Designing and Developing a Mobile Smartphone Application for Women with Gestational Diabetes Mellitus Followed-Up at Diabetes Outpatient Clinics in Norway

Systematic development and refinement of a user-centered evidence-based digital toolkit for supporting self-care in gestational diabetes mellitus

Gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) is a pregnancy complication affecting many women, requiring changes in behaviours, which command them to learn self-care practices shortly. Digital interventions have been developed to support women with GDM. However, they have often overlooked women's needs and characteristics and failed to frame self-care theories into their design. To address this issue, we adopted a mixed methods approach to develop and refine a user-centred, evidence-based digital Toolkit for supporting self-care in GDM, providing behavioural and educational content, particularly about nutrition. To inform the development and refinement of the Toolkit, we conducted a literature review, observed sixty-six nutrition appointments, interviewed eleven dietitians and seventeen patients, and held co-creation sessions with two dietitians, all of which were analysed using a deductive Thematic Analysis. To validate the Toolkit, we conducted a survey with seventeen healthcare professionals, which was analysed using descriptive statistics. The final version of the NUTRIA Toolkit consists of four main modules with thirty-eight artefacts, including behavioural tools to assist women in GDM management. Despite some limitations, this study robustly endorsed the development and refinement of a user-centred, evidence-based Toolkit for supporting self-care in GDM, aiming for future feasibility and trial testing.

Person-Generated Health Data in Women's Health: Scoping Review

BACKGROUND

The increased pervasiveness of digital health technology is producing large amounts of person-generated health data (PGHD). These data can empower people to monitor their health to promote prevention and management of disease. Women make up one of the largest groups of consumers of digital self-tracking technology.

OBJECTIVE

In this scoping review, we aimed to (1) identify the different areas of women's health monitored using PGHD from connected health devices, (2) explore personal metrics collected through these technologies, and (3) synthesize facilitators of and barriers to women's adoption and use of connected health devices.

METHODS

Following the PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses) guidelines for scoping reviews, we searched 5 databases for articles published between January 1, 2015, and February 29, 2020. Papers were included if they targeted women or female individuals and incorporated digital health tools that collected PGHD outside a clinical setting.

RESULTS

We included a total of 406 papers in this review. Articles on the use of PGHD for women steadily increased from 2015 to 2020. The health areas that the articles focused on spanned several topics, with pregnancy and the postpartum period being the most prevalent followed by cancer. Types of digital health used to collect PGHD included mobile apps, wearables, websites, the Internet of Things or smart devices, 2-way messaging, interactive voice response, and implantable devices. A thematic analysis of 41.4% (168/406) of the papers revealed 6 themes regarding facilitators of and barriers to women's use of digital health technology for collecting PGHD: (1) accessibility and connectivity, (2) design and functionality, (3) accuracy and credibility, (4) audience and adoption, (5) impact on community and health service, and (6) impact on health and behavior.

CONCLUSIONS

Leading up to the COVID-19 pandemic, the adoption of digital health tools to address women's health concerns was on a steady rise. The prominence of tools related to pregnancy and the postpartum period reflects the strong focus on reproductive health in women's health research and highlights opportunities for digital technology development in other women's health topics. Digital health technology was most acceptable when it was relevant to the target audience, was seen as user-friendly, and considered women's personalization preferences while also ensuring accuracy of measurements and credibility of information. The integration of digital technologies into clinical care will continue to evolve, and factors such as liability and health care provider workload need to be considered. While acknowledging the diversity of individual needs, the use of PGHD can positively impact the self-care management of numerous women's health journeys. The COVID-19 pandemic has ushered in increased adoption and acceptance of digital health technology. This study could serve as a baseline comparison for how this field has evolved as a result.

INTERNATIONAL REGISTERED REPORT IDENTIFIER (IRRID)

RR2-10.2196/26110.

Digital Health and Machine Learning Technologies for Blood Glucose Monitoring and Management of Gestational Diabetes

Innovations in digital health and machine learning are changing the path of clinical health and care. People from different geographical locations and cultural backgrounds can benefit from the mobility of wearable devices and smartphones to monitor their health ubiquitously. This paper focuses on reviewing the digital health and machine learning technologies used in gestational diabetes - a subtype of diabetes that occurs during pregnancy. This paper reviews sensor technologies used in blood glucose monitoring devices, digital health innovations and machine learning models for gestational diabetes monitoring and management, in clinical and commercial settings, and discusses future directions. Despite one in six mothers having gestational diabetes, digital health applications were underdeveloped, especially the techniques that can be deployed in clinical practice. There is an urgent need to (1) develop clinically interpretable machine learning methods for patients with gestational diabetes, assisting health professionals with treatment, monitoring, and risk stratification before, during and after their pregnancies; (2) adapt and develop clinically-proven devices for patient self-management of health and well-being at home settings ("virtual ward" and virtual consultation), thereby improving clinical outcomes by facilitating timely intervention; and (3) ensure innovations are affordable and sustainable for all women with different socioeconomic backgrounds and clinical resources.

Baseline Perceptions of Women With Gestational Diabetes Mellitus and Health Care Professionals About Digital Gestational Diabetes Mellitus Self-Management Health Care Technologies: Interview Study Among Patients and Health Care Professionals

BACKGROUND

Gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) is a significant medical complication of pregnancy that requires close monitoring by a multidisciplinary health care team. The growing sophistication of mobile health (mHealth) technology could play a significant supporting role for women with GDM and health professionals (HPs) regarding GDM management.

OBJECTIVE

This study included 2 phases. The aim of phase 1 was to explore the perceptions of HPs and women with GDM regarding the use of mHealth for GDM self-management and to identify their needs from these technologies. The aim of phase 2 was to explore the perceptions of women with GDM about their experiences with a state-of-the-art app for managing GDM that was offered to them during the COVID-19 lockdown. This phase aimed to understand the impact that COVID-19 has had on women's perceptions about using technology to manage their GDM. By combining both phases, the overall aim was to establish how perceptions about GDM self-management technology have changed owing to the pandemic restrictions and experience of using such technology.

METHODS

In total, 26 semistructured interviews were conducted in 2 phases. In phase 1, overall, 62% (16/26) of the participants, including 44% (7/16) of HPs, 50% (8/16) of women with GDM, and 6% (1/16) of women in the postpartum period with GDM history participated in the interviews. In phase 2, overall, 38% (10/26) of women with GDM participated in the interviews. NVivo (QSR International) was used to extract qualitative data, which were subjected to thematic analysis.

