User Perception Towards mHealth Technologies for Health and Well-being Monitoring in Pregnancy Care: Qualitative Study (Preprint)

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jane Li ◽  
David Silvera-Tawil ◽  
Marlien Varnfield ◽  
M Sazzad Hussain ◽  
Vanitha Math

BACKGROUND Mobile Health (mHealth) technologies, such as wearable devices and mobile applications have become popular for lifestyle and healthcare support. They have the potential to be beneficial for pregnancy monitoring, in the form of health and well-being tools to facilitate the tracking of health status changes, risks and complications of pregnant women. However, research on understanding clinicians’ and pregnant women’s interests, preferences and requirements for mHealth solutions tailored to pregnancy care is limited. OBJECTIVE This qualitative study aimed to understand clinicians’ and pregnant women’s perceptions on the potential use of mHealth to support the monitoring of health and well-being during pregnancy. METHODS Semi-structured interviews were conducted with four pregnant women, four postnatal women, and thirteen clinicians working in perinatal care. RESULTS Clinicians perceived the potential benefit of mHealth in supporting different levels of health and wellbeing monitoring, risk assessment and care provision in pregnancy care. The majority of women participants were open to the use of wearables and health monitoring devices and were more likely to use these technologies if they knew that clinicians can monitor the data. While some pregnancy-related medical conditions can be suitable for an mHealth model of remote monitoring, there are clinical and technical challenges for introducing mHealth in pregnancy care. Incorporating appropriate health and well-being measures, intelligent detection of abnormalities and tailored information for pregnant women were considered critical. Usability and data privacy were among the concerns of participants. The challenges of getting pregnant women engaged in longitudinal mHealth monitoring, the extra work required for clinicians in monitoring data, and the need for an evidence-based technical solution were highlighted. CONCLUSIONS mHealth technologies, such as wearable sensors, smart health devices and mobile applications capable of supporting the pregnancy journey are emerging. Clinical, technical and practical factors associated with the use of mHealth technologies to monitor health and well-being, as well as strategies for motivating pregnant women and clinicians’ in the use of the technologies need to be carefully considered before the introduction of mHealth pregnancy care routine and practices.

2020 ◽  
Vol 39 (2) ◽  
pp. 177-206 ◽  
Author(s):  
Katrine Syppli Kohl

Abstract This qualitative study combined the approaches of Foucault and Goffman to investigate the consequences of a “roll-out” neoliberal “activation” programme on Denmark’s reception of asylum-seekers. The analysis found that the activation programme is an ambiguous technology of power intended to shape asylum-seekers into productive citizens by simultaneously disciplining them and improving their health and well-being, while using their labour to reduce costs. The strategic interactions in the job centre reflected the ambiguities created by these oft-incongruent aims, and activation caused conflicts as it amplified activities experienced as meaningless and humiliating. I argue that these consequences stem from the ambiguity, uncertainty, and trouble produced at the intersection of competing projects of rule in a “sensitive space”, and that the individualisation of responsibility for their own marginalisation, simultaneously serve to exclude asylum-seekers and to confine them to categories that license continued institutional discipline. Thereby, the intervention feeds cyclical process of failed integration and ill-fated interventions. Indeed, by individualising the responsibility for integration, such interventions depoliticise the marginalisation of citizens of immigrant decent and legitimise efforts to reduce immigration by fuelling problematisations of immigrants as expensive, deviant, and less employable.


BMJ Open ◽  
2015 ◽  
Vol 5 (8) ◽  
pp. e007938 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rachael Hinton ◽  
David J Kavanagh ◽  
Lesley Barclay ◽  
Richard Chenhall ◽  
Tricia Nagel

2021 ◽  
Vol 101 (6) ◽  
pp. 652-674
Author(s):  
Liat Tayer ◽  
Tomer Einat ◽  
Anat Yaron Antar

This qualitative study analyzes the effects of solitary confinement on prisoners and the strategies used by them to cope with its difficulties. The findings indicate that solitary confinement is perceived as unfair and as intensifying hostile emotions and physical aggression, and that it is related to a range of long-term physiological, mental, and behavioral disorders. Three strategies are used to cope with the difficulties of solitary confinement: keeping to a ritualistic routine, a religious lifestyle, and physical exercise. We conclude that solitary confinement exacerbates the difficulties of detention and affects prisoners’ health and well-being for short and long terms.


Circulation ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 141 (Suppl_1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Ana Reyes ◽  
Rabih Dahdouh ◽  
Precious Akanyirige ◽  
Araceli Estrada ◽  
Maria R Young ◽  
...  

Introduction: Consistent evidence has shown that the social determinants of health (SDoH) play an important role in shaping overall health. As health systems become more focused on improving the health of populations, there is an urgent need for interventions that address upstream factors such as the social determinants of health. Such interventions have not been widely studied and even less work exists in the realm of maternal health. But as maternal and infant mortality remain critical issues, there is great opportunity for the study and development of interventions to address social needs in pregnancy care. Hypothesis: We assessed the hypothesis that most existing interventions addressing the social needs of pregnant women would focus only on identifying social risks, while fewer would connect patients with resources in the community. We expected that most studies would not provide evaluations of effectiveness. Methods: We conducted a database search of MEDLINE, Embase, Cochrane Library, CINAHL, Scopus, and Web of Science to capture literature published between January 1970 and April 2019. A team of reviewers screened titles and abstracts for interventions that were issued in a clinical setting and addressed at least one SDoH as defined by the World Health Organization. Results: Preliminary results revealed 25 studies. All consisted of some form of risk screening and four included a referral process. Interventions addressing intimate partner violence were most numerous followed by psychosocial factors and cigarette smoking. Financial needs were assessed in one study. Eight studies included an evaluation process. Staff carrying out the interventions were primarily research staff, nurse practitioners or nurse midwives. Conclusions: In conclusion, more must be done to connect pregnant women with social resources. As unmet social needs put women at higher risk for poor outcomes in pregnancy, action should be taken to more seamlessly integrate social needs interventions into clinical workflows. Focus should expand beyond traditional social risk screening to capture a wider range of needs including financial stability, housing, and transportation. These are particularly important during pregnancy because adequate prenatal care requires women to be more engaged with the health care system than they would to maintain baseline health.


2021 ◽  
Vol 4 (3) ◽  
pp. 108-116
Author(s):  
Tiara Fatmarizka ◽  
Raudhatus Shofy Ramadanty ◽  
Dini Afriani Khasanah

Introduction: Around 50-70% of pregnant women have reported pregnancy-related back pain during the second and third trimesters of pregnancy. Physical and physiological aspects during pregnancy might affect the quality of life (QoL) of pregnant women, and the problems due to the alteration can be seen in how they run their daily activities. The effect of LBP in pregnancy on the QoL among pregnant women must be known to avoid the pain that affects pregnant women’s activities and well-being. The aim of this study is to review the relationship between low back pain and the QoL during pregnancy.Methods: Using the search terms via PubMed and Google Scholar, seven cross-sectional studies have met the inclusion criteria and included for further analysis. The appraisal tool for Cross-Sectional Studies (AXIS) is used to assess the quality of the included studies including the risk of bias.Results: The findings show that LBP in pregnancy affects the level of quality of life such as sleep quality and sexual activity, limits the activities and productivities, and even make physical disability among pregnant women. The 75-90% was of the range score obtained from the AXIS critical appraisal.Conclusions: This review mentioned those pregnant women with PRBP had decreased QoL during and after childbirth, so the awareness of health professionals needs to be improved. 


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