively involved in providing care to pregnant women.
The study employed purposive sampling to select participants capable of engaging in informative discussions about how online usage for pregnancy-related information influence clinical decision-making. This method allowed the researchers to identify healthcare providers who could offer valuable insights into internet use among expectant mothers. A total of twenty (20) health care providers took part in the research and were available for interviews. The number of participants was determined by reaching data saturation, which occurs when additional interviews yield no new information.11 In-depth interviews were concluded once this point was reached.
The study setting was the maternity care related units in a public university affiliated hospital at Oman. Maternity Care units were the antenatal outpatient department and labour unit.
The College of Nursing “Research and Ethics Committee” (SQU/CON/DF.02/2017) first approved the study followed by the Medical Research and Ethics Committee at the University Hospital of Sultan Qaboos University. Permission to collect data was also obtained from the Hospital Administration. Participants who agreed to take part then signed an written informed consent form, acknowledging their voluntary involvement in the in-depth interview.
Throughout the interview process and data analysis, participants’ identities were protected, and their information was kept confidential. To enhance privacy, each participant was assigned a specific code number, which was used during data analysis and reporting. To further safeguard research data and participant anonymity, all study-related materials were securely stored, both physically (under lock and key) and digitally (password-protected), with access restricted to the research team.
The study involved a total of 20 participants, each of whom agreed to undergo an individual in-depth interview. The in-depth interviews were conducted after the consultation hours for the doctors and after the day shift for the nurses and midwives. Participants were approached face to face to provide information about the nature and purpose of the study. Participants who consented and agreed to a meeting time were interviewed in a private space in their respective clinical units to avoid interruptions. The duration of the interviews ranged from 45 to 60 minutes. The principal investigator was the interviewer who was a female, Master prepared nurse academician specialized in Maternal Health Nursing. To encourage information flow, when necessary, the researcher used prompts to elicit responses to unanswered questions, in addition to the prepared interview guide questions. Following best practices, another researcher took extensive field notes while all interviews were audio-recorded. The interviews continued with participants until data saturation was achieved, no participant dropped out from the study.
The interview guide was developed through an evidence-informed process. The research team reviewed literature on healthcare professionals’ perceptions and pregnant women’s use of online health information to identify key domains. Questions were generated to capture participants’ experiences and perceptions related to the usage of online resources for maternal health information by pregnant women. The guide was refined through consultation with subject matter experts who were also qualitative researchers to ensure validity. After incorporating their inputs, the interview guide was finalized. The final guide remained flexible, allowing the interviewer to probe emerging ideas while maintaining consistency across interviews.
Rigor was established by ensuring credibility, dependability, confirmability and transferability of the data.
To ensure no information was lost, this study audio recorded participants’ interview. The researchers transcribed the audio recordings word-for-word, supplemented by interview notes, to guarantee result accuracy. Additionally, transcripts of two participants were provided back to them to clarify information transcribed.
To achieve dependable research findings, the researcher ensured clear documentation of the research process, making it traceable and logical. The researcher also provided a transparent description of the research steps, procedures, and process as outlined in the Consolidated Criteria for Reporting Qualitative Research Checklist (COREQ) from the project’s inception to the reporting of findings.12
The researcher established confirmability by maintaining a detailed audit trail, noting the analytical decisions made, the steps of coding, and the development of themes.
The researchers have provided comprehensive details about the study context, including information on the settings, participants, sampling method, and data collection and analysis procedures. To enhance the transferability of results, the researcher incorporated direct quotes from various participants.
The principal investigator combined verbatim transcriptions with extensive field notes to create the final dataset, which was then manually examined. The researchers employed a trustworthy thematic analysis approach, beginning with data familiarization.13 This involved multiple readings of the transcription to gain a comprehensive understanding, coding, categorizing the data into meaningful segments based on emergent codes.14 Subsequently, four researchers identified patterns and relationships within the coded information, generating sub-themes that corresponded to the four main themes.