RESULTS

Phase 1 identified 3 themes from the interviews with women with GDM: fitting with women's lifestyle constraints, technology's design not meeting women's needs, and optimizing the technology's design to meet women's needs. Overall, 3 themes were derived from the interviews with HPs: optimizing the technology's design to improve the quality of care, technology to support women's independence, and limitations in the care system and facilities. Analysis of phase-2 interviews identified 2 further themes: enhancing the information and functionalities and optimizing the interface design. In both phases, participants emphasized a simple and user-friendly interface design as the predominant positive influence on their use of technology for GDM management.

CONCLUSIONS

The combined findings underlined similar points. Poor usability, data visualization limitations, lack of personalization, limited information, and lack of communication facilities were the prime issues of current GDM self-management mHealth technology that need to be addressed. The analysis also revealed how women with GDM should play a vital role in gathering the requirements for GDM self-management technology; some needs were identified from in-depth discussion with women with GDM that would be missed without their involvement.

Seeking Health in a Digital World: Exploring Immigrant Parents' Quest for Child Health Information-A Scoping Review

During pregnancy and early parenthood, parents' strong interest in pediatric health information presents a valuable opportunity to positively impact long-term health-seeking behavior and overall child health. In line with the increasing prevalence of digital transformation, a scoping review was conducted to explore two key aspects: (1) information seeking and use of digital health information among immigrant parents, and (2) associated reasons and factors. The literature search covered the period until July 2022, using Web of Science, MEDLINE, and CINAHL Complete databases. Out of 625 articles, 12 were included, comprising six qualitative, five quantitative studies, and one review. The majority of studies focused on immigrants in North America, primarily from Latin America and Asia. The studies varied in topics and methodologies, making it challenging to draw general conclusions. Nevertheless, while most immigrant parents rely on digital information on child health, they often prefer human sources such as family, friends, or healthcare providers. Trustworthiness and accessibility emerged as critical criteria for health resources. Two focus group discussions, derived from the results of the review, confirmed these findings for migrant mothers in Switzerland.

Design, development, and usability evaluation of a smartphone-based application for nutrition management in patients with type II diabetes

Purpose

Information technology (IT)-based interventions, especially mobile health (mHealth), possess a great potential for promoting self-management in patients with chronic diseases, including diabetes type II. The present study was aimed to design and develop a smartphone-based application (app) for nutrition management in patients with type II diabetes and evaluation of its usability.

Methods

In this study, a three-phase research approach was followed; (1) To determine the information content and functionalities of the app, a five-point Likert scale checklist including six parts was developed based on reviews of clinical practice guidelines and specialized databases. The checklist was then given to ten experts in endocrinology and metabolism, internal medicine, and nutrition, and those items with a mean score higher than 3.75 were approved. (2) In Android Studio, the app was designed and developed using Java language. (3) The Questionnaire for User Interaction Satisfaction (QUIS) was used to assess the app's usability by 21 patients with type II diabetes, ten IT experts, and seven endocrinologists, internal medicine practitioners, and nutritionists over one month. Mean scores were divided into three levels: weak (0-3), average (3-6), and good (6-9).

Results

According to experts' view, 17 out of 22 educational content and 17 out of 27 functionalities were approved. The app's most important educational content was the timing of meals for insulin patients and the definition of diabetes and its complications. The designed app had the following functionalities: providing educational information, recording information, performing calculations, representing data graphically, setting reminders, and communicating with physicians. The most important features of the app were the insulin dose calculation, reminders for doctors' appointments, setting times for tests and blood glucose measurements, and also tracking weight, blood glucose levels, and blood pressure. In terms of usability evaluation, the app was rated "good" level by diabetic patients (7.83 ± 0.74), IT experts (8.1 ± 0.66), and physicians (8.03 ± 0.95).

Conclusion

Given the desirable evaluation of the app by patients, physicians, and IT experts, it can be concluded that the developed app has the required functionalities for nutrition management of patients with type II diabetes. Smartphone-based apps appear to be able to improve self-management, the quality of care and health in patients with diabetes, and reduce many of their unnecessary visits to healthcare centers, and costs.

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s40200-022-01140-x.

Factors Influencing the Aged in the Use of Mobile Healthcare Applications: An Empirical Study in China

Mobile healthcare applications are of significant potential value in the development of the aged-care industry due to their great convenience, high efficiency, and low cost. Since the cognition and utilization rates of mobile healthcare applications for the elderly are still low, this study explored the factors that affect the elderly's adoption of mobile healthcare applications. This study conducted a questionnaire survey on the elderly in China and received 365 valuable responses. This study combined the technology acceptance model, protection motivation theory, and perceived risk theory to build a research model of factors affecting the use of mobile healthcare applications by the elderly. The data were analyzed using a structural equation model. The results were as follows: according to the empirical research, (1) perceived usefulness and perceived ease of use positively affect the use attitude of the elderly; perceived usefulness and user attitude positively affect the behavior intention of the elderly; perceived ease of use positively affects perceived usefulness; (2) perceived severity has a significant positive correlation with use attitude; perceived susceptibility and attitude to use have no significant impact; (3) perceived risk is negatively correlated with the use attitude and behavioral intention. The above-mentioned factors should be taken into consideration during the development of mobile healthcare applications for the aged to upgrade the overall service quality of mobile healthcare applications, thus enhancing the operational level of mobile healthcare applications and the health literacy of the aged.

A Mobile Application to Improve Diabetes Self-Management Using Rapid Prototyping: Iterative Co-Design Approach in Asian Settings

BACKGROUND

Diabetes is a global public health issue, causing burden on healthcare system and increasing risk of mortality. Mobile applications (apps) can be a promising approach to facilitate diabetes self-management. An increasingly utilized approach to facilitate engagement with mobile health (mHealth) technology is to involve potential users in the creation of the technology.

OBJECTIVE

The aim of this study was to use co-design for type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) self-management mHealth development.

METHODS

Three rounds of iterative rapid prototyping panel sessions were conducted with a total of 9 T2DM participants in an Asian setting between Oct 2020 and April 2021. The participants were recruited through convenience sampling. For each round, feedback was gathered through qualitative interviews, and the feedback was used as a reference by the development team to develop and test a more refined version of the app in the next round. Transcribed semi-structured interview data was analyzed thematically using an inductive approach.

