scholarly journals Acceptability and Usability of the Mobile Digital Health App NoObesity for Families and Health Care Professionals: Protocol for a Feasibility Study (Preprint)

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Edward Meinert ◽  
Em Rahman ◽  
Alison Potter ◽  
Wendy Lawrence ◽  
Michelle Van Velthoven
Keyword(s):  
Health Care ◽  
Socioeconomic Status ◽  
Health Education ◽  
Goal Setting ◽  
Feasibility Study ◽  
Health Care Professionals ◽  
Technology Use ◽  
Self Efficacy ◽  
Future Studies ◽  
Study Recruitment

BACKGROUND Almost a quarter or more than a fifth of children in the United Kingdom are overweight or obese by the time they start school. The UK Department of Health and Social Care’s national policy for combating childhood obesity has critical outcomes centered on sugar and caloric consumption reduction. Health Education England has developed two digital apps for families with children up to 15 years and for their associated health care professionals to provide a digital learning resource and tool aimed at encouraging healthy lifestyles to prevent obesity. OBJECTIVE This feasibility study assesses the usability and acceptability of Health Education England’s NoObesity app for undertaking activities to improve families’ diet and physical activity. The purpose of the study is to evaluate the app’s influence on self-efficacy and goal setting and to determine what can be learnt to improve its design for future studies, if there is evidence of adoption and sustainability. METHODS The study population will include 20 to 40 families and their linked health care professionals. Considering issues related to digital access associated with socioeconomic status and the impact on information technology use, study recruitment will be regionally focused in a low socioeconomic status area. The study will last for 9 months (3-month intervention period and 6-month follow-up). The evaluations of feasibility, acceptability, and usability will be conducted using the following scales and theoretical frameworks: (1) system usability scale; (2) Reach Effectiveness Adoption Implementation Maintenance framework; (3) Bandura model of health promotion; and (4) Nonadoption, Abandonment, and Challenges to the Scale-up, Spread, and Suitability framework. App use will be captured and quantitatively analyzed for net use patterns (eg, number of screens viewed, number of logins, cumulative minutes using the app, number of plans made, and number of times goals met) and to triangulate qualitative feedback from study participants. RESULTS This study was funded in March 2019 by Health Education England and received University of Oxford Medical Sciences Interdivisional Research Ethics Committee approval on January 31, 2020 (R62092/RE001). At manuscript submission, study recruitment is pending, and expected results will be published in 2021. CONCLUSIONS This study will provide evidence on the NoObesity app’s influence on self-efficacy and goal-setting and determine what can be learnt to improve its design for future studies, if there is evidence of adoption and sustainability. INTERNATIONAL REGISTERED REPORT PRR1-10.2196/18068

scholarly journals Acceptability and Usability of the Mobile Digital Health App NoObesity for Families and Health Care Professionals: Protocol for a Feasibility Study

10.2196/18068 ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 9 (7) ◽  
pp. e18068
Author(s):  
Edward Meinert ◽  
Em Rahman ◽  
Alison Potter ◽  
Wendy Lawrence ◽  
Michelle Van Velthoven
Keyword(s):  
Health Care ◽  
Socioeconomic Status ◽  
Health Education ◽  
Goal Setting ◽  
Feasibility Study ◽  
Health Care Professionals ◽  
Technology Use ◽  
Self Efficacy ◽  
Future Studies ◽  
Study Recruitment