The use of memos for clarification and interpretation throughout the analysis can enhance the consistency and depth of the final research output.14 Subsequently, the research team jointly conducted discussions about these identified themes until they reached an agreement. Four main themes were identified, encompassing ten subthemes in total. The Misinformation theme comprised three subthemes: “Anxiety and Stress,” “Trust Issues,” and “Overreliance on Internet sources.” Non-compliance included two subthemes: “Nonadherence to treatment plans” and “non-Adherence to lifestyle changes.” Self-Diagnosis and Treatment consisted of “Self-Treatment” and “Self-Decision making.” The final theme, Time and Resource Constraints , incorporated “Need for additional consultation time,” “Lack of health Education Units,” and “Lack of time for Nurses.” ( Table 1).
The study involved 20 female healthcare professionals (HCP) from the maternity-related unit, each with minimum two years of experience. The participant included 40% doctors (n = 8), 30% antenatal unit nurses (n = 6), and 30% midwives (n = 6).
Pregnant women frequently turn to the Internet for health information, with studies showing that over 90% of pregnant women use digital sources to supplement their maternal healthcare.15 While the Internet provides easy access to a wealth of information, it also exposes pregnant women to potential misinformation that can affect their health decisions and cause unnecessary anxiety.
The first theme related to Misinformation reports about the “Anxiety and Stress” caused by the overwhelming and inaccurate information caused due to materials read from unreliable sources as vividly described by the health care professionals as:
"Often met pregnant women, especially first time being over panicked and concerned about normal physiological changes that occur during pregnancy, and reconfirming information that they have browsed through online " (HCP 3)
"A pregnant woman walked in for an urgent consultation and seemed very upset and said that she thinks her baby is no more as she couldn’t perceive any movements, but the baby was actually fine, when asked she said she read from internet that if no movements felt it could be so" (HCP 17)
Some pregnant women may distrust medical professionals due to conflicting information they encounter online, making it difficult for doctors to build a trusting relationship and provide optimal care.
In a similar way healthcare professionals mentioned that often they felt the patients trusted the information they read as described
"I had to convince a pregnant woman who was anemic about the need for additional iron supplements while she insisted that it will affect her baby and felt no need to take it as she read it in google. That is when I felt had google replaced me?" (HCP 8)
"Internet usage may be good, but it can mislead the pregnant woman as they don’t know each and every detail and end up having a problem in understanding the doctor’s advice because they already have a preconceived information from another source" (HCP 13)
Although the participants felt that browsing through resources from the Internet may be good, everyone believed that the source of information should be reliable websites or organizations. One of them recollected how a patient verbalized reliance on the Internet mostly for everything related to pregnancy.
"I had an interesting conversation with a young mother who said that she kept looking at everything needed to know about her pregnancy online which she felt is too convenient to use" (HCP 7)
The second theme related to Noncompliance reported two sub themes where noncompliance was seen to certain medications and recommended lifestyle changes. Pregnant women might follow online advice that contradicts their doctor’s recommendations, leading to non-compliance with prescribed treatments or lifestyle changes. This can negatively impact both maternal and fetal health as reported in the verbatims below.
"Twice I had pregnant women who stopped their medications for epilepsy when they got pregnantWithout consulting me and on asking for the reason, they said that they read from internet that it is harmful for their baby. (HCP 11)
"I had to treat a pregnant woman who came with uncontrolled diabetes as she did not take the prescribed dose of medicine fearing harm to baby when she read about side effects" (HCP 19)
Lifestyle changes are usually recommended in pregnancy if associated with comorbidities like obesity, gestational diabetes and pregnancy induced hypertension but often women ignore them as stated by another health care professional.
"Sometimes advices for exercises are not taken seriously as pregnant women are seen often quoting sources from net that exercising is as harmful during pregnancy may cause bleeding or abortion” (HCP 4)
Expectant women may encounter inaccurate or misleading information via online sources, potentially resulting in erroneous self-diagnoses and inappropriate courses of action.
The third theme focused on the sub theme on self-diagnosis as reported in the following statement
"A primigravida woman landed up in the emergency department with labor pains and fetal compromise as she tried herbal products for natural induction of labor after reading it online" (HCP 1)
"They start treating themselves, understanding only half of the information and stop the medications fearing anomalies in baby" (HCP 4)
Similarly, another participant mentioned
"One of my patients was advised Induction of labor, but she did not turn up on the date given to undergo the induction and the worst fear happened … .due to the delay in timely intervention. Reading the internet misled her to self-decision making" (HCP 1)
Accessing internet sources alone for maternal related information especially if a high-risk pregnancy is not advisable.