RESULTS

Participants' ages ranged from 40 to 69 years. Data saturation was reached, with no new themes emerging from the data. During the sessions, the participants expressed a variety of concerns and feedback on T2DM self-management using EMPOWER app and raised suggestions on the features of ideal T2DM self-management app. Important features include 1) reminders and notifications for medications, 2) Bluetooth integration with glucometers and blood pressure machines to minimize manual entry, 3) enlarged local food database including information on sugar content and recommendations for healthier options, 4) one touch for logging of routine medications and favorite foods, 5) export function for data sharing with physicians. Overall inputs concerned aspects such as user-friendliness of the app, customization possibilities, and educational content for the features in the mobile app.

CONCLUSION

In this study, we explored users' opinions on a T2DM self-management mobile app using co-design approach. This study adds to the growing body of literature on co-designing behavioral mHealth interventions and can potentially guide researchers in mobile app design for other chronic conditions.

Optimizing Engagement in an mHealth Intervention for Diabetes Support During Pregnancy: the Role of Baseline Patient Health and Behavioral Characteristics

BACKGROUND

Mobile health (mHealth) technology that addresses diabetes mellitus in pregnancy has the potential to improve maternal and child health while diminishing socioeconomic and racial disparities. Little is known about health literacy, electronic health literacy, or patient characteristics that contribute to increased mHealth use. In this pilot study, we aimed to examine patient factors associated with user engagement with a novel app for diabetes support during pregnancy.

METHOD

Low-income pregnant individuals with gestational or type 2 diabetes mellitus were recruited for a 2-week usability assessment of a novel mHealth smartphone application, "SweetMama," designed to improve diabetes care. This analysis of user characteristics was a pilot assessment of data from the usability study phase. Participants completed assessments of patient health literacy, electronic health literacy, diabetes self-efficacy, and activation. User metrics (eg, sessions and total duration of use) were evaluated by participant characteristics. Descriptive analyses were conducted to assess outcomes with respect to patient's clinical history, health literacy, electronic health literacy, diabetes self-efficacy, and activation.

RESULTS

Twenty-two diverse, low-income pregnant patients with either gestational or type 2 diabetes engaged with SweetMama for 14 days. Participants with gestational diabetes had greater mean minutes of use per session and mean total duration of use than those with type 2 diabetes. Participants with greater electronic health literacy, lower patient activation, and greater self-efficacy demonstrated greater total duration of use. No user metrics differed significantly by participant general health literacy.

CONCLUSIONS

Findings of this pilot study suggest engagement with a novel mHealth app for diabetes support during pregnancy varied by baseline behavioral and clinical characteristics. Results could indicate that digital health literacy better differentiates engagement patterns than general health literacy.

Cultural and Digital Health Literacy Appropriateness of App- and Web-Based Systems Designed for Pregnant Women With Gestational Diabetes Mellitus: Scoping Review

BACKGROUND

The prevalence of women diagnosed with gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) is increasing dramatically. Mobile technologies to enhance patient self-management offer many advantages for women diagnosed with GDM. However, to our knowledge, although mobile health (mHealth) and telemedicine systems for GDM management exist, evidence on their cultural and digital health literacy appropriateness levels is limited.

OBJECTIVE

This review aimed to search and assess the literature on mHealth and telemedicine systems designed for women diagnosed with GDM. Our assessment of these technologies focused on their cultural and digital health literacy appropriateness as well as the systems' effectiveness in improving glycemic control and maternal and infant outcomes.

METHODS

We conducted a scoping review using a framework adapted from Arksey and O'Malley. Four electronic databases were searched for relevant studies: PubMed, MEDLINE (EBSCO), Web of Science, and Scopus. The databases were searched between January 2010 and January 2022. The inclusion criteria were pregnant women diagnosed with GDM, use of telemedicine for monitoring and management, and vulnerable or disadvantaged patients. We used terms related to mobile apps and telemedicine: GDM, vulnerable populations, periphery, cultural appropriateness, and digital health literacy. Studies were screened and selected independently by 2 authors. We extracted the study data on a Microsoft Excel charting table and categorized them into final themes. The results were categorized according to the cultural and digital health literacy features presented.

RESULTS

We identified 17 studies that reported on 12 telemedicine and mHealth app interventions. We assessed the studies in three domains: cultural appropriateness, digital health literacy, and maternal and infant outcomes. In the literature, we found that existing digital technologies may improve glycemic control and diabetes self-management. However, there is a lack of assessment of cultural and digital health literacy appropriateness for pregnant women diagnosed with GDM. Considerations in app design regarding cultural appropriateness were found in only 12% (2/17) of the studies, and only 25% (3/12) of the interventions scored ≥3 out of 5 in our assessment of digital health literacy.

CONCLUSIONS

mHealth and telemedicine can be an effective platform to improve the clinical management of women with GDM. Although studies published on the use of mHealth and telemedicine systems exist, there is a limited body of knowledge on the digital health literacy and cultural appropriateness of the systems designed for women diagnosed with GDM. In addition, as our study was restricted to the English language, relevant studies may have been excluded. Further research is needed to evaluate, design, and implement better tailored apps regarding cultural and digital literacy appropriateness for enhancing pregnant women's self-management as well as the effectiveness of these apps in improving maternal and infant health outcomes.

Behavior Change App for Self-management of Gestational Diabetes: Design and Evaluation of Desirable Features

BACKGROUND

Gestational diabetes (GDM) has considerable and increasing health effects as it raises both the mother's and the offspring's risk for short- and long-term health problems. GDM can usually be treated with a healthier lifestyle, such as appropriate dietary modifications and sufficient physical activity. Although telemedicine interventions providing weekly or more frequent feedback from health care professionals have shown the potential to improve glycemic control among women with GDM, apps without extensive input from health care professionals are limited and have not been shown to be effective. Different features in personalization and support have been proposed to increase the efficacy of GDM apps, but the knowledge of how these features should be designed is lacking.

OBJECTIVE

The aim of this study is to investigate how GDM apps should be designed, considering the desirable features based on the previous literature.

METHODS

We designed an interactive GDM prototype app that provided example implementations of desirable features, such as providing automatic and personalized suggestions and social support through the app. Women with GDM explored the prototype and provided feedback in semistructured interviews.

RESULTS

We identified that (1) self-tracking data in GDM apps should be extended with written feedback, (2) habits and goals should be highly customizable to be useful, (3) the app should have different functions to provide social support, and (4) health care professionals should be notified through the app if something unusual occurs. In addition, we found 2 additional themes. First, basic functionalities that are fast to learn by women with GDM who have recently received the diagnosis should be provided, but there should also be deeper features to maintain interest for women with GDM at a later stage of pregnancy. Second, as women with GDM may have feelings of guilt, the app should have a tolerance for and a supporting approach to unfavorable behavior.