Background Almost a quarter or more than a fifth of children in the United Kingdom are overweight or obese by the time they start school. The UK Department of Health and Social Care’s national policy for combating childhood obesity has critical outcomes centered on sugar and caloric consumption reduction. Health Education England has developed two digital apps for families with children up to 15 years and for their associated health care professionals to provide a digital learning resource and tool aimed at encouraging healthy lifestyles to prevent obesity. Objective This feasibility study assesses the usability and acceptability of Health Education England’s NoObesity app for undertaking activities to improve families’ diet and physical activity. The purpose of the study is to evaluate the app’s influence on self-efficacy and goal setting and to determine what can be learnt to improve its design for future studies, if there is evidence of adoption and sustainability. Methods The study population will include 20 to 40 families and their linked health care professionals. Considering issues related to digital access associated with socioeconomic status and the impact on information technology use, study recruitment will be regionally focused in a low socioeconomic status area. The study will last for 9 months (3-month intervention period and 6-month follow-up). The evaluations of feasibility, acceptability, and usability will be conducted using the following scales and theoretical frameworks: (1) system usability scale; (2) Reach Effectiveness Adoption Implementation Maintenance framework; (3) Bandura model of health promotion; and (4) Nonadoption, Abandonment, and Challenges to the Scale-up, Spread, and Suitability framework. App use will be captured and quantitatively analyzed for net use patterns (eg, number of screens viewed, number of logins, cumulative minutes using the app, number of plans made, and number of times goals met) and to triangulate qualitative feedback from study participants. Results This study was funded in March 2019 by Health Education England and received University of Oxford Medical Sciences Interdivisional Research Ethics Committee approval on January 31, 2020 (R62092/RE001). At manuscript submission, study recruitment is pending, and expected results will be published in 2021. Conclusions This study will provide evidence on the NoObesity app’s influence on self-efficacy and goal-setting and determine what can be learnt to improve its design for future studies, if there is evidence of adoption and sustainability. International Registered Report Identifier (IRRID) PRR1-10.2196/18068

scholarly journals A New Exclusive Breastfeeding Booklet to Improve Self-Efficacy

2021 ◽  
pp. 870-880
Author(s):  
Suryani Hartati ◽  
Nuraini Hakim
Keyword(s):  
Health Care ◽  
Experimental Design ◽  
Health Education ◽  
Exclusive Breastfeeding ◽  
Health Care Professionals ◽  
Self Efficacy ◽  
Postnatal Period ◽  
Quasi Experimental ◽  
The Mean ◽  
Provide Health Education

Breastfeeding self-efficacy is defined as the mother’s belief in their ability to breastfeed the baby. Health education is important to increase the mother’s confidence. The purpose of this study was to test the effect of an exclusive breastfeeding booklet to increase breastfeeding self-efficacy in prenatal mothers until the postnatal period. This study was conducted using a quasi-experimental design. The results showed that providing a booklet for mothers increased self-efficacy towards exclusive breastfeeding with the mean after intervention was 60.97, p<0.005. Our study suggests health care professionals provide health education and motivate mothers to improve their confidence with regards to breastfeeding for at least six months.   Keywords: Breastfeeding self-efficacy, exclusive breastfeeding, health education

scholarly journals The South Korean Government’s Response to Combat COVID-19 Misinformation: Analysis of “Fact and Issue Check” on the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Website

2021 ◽  
pp. 101053952110147
Author(s):  
Yaena Song ◽  
Linda Ko ◽  
Sou Hyun Jang
Keyword(s):  
Health Care ◽  
Disease Control ◽  
Health Care Professionals ◽  
Government Agencies ◽  
Future Studies ◽  
South Korean ◽  
Control And Prevention ◽  
Social Media Platforms ◽  
Fact Checking ◽  
Centers For Disease Control

This study aimed to examine the types of misinformation spreading in South Korea during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic by exploring the fact-checking posts uploaded on the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC) website. We conducted a content analysis of the posts written on the KCDC website titled, “COVID-19: Fact and Issue Check,” from February to August 2020 (n = 81). Two coders individually coded the posts using a codebook. Discrepancies in coding were discussed to reach reconciliation. Fifteen different Korean government agencies used the KCDC platform to refute various topics of COVID-19 misinformation, including policy (42.0%), how to prevent the spread (16.0%), health care professionals (12.3%), testing (11.1%), prevention (self-care) (9.9%), masks (8.6%), confirmed cases (8.6%), statistics (3.7%), self-quarantine (2.5%), and treatment (1.2%). We found that there are more dissemination and correction of nonmedical areas of COVID-19 misinformation than medical areas in Korea. Future studies need to examine to what extent the corrected COVID-19 misinformation has been disseminated on different social media platforms, beyond the KCDC website.