Addressing patients’ concerns about information they found online takes additional time during consultations, which can be challenging for doctors and nurses with busy schedules. The fourth theme focused on Time Constraints and its subthemes. Doctors raised concern about the need for increased consultation time to address the patients’ doubts and clarifications apart from the routine advice. One of them verbalized, “ They ask too many queries, sometimes not satisfied with our explanations which exceed our consultation time” (HCP 15).
Health care professionals are vested with the responsibility of health education and awareness, one health care professional mentioned “A dedicated health educator available in the unit to consult the patient’s literacy needs will save time” (HCP 9) and another mentioned “There is a lack of health education unit exclusively for pregnancy needs”. (HCP 16).
Healthcare professionals identified three subthemes regarding misinformation encountered by pregnant women online: “Anxiety and Stress,” “Trust Issues,” and “Overreliance on Internet Sources.” These are aligned with digital literacy theories emphasizing credibility assessment and emotional response management. False pregnancy information increases anxiety among pregnant women, with heightened stress associated with reduced gestational periods and preterm birth risk.16 Anxiety peaks during late pregnancy and postpartum, where misinformation can predict postpartum depression.17 While most women trust midwives, they frequently use less reliable digital sources.18 This reliance on unverified information complicates prenatal care delivery, particularly regarding nutrition advice.3 Non-compliance with medical advice emerged as another theme, including “Nonadherence to Treatment Plans” and “Non-Adherence to Lifestyle Changes.” Women exposed to online misinformation often become non-compliant with treatment. For instance, pregnant women with opioid misuse who self-manage based on online information face relapses and avoid professional treatment.4 Social media misinformation leads patients to resist evidence-based treatments.19 Low health literacy and insufficient guidance make it difficult for providers to correct false beliefs.20 These findings emphasize the need for interventions to improve communication and digital literacy for treatment compliance.
The theme of Self-Diagnosis and Treatment, which includes “Self-Treatment” and “Self-Decision Making,” underscores the risks associated with autonomous health decisions based on unverified online content. Pregnant women frequently engage in self-diagnosis influenced by online information, leading to mismanagement of their health. For instance, many pregnant women with opioid use disorders rely on online health communities for information and attempt self-managed dosage reduction instead of seeking professional treatment. This self-diagnosis and management are susceptible to misinformation, resulting in repeated relapses and risky behaviors, such as extreme measures to avoid drug testing during labor.4 Furthermore, despite the availability of pregnancy apps and digital resources, many lack comprehensive, evidence-based content, which can contribute to inaccurate self-assessments.21 The challenge is exacerbated by patients’ difficulty in appraising complex and often false online health information, which can lead to anxiety, confusion, and inappropriate health behaviors.20 These insights highlight the urgent need to enhance pregnant women’s digital health literacy and provide continuous, evidence-based professional support to mitigate the risks associated with misguided self-diagnosis based on online information. Additionally, the theme of Time and Resource Constraints, encompassing “Need for Additional Consultation Time,” “Lack of Health Education Units,” and “Lack of Time for Nurses,” reflect systemic barriers that impede effective communication and education during antenatal care. The lack of time among healthcare professionals significantly contributes to pregnant women increasingly relying on the internet for information during pregnancy. Studies indicate that healthcare providers, including midwives and obstetricians, face time pressure and complex topics, such as nutrition in pregnancy, which constrain their ability to provide comprehensive guidance during consultations.3 Consequently, many pregnant women perceive the available professional guidance as insufficient, prompting them to seek supplemental information online. For example, over 50% of pregnant women use pregnancy-related mobile apps, often turning to Google and other digital platforms to fill gaps left by brief consultations.21 This reliance on internet resources is compounded by limited time for personalized education and counseling, leading women to navigate an overwhelming amount of web-based information, which can sometimes result in misinformation or confusion. Addressing this issue necessitates improving the quality and accessibility of healthcare professional guidance to reduce pregnant women’s reliance on potentially unreliable online sources.