CONCLUSIONS

The feedback on the GDM prototype app supported the need for desirable features and provided new insights into how these features should be incorporated into GDM apps. We expect that following the proposed designs and feedback will increase the efficacy of GDM self-management apps.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

ClinicalTrials.gov NCT03941652; https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT03941652.

Mobile health as a primary mode of intervention for women at risk of or diagnosed with gestational diabetes mellitus: a scoping review

OBJECTIVE

The objective of this review was to map the knowledge related to the use of mobile health (mHealth) as a primary mode of intervention for the prevention and management of gestational diabetes mellitus and its long-term implications among women at risk of or diagnosed with gestational diabetes mellitus. We also sought to understand if mHealth for women at risk of or diagnosed with gestational diabetes mellitus incorporated relevant behavior change theory and techniques.

INTRODUCTION

Prevention and management of gestational diabetes mellitus and its associated adverse outcomes are important to maternal and infant health. Women with gestational diabetes mellitus report high burden of disease management and barriers to lifestyle change post-delivery, which mHealth interventions may help to overcome. Evidence suggests apps could help gestational diabetes mellitus prevention and management; however, less is known about broader applications of mHealth from preconception to interconception, and whether relevant behavior change techniques are incorporated.

INCLUSION CRITERIA

Studies that focused on mHealth use as the primary mode of intervention for the prevention and management of gestational diabetes mellitus and its long-term implications were considered for inclusion. Telehealth or telemedicine were excluded as these have been reviewed elsewhere.

METHODS

Six databases were searched: MEDLINE, CINAHL, Embase, Cochrane Library, Scopus, and TRIP. No limits were applied to database exploration periods to ensure retrieval of all relevant studies. Gray literature sources searched were OpenGrey, ISRCTN Registry, ClinicalTrials.gov, EU Clinical Trials Register, and ANZCTR. Two reviewers independently screened abstracts and assessed full texts against the inclusion criteria. Data were extracted using an adapted version of the JBI data extraction instrument. Data are presented in narrative form accompanied by tables and figures.

RESULTS

This review identified 2166 sources, of which 96 full texts were screened. Thirty eligible reports were included, covering 25 different mHealth interventions. Over half (n = 14) of the interventions were for self-managing blood glucose during pregnancy. Common features included tracking blood glucose levels, real-time feedback, communication with professionals, and educational information. Few (n = 6) mHealth interventions were designed for postpartum use and none for interconception use. Five for postpartum use supported behavior change to reduce the risk oftype 2 diabetes and included additional features such as social support functions and integrated rewards. Early development and feasibility studies used mixed methods to assess usability and acceptability. Later stage evaluations of effectiveness typically used randomized controlled trial designs to measure clinical outcomes such as glycemic control and reduced body weight. Three mHealth interventions were developed using behavior change theory. Most mHealth interventions incorporated two behavior change techniques shown to be optimal when combined, and those delivering behavior change interventions included a wider range. Nevertheless, only half of the 26 techniques listed in a published behavior change taxonomy were tried.

CONCLUSIONS

mHealth for gestational diabetes mellitus focuses on apps to improve clinical outcomes. This focus could be broadened by incorporating existing resources that women value, such as social media, to address needs, such as peer support. Although nearly all mHealth interventions incorporated behavior change techniques, findings suggest future development should consider selecting techniques that target women's needs and barriers to engagement. Lack of mHealth interventions for prevention of gestational diabetes mellitus recurrence and type 2 diabetes mellitus suggests further development and evaluation are required.

Preventive effect of one-day outpatient health management on adverse pregnancy outcomes in patients with gestational diabetes mellitus: a retrospective cohort study

BACKGROUND

One-day outpatient health management has been applied to treat gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) and prevent further complications. However, the relationships between one-day outpatient health management and adverse pregnancy outcomes remain ambiguous, because of limited evidence. We analyzed the effects of one-day outpatient health management on premature birth, macrosomia and low-birth-weight infants in patients with GDM.

METHODS

We retrospectively enrolled pregnant women with GDM who delivered at Guiyang Maternal and Child Health Hospital between 2019 and 2021. Patients could voluntarily choose to participate in either the general outpatient health education or a one-day outpatient health management. Data on demographic and clinical characteristics were collected and pregnancy outcomes ascertained. Logistic regression analysis was used to detect the potential relationship between one-day outpatient health management and adverse pregnancy outcomes including preterm birth, macrosomia, and low-birth-weight infants. GDM, preterm birth, low birth weight and macrosomia was diagnosed according to the criteria established by Obstetrics and Gynecology (9^th edition).

RESULTS

A total of 3,249 patients with GDM were included, and 798 (24.56%) patients participated in the one-day outpatient health management. Statistically significant differences were observed in the maternal age (P<0.05) and gravidity (P<0.001) between the study and control groups. The incidences of premature birth, low-birth-weight infant, and macrosomia in patients attending the one-day outpatient service were 9.6%, 8.1%, and 4.5%, while the incidences of those who did not attend the one-day outpatient service were 12.4%, 11.1%, and 7.5%. After adjusting for maternal age, ethnic groups, body mass index (BMI) before pregnancy, family history of diabetes, history of abnormal pregnancy, history of polycystic ovary syndrome, gravidity, hyperthyroidism and hypothyroidism, multivariate logistic regression analyses showed that this one-day outpatient health management was a protective factor for premature birth [odds ratio (OR) 0.751, 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.576-0.981], macrosomia (OR 0.567, 95% CI: 0.385-0.834) and low-birth-weight infants (OR 0.699, 95% CI: 0.522-0.937).

CONCLUSIONS

The degree of acceptance of patients with GDM to a one-day outpatient health management is still low. This one-day outpatient health management may reduce the incidence of adverse pregnancy outcomes in women with GDM to a certain extent.

Barriers and Facilitators of Using eHealth to Support Gestational Diabetes Mellitus Self-Management (GDM): A Systematic Literature Review of Perceptions of Healthcare Professionals and Women with GDM (Preprint)

Background

Gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) is one of the most common medical complications during pregnancy. eHealth technologies are proving to be successful in supporting the self-management of medical conditions. Digital technologies have the potential to improve GDM self-management.

Objective

The primary objective of this systematic literature review was to identify the views of health professionals (HPs) and women with GDM regarding the use of eHealth for GDM self-management. The secondary objective was to investigate the usability and user satisfaction levels when using these technologies.