scholarly journals Pre-performance routines for music students: An experimental pilot study

2020 ◽  
pp. 030573562095362
Author(s):  
Veronika J Tief ◽  
Peter Gröpel
Keyword(s):  
Goal Setting ◽  
Sport Psychology ◽  
Self Efficacy ◽  
Music Performance ◽  
Sport Performance ◽  
The Other ◽  
Performance Evaluations ◽  
Music Students ◽  
Future Studies ◽  
Control Goal

Studies in sport psychology show that using a pre-performance routine (PPR), a set of cognitive and behavioral elements, prior to performing, optimizes sport performance under pressure. We attempt to extend this effect to music performance, employing individually developed PPRs based on the centering technique. The hypothesis is that musicians with a PPR perform better and experience higher self-efficacy under pressure than participants with a control, goal-setting intervention. Thirty violin performance students performed an audition excerpt in a low-pressure pretest and a high-pressure posttest. Pressure was induced by the presence of an audience and a jury. Half of the students practiced their individualized PPRs during a 5-week period between performances, whereas the other half applied a goal-setting intervention to their practice. Participants’ music performance was measured by five expert jurors and self-evaluations. The results showed that both intervention techniques were perceived as equally helpful by the participants, but this did not translate into jurors’ performance evaluations. There were no significant differences between the PPR and goal-setting groups in music performance, but the PPR group had higher self-efficacy in the posttest than the goal-setting group. Future studies should include a third group without any intervention.

scholarly journals Preoperative behavioural intervention to reduce drinking before elective orthopaedic surgery: the PRE-OP BIRDS feasibility RCT

2020 ◽  
Vol 24 (12) ◽  
pp. 1-176
Author(s):  
Christopher Snowden ◽  
Ellen Lynch ◽  
Leah Avery ◽  
Catherine Haighton ◽  
Denise Howel ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Health Care ◽  
Alcohol Consumption ◽  
Focus Groups ◽  
Feasibility Study ◽  
Health Care Professionals ◽  
Pilot Trial ◽  
Preoperative Assessment ◽  
Behavioural Intervention ◽  
Treatment As Usual ◽  
Definitive Trial

Background Heavy alcohol consumption is associated with an increased risk of postoperative complications and extended hospital stay. Alcohol consumption therefore represents a modifiable risk factor for surgical outcomes. Brief behavioural interventions have been shown to be effective in reducing alcohol consumption among increased risk and risky drinkers in other health-care settings and may offer a method of addressing preoperative alcohol consumption. Objectives To investigate the feasibility of introducing a screening process to assess adult preoperative drinking levels and to deliver a brief behavioural intervention adapted for the target population group. To conduct a two-arm (brief behavioural intervention plus standard preoperative care vs. standard preoperative care alone), multicentre, pilot randomised controlled trial to assess the feasibility of proceeding to a definitive trial. To conduct focus groups and a national web-based survey to establish current treatment as usual for alcohol screening and intervention in preoperative assessment. Design A single-centre, qualitative, feasibility study was followed by a multicentre, two-arm (brief behavioural intervention vs. treatment as usual), individually randomised controlled pilot trial with an embedded qualitative process evaluation. Focus groups and a quantitative survey were employed to characterise treatment as usual in preoperative assessment. Setting The feasibility study took place at a secondary care hospital in the north-east of England. The pilot trial was conducted at three large secondary care centres in the north-east of England. Participants Nine health-care professionals and 15 patients (mean age 70.5 years, 86.7% male) participated in the feasibility study. Eleven health-care professionals and 68 patients (mean age 66.2 years, 80.9% male) participated in the pilot randomised trial. An additional 19 health-care professionals were recruited to one of three focus groups, while 62 completed an electronic survey to characterise treatment as usual. Interventions The brief behavioural intervention comprised two sessions. The first session, delivered face to face in the preoperative assessment clinic, involved 5 minutes of structured brief advice followed by 15–20 minutes of behaviour change counselling, including goal-setting, problem-solving and identifying sources of social support. The second session, an optional booster, took place approximately 1 week before surgery and offered the opportunity to assess progress and boost self-efficacy. Main outcome measures Feasibility was assessed using rates of eligibility, recruitment and retention. The progression criteria for a definitive trial were recruitment of ≥ 40% of eligible patients and retention of ≥ 70% at 6-month follow-up. Acceptability was assessed using themes identified in qualitative data. Results The initial recruitment of eligible patients was low but improved with the optimisation of recruitment processes. The recruitment of eligible participants to the pilot trial (34%) fell short of the progression criteria but was mitigated by very high retention (96%) at the 6-month follow-up. Multimethod analyses identified the methods as acceptable to the patients and professionals involved and offers recommendations of ways to further improve recruitment. Conclusions The evidence supports the feasibility of a definitive trial to assess the effectiveness of brief behavioural intervention in reducing preoperative alcohol consumption and for secondary outcomes of surgical complications if recommendations for further improvements are adopted. Trial registration Current Controlled Trials ISRCTN36257982. Funding This project was funded by the National Institute for Health Research Health Technology Assessment programme and will be published in full in Health Technology Assessment; Vol. 24, No. 12. See the National Institute for Health Research Journals Library website for further project information.