Health Education units in hospitals support pregnant women by providing timely, accurate information that enhances maternal and fetal health outcomes. Studies show that despite awareness of nutrition and healthy behaviors during pregnancy, many women exhibit knowledge gaps and barriers to healthy habits due to inadequate educational interventions.22 Health Education units provide structured learning on nutrition, exercise, breastfeeding, and mental health, enabling informed decisions.3,23 Tailored diabetes education during pregnancy improves maternal and neonatal outcomes by reducing excessive weight gain, insulin therapy needs, and adverse birth weights.24 Educational approaches like the teaching method increase maternal health literacy and reduce complications.25 Given limited consultation time, Health Education units deliver consistent information that counters misinformation from internet and social media sources.3 Integrating these units is vital for improving pregnancy outcomes and fostering confidence among expectant mothers. The study’s findings highlight the relationship between digital literacy and pregnant women’s experiences with online health information. Enhanced digital literacy through healthcare communication, digital tools, and supportive environments is essential to promote adherence and safeguard maternal health.
The limitation of the study is attributed to the single center where findings are limited to only one institution which might restrict generalizability across the views of healthcare professional across Oman. Also, the relatively smaller pool of participants with doctors forming the majority also constrains the diversity of perspectives. Institutional policies, resources and the culture which are unique to the study setting may have influenced the participant responses.
The study findings highlight two key implications: the need for dedicated health educator staff and increased consultation time challenges due to patient volume. To address these, integrating digital health literacy interventions into antenatal care is recommended. Nurses designated as health educators can incorporate digital literacy modules within antenatal classes, empowering pregnant women to effectively use digital health resources alongside traditional education. Digital platforms like mobile apps can provide continuous support outside clinic hours, addressing consultation time constraints. This integration would promote informed decision-making and improve health outcomes in busy outpatient settings.
The findings of the study highlight the substantial impact of online information on the emotional well-being, treatment adherence, and health behaviours of pregnant women, thereby underscoring challenges in the delivery of prenatal care. Anxiety, stress, and trust issues stemming from unreliable digital sources contribute to non-compliance and risky self-diagnosis, which are further exacerbated by limited consultation time and inadequate exclusive health education support. The integration of Health Education units and targeted interventions to enhance digital health literacy is essential to counteract misinformation, improve communication, and promote adherence to evidence-based care. Strengthening these support systems will not only mitigate the risks associated with misinformation but also empower pregnant women to make informed decisions, ultimately safeguarding maternal and fetal health outcomes.
This study received ethical clearance from the Institutional Review Board at the College of Nursing (SQU/CON/DF.02/2017), Sultan Qaboos University and the Medical Research and Ethics Committee. Participants gave their consent by signing an Informed Consent Form provided to them.
Not Applicable.
Ethical Approval was obtained from the College Research and Ethics Committee of Sultan Qaboos University (SQU/CON/DF.02/2017). All participants signed the informed consent.
Also, the study used artificial intelligence Grammarly for proof reading and language correction.
Participant data contains sensitive personal information, and sharing such data publicly could compromise confidentiality and anonymity. The Institutional Review Board (IRB) has mandated that data sharing is permissible only under specific conditions that ensure participant privacy and align with ethical guidelines. Access to the data may be granted to qualified researchers for legitimate academic purposes upon request. All necessary information required for a reader or reviewer to apply for access to the data and the conditions under which access will be granted. Requests for access must be submitted in writing to the corresponding author, Dr. Vidya Seshan, [email protected].
Participant data contains sensitive personal information, and sharing such data publicly could compromise confidentiality and anonymity. The Institutional Review Board (IRB) has mandated that data sharing is permissible only under specific conditions that ensure participant privacy and align with ethical guidelines. Access to the data may be granted to qualified researchers for legitimate academic purposes upon request. All necessary information required for a reader or reviewer to apply for access to the data and the conditions under which access will be granted. Requests for access must be submitted in writing to the corresponding author, Dr. Vidya Seshan, [email protected].
The authors would like to acknowledge the healthcare professionals who consented to participate in this study despite having a busy schedule.
This study was funded by the Dean’s Fund (SQU/CON/DF.02/2017) by the College of Nursing, Sultan Qaboos University. The content in the article is the author's responsibility and doesn’t reflect the view of the funding institution.
The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.
© 2026 Francis F et al. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
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