Methods

Following the PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses) approach, the search included primary papers in English on the evaluation of technology to support self-management of GDM from January 2008 to September 2021 using MEDLINE, CINAHL, Embase, ACM, and IEEE databases. The lists of references from previous systematic literature reviews, which were related to technology and GDM, were also examined for primary studies. Papers with qualitative, quantitative, and mixed methodologies were included and evaluated. The selected papers were assessed for quality using the Cochrane Collaboration tool, National Institute for Health and Care Excellence clinical guidelines, Critical Appraisal Skills Programme Qualitative Checklist, and McGill University Mixed Methods Appraisal Tool. NVivo (QSR International) was used to extract qualitative data, which were subjected to thematic analysis. Narrative synthesis was used to analyze the quantitative data.

Results

A total of 26 papers were included in the review. Of these, 19% (5/26) of studies used quantitative research methodologies, 19% (5/26) used qualitative methods, and 62% (16/26) used mixed methods. In all, 4 themes were identified from the qualitative data: the benefits of using technology, engagement with people via technology, the usability of technology, and discouragement factors for the use of technology. The thematic analysis revealed a vast scope of challenges and facilitators in the use of GDM self-management systems. The challenges included usability aspects of the system, technical problems, data privacy, lack of emotional support, the accuracy of reported data, and adoption of the system by HPs. Convenience, improved GDM self-management, peer support, increased motivation, increased independence, and consistent monitoring were facilitators to use these technologies. Quantitative data showed that there is potential for improving the usability of the GDM self-management systems. It also showed that convenience, usefulness, increasing motivation for GDM self-management, helping with GDM self-management, and being monitored by HPs were facilitators to use the GDM self-management systems.

Conclusions

This novel systematic literature review shows that HPs and women with GDM encountered some challenges in using GDM self-management systems. The usability of GDM systems was the primary challenge derived from qualitative and quantitative results, with convenience, consistent monitoring, and optimization of GDM self-management emerging as important facilitators.

Development, feasibility and acceptability of a self-efficacy-enhancing smartphone application among pregnant women with gestational diabetes mellitus: single- arm pilot clinical trial

BACKGROUND

There is growing attention to the use of mHealth technologies to promote glycemic control for women with GDM around the world, but research on promoting a change in health behaviors is lacking. This study aimed to document the process of designing, developing, and testing the feasibility and acceptability of the SEESPA.

METHODS

This single-arm pilot clinical trial study included 15 pregnant women with GDM. Following SEESPA development (e.g., goal setting and action plan, role modeling, motivational messages, mastery of experiences, and tracking healthy behaviors), all participants were provided access to use the SEESPA for 4 weeks. Feasibility outcomes assessed were rates of recruitment, retention rate, success rate of transmitting motivational text messages, rate of participants acknowledging receipt of text messages, and success rate of recording healthy behaviors. Acceptability outcomes were determined by asking open-ended questions through telephone interview at 4-week post-intervention.

RESULTS

Fifteen randomly selected women consented to participate in the study, with a 60.0% (n = 9) retention rate at post-trial intervention and 40.0% (n = 6) trial dropout. Two motivational text messages per week were sent to all participants. Of these, 68.1% were acknowledged by the participants. Study participants reported that SEESPA is useful, effective, and they felt satisfied about it. In addition, they brought few suggestions that will be integrated on the final version of the app.

CONCLUSIONS

and Clinical Relevance. The developed innovative SEESPA is a feasible and acceptable intervention for behavioral modifications among women with GDM, and is ready to be tested in a larger RCT study which is expected to inform the health policymakers to integrate SEESPA with the antenatal health care practice of women with GDM, specifically in developing countries where there is a greater risk of developing GDM complications among mothers and their infants.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

The study is registered on September 16, 2019 (ACTRN12619001278123p) by the Australian New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry.

Applying the behaviour change wheel to develop a smartphone application 'stay-active' to increase physical activity in women with gestational diabetes

BACKGROUND

Physical activity (PA) interventions are an important but underutilised component in the management of gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM). The challenge remains how to deliver cost effective PA interventions that have impact on individual behaviour. Digital technologies can support and promote PA remotely at scale. We describe the development of a behaviourally informed smartphone application (Stay-Active) for women attending an NHS GDM clinic. Stay-Active will support an existing motivational interviewing intervention to increase and maintain PA in this population.

METHODS

The behaviour change wheel (BCW) eight step theoretical approach was used to design the application. It provided a systematic approach to understanding the target behaviour, identifying relevant intervention functions, and specifying intervention content. The target behaviour was to increase and maintain PA. To obtain a behavioural diagnosis, qualitative evidence was combined with focus groups on the barriers and facilitators to PA in women with GDM. The findings were mapped onto the Capability Opportunity Motivation-Behaviour (COM-B) model and Theoretical Domains Framework to identify what needs to change for the target behaviour and linked to appropriate intervention functions. Finally, behaviour changes techniques (BCT) and modes of delivery that are most likely to serve the intervention functions were selected. Current evidence, patient focus groups and input from key stakeholders informed Stay-Active's development.

RESULTS

We found that psychological capability, reflective and automatic motivation, social and physical opportunity needed to change to increase PA in women with GDM. The four key intervention functions identified were Enablement, Education, Persuasion and Training. Stay-Active incorporates these four intervention functions delivering ten BCTs including: goal setting, credible source, self-monitoring, action planning, prompts and cues. The final design of Stay-Active delivers these BCTs via an educational resource centre, with goal setting and action planning features, personalised performance feedback and individualised promotional messages.

CONCLUSION

The BCW has enabled the systematic and comprehensive development of Stay-Active to promote PA in women with GDM within an NHS Maternity service. The next phase is to conduct a trial to assess the feasibility and acceptability of a multi-component intervention that combines Stay-Active with PA Motivational Interviewing.

Application of Mobile Technology for Disease and Treatment Monitoring of Gestational Diabetes Mellitus Among Pregnant Women: A Systematic Review

BACKGROUND

Gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) is an increasing health issue among pregnant women worldwide. Treatment of hyperglycemia during pregnancy improves outcomes for both mothers and infants. Effectively performing and reviewing self-monitoring of blood glucose is time-consuming for patients and care providers. In the modern era, most people having access to smartphones create opportunities for use of phone-based technologies to improve patient care in chronic diseases. This review aims to investigate the awareness and use of the smartphone application (app) with respect to management of GDM among pregnant women.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Various relevant studies (n = 522) from 3 databases named Pub Med, Cochrane Library, and Google Scholar were included. For this, the study involved designing of a 5-stage review framework, which included research question identification, identification of articles, article selection, data collection, and result reporting.