scholarly journals The Views and Needs of People With Parkinson Disease Regarding Wearable Devices for Disease Monitoring: Mixed Methods Exploration (Preprint)

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lorna Kenny ◽  
Kevin Moore ◽  
Clíona O' Riordan ◽  
Siobhan Fox ◽  
John Barton ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Health Care ◽  
Focus Group ◽  
Parkinson Disease ◽  
Focus Groups ◽  
Health Care Professionals ◽  
Technology Use ◽  
Wearable Devices ◽  
Wearable Device ◽  
Disease Monitoring ◽  
Perceived Benefits

BACKGROUND Wearable devices can diagnose, monitor, and manage neurological disorders such as Parkinson disease. With a growing number of wearable devices, it is no longer a case of whether a wearable device can measure Parkinson disease motor symptoms, but rather which features suit the user. Concurrent with continued device development, it is important to generate insights on the nuanced needs of the user in the modern era of wearable device capabilities. OBJECTIVE This study aims to understand the views and needs of people with Parkinson disease regarding wearable devices for disease monitoring and management. METHODS This study used a mixed method parallel design, wherein survey and focus groups were concurrently conducted with people living with Parkinson disease in Munster, Ireland. Surveys and focus group schedules were developed with input from people with Parkinson disease. The survey included questions about technology use, wearable device knowledge, and Likert items about potential device features and capabilities. The focus group participants were purposively sampled for variation in age (all were aged &gt;50 years) and sex. The discussions concerned user priorities, perceived benefits of wearable devices, and preferred features. Simple descriptive statistics represented the survey data. The focus groups analyzed common themes using a qualitative thematic approach. The survey and focus group analyses occurred separately, and results were evaluated using a narrative approach. RESULTS Overall, 32 surveys were completed by individuals with Parkinson disease. Four semistructured focus groups were held with 24 people with Parkinson disease. Overall, the participants were positive about wearable devices and their perceived benefits in the management of symptoms, especially those of motor dexterity. Wearable devices should demonstrate clinical usefulness and be user-friendly and comfortable. Participants tended to see wearable devices mainly in providing data for health care professionals rather than providing feedback for themselves, although this was also important. Barriers to use included poor hand function, average technology confidence, and potential costs. It was felt that wearable device design that considered the user would ensure better compliance and adoption. CONCLUSIONS Wearable devices that allow remote monitoring and assessment could improve health care access for patients living remotely or are unable to travel. COVID-19 has increased the use of remotely delivered health care; therefore, future integration of technology with health care will be crucial. Wearable device designers should be aware of the variability in Parkinson disease symptoms and the unique needs of users. Special consideration should be given to Parkinson disease–related health barriers and the users’ confidence with technology. In this context, a user-centered design approach that includes people with Parkinson disease in the design of technology will likely be rewarded with improved user engagement and the adoption of and compliance with wearable devices, potentially leading to more accurate disease management, including self-management.

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