RESULTS

Initial search criteria used a combination of keywords, by which we found out 522 literatures from 3 databases. After screening the titles and abstracts, 249 articles were excluded due to duplicate literatures and 252 articles were excluded due to the following reasons: not relevant (n = 172), editorial (n = 43), not in English (n = 7), and abstract only (n = 30). Furthermore, 10 articles were excluded because apps such as MobiGuide, pregnant + app, and GDm health were not mentioned in these articles. A total of 11 articles were included for the final analysis.

CONCLUSION

The mobile apps described in the present study (pregnant +, MobiGuide, and GDm health) provided personalized health care services, patient care improvement, and enhanced patient's compliance toward blood glucose monitoring and treatment.

Use of a smartphone-based, interactive blood glucose management system in women with gestational diabetes mellitus: A pilot study

AIMS

To determine patient satisfaction, impact on maternal and neonatal outcomes and resource utilisation of a smartphone-based, remote blood glucose level (BGL) monitoring platform with software surveillance inwomen with gestational diabetes (GDM) compared with historical controls.

METHODS

This intervention study prospectively enrolled 98 women with GDM to the NET-Health smartphone-based application and compared them to 94 historical controls. The application allows automatic, real-time BGL upload to a central server for software monitoring, with automatic alerts generated for out-of-range results. Data recorded included demographics, outcomes and occasions of service (OOS). A validated satisfaction questionnaire was completed post-delivery.

RESULTS

The groups had comparable baseline characteristics and no significant difference in maternal and neonatal outcomes. The NET-Health application intervention reduced resource utilisation, with 1.9 fewer OOS and 37 min less clinician time - equivalent to AUD$68 saved per woman (based on clinician time only) or AUD$23 after taking into account the cost of the application. Patient satisfaction was high.

CONCLUSIONS

Use of this smartphone-based application with software surveillance in women with GDM has high patient satisfaction and no differences in maternal or neonatal outcomes despite reduced resource utilisation. It is the first to demonstrate a financial benefit. Larger studies are needed.

Factors associated with the level of physical activity in a multi-ethnic pregnant population - a cross-sectional study at the time of diagnosis with gestational diabetes

Background

Regular physical activity during pregnancy can prevent several adverse health outcomes during this period of a woman’s life. Previous studies have shown that many women do not meet national recommendations for physical activity. This study aims to examine factors associated with sufficient leisure-time physical activity (LTPA) in a multicultural sample of pregnant women recently diagnosed with gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM).

Methods

We performed a cross-sectional study among 238 pregnant women. The women were recruited at diabetes outpatient clinics in the Oslo region of Norway from October 2015 to April 2017. The participants reported their activity levels using the Pregnancy Physical Activity Questionnaire (PPAQ). Pearson’s chi-square tests were used to assess differences in socio-demographic, health and pregnancy-related characteristics in relation to sufficient and insufficient LTPA, and logistic regression modelling was employed to predict the likelihood of insufficient LTPA.

Results

Less than half of the women in the sample (44.5%) had sufficient LTPA according to the minimum of ≥600 Met minutes per week. The majority of women were motivated to be physically active during pregnancy (84.9%). A low joint family income and being over 38 years of age increased the odds of not having sufficient LTPA. Women with sufficient LTPA had significantly higher scores of perceived health (p = 0.007).

Conclusions

The study indicates that pregnant women need to be better informed about the positive effects of physical activity on individually perceived health. To address the low levels of LTPA among pregnant women, communication strategies must be tailored towards women with low socio-economic backgrounds.

Trial registration:https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT02588729

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12884-021-04335-x.

Effectiveness and Usability of Digital Tools to Support Dietary Self-Management of Gestational Diabetes Mellitus: A Systematic Review

Advice on dietary intake is an essential first line intervention for the management of gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM). Digital tools such as web-based and smartphone apps have been suggested to provide a novel way of providing information on diet for optimal glucose regulation in women with GDM. This systematic review explores the effectiveness and usability of digital tools designed to support dietary self-management of GDM. A systematic search of Medline, Embase, Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature (CINAHL), Cochrane Library, and Scopus using key search terms identified 1476 papers reporting research studies, of which 16 met the specified inclusion criteria. The quality of the included studies was assessed using the ErasmusAGE Quality Score or the Mixed Methods Appraisal Tool (MMAT) version 2018. The findings show that the adoption of digital tools may be an effective approach to support self-management relating to healthy diet, health behaviour, and adherence to therapy in women with GDM as a usable intervention. However, there is a lack of evidence concerning the effectiveness of tools to support the dietary management of GDM. Consideration for ethnic specific dietary advice and evidence-based frameworks in the development of effective digital tools for dietary management of GDM should be considered as these aspects have been limited in the studies reviewed.

Development of and Experiences With an Informational Website on Early Labor: Qualitative User Involvement Study

Background

The period of regular contractions before 4 cm of cervical dilatation is often referred to as the latent phase or early labor. Women find it challenging to prepare for and cope with this phase of labor, and easily accessed web-based information from reliable sources may be useful in this preparation.

Objective

The aim of this study is to describe the development of a Norwegian website, Latens.no, for people seeking information on early labor and to explore users’ experiences with the website to increase its user-friendliness.

Methods

We developed a website using an iterative process involving a multidisciplinary research team, health personnel, users, a graphic designer, and an expert in software development. We explored the website’s user-friendliness using semistructured individual interviews and the think-aloud method. All interviews were audio recorded and transcribed. We then analyzed the participants’ feedback on the website.

Results

Participants included women who had recently given birth to their first baby (n=2), women who were pregnant with their first baby (n=4), and their partners (n=2). Results from participants’ experiences completing tasks included positive feedback related to the content of Latens.no, positive feedback related to the website’s design, and suggestions for improvement. Participants wanted to find information on early labor on the internet. Moreover, they found the information on the website relevant, trustworthy, and easy to read, and the design was attractive and easy to use. Overall, the participants performed the tasks easily, with few clicks and minimal effort.

Conclusions

The think-aloud method, while performing tasks, allowed for detailed feedback. The participants confirmed the user-friendliness of the website but at the same time provided information enabling improvement. We expect that changes made based on this user-centered design study will further increase the usability and acceptability of Latens.no.

Patient and Provider Perspectives on a Novel Mobile Health Intervention for Low-Income Pregnant Women With Gestational or Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus

BACKGROUND

Management of diabetes mellitus (DM) during pregnancy is burdensome given the intensity of required patient engagement and skills, especially for women with greater social disadvantage. Mobile health (mHealth) technology is a promising avenue for DM health promotion, but few evidence-based mHealth tools exist for pregnancy. Thus, we designed a theory-driven mHealth tool called SweetMama, and planned a priori to gather usability and acceptability feedback from patients and providers to ensure a user-centered design.

METHODS

In this qualitative assessment, we solicited patient and provider feedback on this novel educational and motivational mobile application for low-income pregnant women with type 2 or gestational DM. Patients and providers participated in separate focus groups. Participants shared feedback regarding SweetMama's visual appeal, architecture, and content. SweetMama modifications were made in an iterative manner. Transcripts were analyzed using the constant comparative technique.

RESULTS

Patient (N = 16) and provider (N = 29) feedback was organized as positive feedback, negative feedback, or additional desired features. Within each category, themes addressed SweetMama visual features, information, or functional features. The majority of negative feedback was addressed and multiple desired features were implemented via iterative application development, resulting in a user-friendly, efficient, and potentially impactful mHealth app designed to support the unique needs of this population.

CONCLUSIONS

SweetMama users had largely positive feedback about the mHealth tool's appeal, content, and functionality. Suggested improvements were incorporated in preparation for further evaluation steps, which include longitudinal usability testing, feasibility trials, and larger trials to determine the efficacy of SweetMama use for improving perinatal outcomes.

Experiences of using a digital type 2 diabetes prevention application designed to support women with previous gestational diabetes

Background

Gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) is diagnosed during pregnancy, and women with a history of GDM are at a higher risk of developing type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). Prevention strategies focused on lifestyle modification help to reduce long-term complications. Self-management technology-based interventions can support behaviour change and diabetes control. The Baby Steps programme, a randomised controlled trial intervention offering group education and access to a mobile web application, was evaluated to explore user experience of the app and barriers and facilitators to app usability.

Methods

Ten semi-structured interviews and four focus group discussions were conducted with 23 trial participants between 2018 and 2019. Interviews and focus group discussions were audiotaped, transcribed and independently analysed. The analysis was informed by thematic analysis, with the use of the Nvivo 12 software.

Results

Themes identified were: (1) GDM and post-pregnancy support from healthcare services; (2) Impact of Baby Steps app on lifestyle changes; (3) Facilitators and barriers to the usability of the Baby Steps app. The Baby Steps app served as a motivator for increasing self-management activities and a tool for monitoring progress. Peer support and increased awareness of GDM and T2DM enhanced engagement with the app, while poor awareness of all the components of the app and low technical skills contributed to low usability.

Conclusions

This study documents experiences from existing GDM support, user experiences from using the Baby Steps app, and the barriers and facilitators to app usability. The app was both a motivational and a monitoring tool for GDM self-management and T2DM prevention. Peer support was a key trait for enhanced engagement, while barriers were low technical skills and poor awareness of the app components. A digital app, such as the Baby Steps app, could strengthen existing face-to-face support for the prevention of T2DM. The results also have wider implications for digital support technologies for all self-management interventions. Further research on the effect of specific components of apps will be required to better understand the long term impact of apps and digital interventions on self-management behaviours and outcomes.

Trial registration

ISRCTN, ISRCTN17299860. Registered on 5 April 2017.

Design and Development of an Intelligent Skipping Rope and Service System for Pupils

Regular physical activity (PA) contributes to health, growth and development in childhood and it is essential for children to achieve appropriate PA levels (PAL). However, most children around the world fail to comply with the recommended PAL requirements. Rope skipping, as a highly accessible, enjoyable, and affordable physical activity for students, has been considered a sustainable afterschool physical activity to promote physical fitness of students by educators. The booming development of smart fitness product design and the advent of exergames have brought new possibilities for physical education and rope skipping: personalized guidance, intuitive and interesting feedback and visualized exercise data analysis—there is much room for optimization. In this study, an intelligent skipping rope and its service system were studied for primary school students (aged 7–12) who started to get involved in this sport. First, user needs, product functions, and system requirement were summarized by conducting observations and user interviews. Then, a prototype of the hardware and software interface were designed based on analysis of user research. Next, a usability test of the interactive prototype was carried out and optimization was finally made based on the feedback of the usability evaluation. The final system design includes combined innovations in software and hardware with the intention to increase children’s participation in physical activity and assist them in skipping rope in the right way with proper equipment and programs.

Women's Usage Behavior and Perceived Usefulness with Using a Mobile Health Application for Gestational Diabetes Mellitus: Mixed-Methods Study

The prevalence of gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) is increasing, and only a few mobile health (mHealth) applications are specifically designed to manage GDM. In this mixed-methods study, a follow-up study of a randomized controlled trial (RCT) analyzed a largely automated mHealth application-based lifestyle coaching program to (a) measure the application's usage behavior and (b) explore users' perceptions of its usefulness in GDM management. Quantitative data were collected from the 170 application users who had participated in the intervention arm of the RCT. Semi-structured interviews (n = 14) captured users' experiences when using the application. Data were collected from June 2019 to January 2020. Quantitative data were analyzed descriptively, and interviews were analyzed thematically. Only 57/170 users (34%) logged at least one meal, and only 35 meals on average were logged for eight weeks because of the incorrectly worded food items and limited food database. On the contrary, an average of 1.85 (SD = 1.60) weight values were logged per week since the weight tracking component was easy to use. Many users (6/14 (43%)) mentioned that the automatic coach messages created an immediate sense of self-awareness in food choices and motivated behavior. The findings suggest that for GDM management, a largely automated mHealth application has the potential to promote self-awareness of healthy lifestyle choices, reducing the need for intensive human resources. Additionally, several gaps in the application's design were identified which need to be addressed in future works.

Overview of a new eHealth intervention to promote healthy eating and exercise in pregnancy: Initial user responses and acceptability

PURPOSE

The purpose of this project was to develop and evaluate an eHealth intervention to promote healthy lifestyle for pregnant women. The setting was a low socio-economic and multi-ethnic area in Melbourne, Australia.

METHODS

This paper briefly describes the development of the eHealth intervention, which was aimed at a low level of literacy, and the evaluation of the intervention by pregnant women. A basic descriptive survey was undertaken to evaluate user friendliness, usefulness and acceptability of the intervention.

RESULTS

The intervention was developed by a team of experts and forty pregnant women participated in the evaluation. Results indicated that participants found the intervention informative, useful and easy to navigate. They also identified some minor areas for improvement which will be addressed prior to proceeding to a formal controlled evaluation.

CONCLUSION

Results from this evaluation are encouraging and suggest that women found the intervention convenient, trustworthy and engaging. Most enjoyed navigating the website information. As such, it is likely to prove a useful support for delivering dietary and exercise information to pregnant women in the local low socio-economic area. Further formal evaluation will test the efficacy of the website in improving diet and exercise outcomes during pregnancy.

A Randomized Controlled Trial to Evaluate the Effects of a Smartphone Application-Based Lifestyle Coaching Program on Gestational Weight Gain, Glycemic Control, and Maternal and Neonatal Outcomes in Women With Gestational Diabetes Mellitus: The SMART-GDM Study

OBJECTIVE

SMART-GDM examined whether Habits-GDM, a smartphone application (app) coaching program, can prevent excessive gestational weight gain (EGWG) and improve glycemic control and maternal and neonatal outcomes in gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM).

RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS

In this randomized controlled trial, women diagnosed with GDM between 12 and 30 weeks were randomly assigned to usual care (control) or to additional support from Habits-GDM that integrated dietary, physical activity, weight, and glucose monitoring (intervention). The primary outcome was the proportion of participants with EGWG. Secondary outcomes included absolute gestational weight gain (GWG), glycemic control, and maternal, delivery, and neonatal outcomes.

RESULTS

In total, 340 women were randomized (170 intervention, 170 control; mean ± SD age 32.0 ± 4.2 years; mean BMI 25.6 ± 5.6 kg/m²). There were no statistically significant differences in the proportions of women with EGWG, absolute GWG, or maternal and delivery outcomes between experimental groups. Average glucose readings were lower in the intervention group (mean difference -0.15 mmol/L [95% CI -0.26; -0.03], P = 0.011) as were the proportions of glucose above targets (premeal: 17.9% vs. 23.3%, odds ratio 0.68 [95% CI 0.53; 0.87], P = 0.003; 2-h postmeal: 19.9% vs. 50%, 0.54 [0.42; 0.70], P < 0.001). When regarded as a composite (although not prespecified), the overall neonatal complications (including birth trauma, neonatal hypoglycemia, hyperbilirubinemia, respiratory distress, neonatal intensive care unit admission, and perinatal death) were significantly lower in the intervention group (38.1% vs. 53.7%, 0.53 [0.34; 0.84], P = 0.006).

CONCLUSIONS

When added to usual care, Habits-GDM resulted in better maternal glycemic control and composite neonatal outcomes (nonprespecified) but did not reduce EGWG among women with GDM.

Health Information Prescription System For Non Communicable Diseases: A Systematic Review And Thematic Analysis

Objective ― Prescribing health information is very important to empower informed patients. The goal of present study is to recognize challenges for developing health information prescription on non-communicable diseases. Material and Methods ― Six data bases related to health information prescription were investigated. They included Web of Science, Scopus, PubMed, Google Scholar, Ovid and EMBASE. The investigated studies were published from 2000 to 2019. The language of the articles was English and the access to full text was one of the inclusion criteria. The research was evaluated by Prisma checklist and critical apprising. Different dimensions of health Information prescription system were recognized by thematic analysis. Results ― 54 studies were recognized based on the inclusion criteria. The results showed that there were three main concepts related to primary dimensions of the system in designing health information prescription system: determination of system functional goals, recognition of implementation barriers and recognition of developmental sub-structures. There were 16 subcategories including primary goals for accessibility, the concerns related to patients information confidentiality, individual differences and interests and personalizing the process of information prescription, the lack of integrity in health Information system for providing pattern of health Information system related to diabetic patients. Conclusion ― The goals, implementing barriers and functional substructures of health information prescription system should be recognized in order to improve self-care behaviors of diabetic patients in clinic. It is recommended that the future investigations focus on research gaps in personalizing health information prescription and integration of health information prescription process in health care system.

Effect of the Pregnant+ Smartphone App on the Dietary Behavior of Women With Gestational Diabetes Mellitus: Secondary Analysis of a Randomized Controlled Trial

Background

The prevalence of gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) is increasing worldwide. A healthy diet and stable blood glucose levels during pregnancy can prevent adverse health outcomes for the mother and the newborn child. Mobile health may be a useful supplement to prenatal care, providing women with targeted dietary information concerning GDM.

Objective

We analyzed secondary data from a two-arm, multicentered, nonblinded randomized controlled trial to determine if a smartphone app with targeted dietary information and blood glucose monitoring had an effect on the dietary behavior of women with GDM.

Methods

Women with a 2-hour oral glucose tolerance test level of ≥9 mmol/L were individually randomized to either the intervention group receiving the Pregnant+ app and usual care or the control group receiving usual care only. Eligible women were enrolled from 5 diabetes outpatient clinics in the Oslo region, Norway, between October 2015 and April 2017. The Pregnant+ app promoted 10 GDM-specific dietary recommendations. A healthy dietary score for Pregnant+ (HDS-P+) was constructed from a 41-item food frequency questionnaire and used to assess the intervention effect on the dietary behavior completed at trial entry and at around gestation week 36. Dietary changes from baseline to week 36 were examined by a paired sample two-tailed t test. Between-group dietary differences after the intervention were estimated with analysis of covariance, with adjustment for baseline diet.

Results

A total of 238 women participated: 115 were allocated to the intervention group and 123 to the control group. Of the 238 women, 193 (81.1%) completed the food frequency questionnaire both at baseline and around gestational week 36. All the participants showed improvements in their HDS-P+ from baseline. However, the Pregnant+ app did not have a significant effect on their HDS-P+. The control group reported a higher weekly frequency of choosing fish meals (P=.05). No other significant differences were found between the intervention and control groups. There were no significant demographic baseline differences between the groups, except that more women in the intervention group had a non-Norwegian language as their first language (61 vs 46; P=.02).

Conclusions

Our findings do not support the supplementation of face-to-face follow-up of women with GDM with a smartphone app in the presence of high-standard usual care, as the Pregnant+ app did not have a beneficial effect on pregnant women’s diet.

Trial Registration

ClinicalTrials.gov NCT02588729; https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT02588729

Barriers to Gestational Diabetes Management and Preferred Interventions for Women With Gestational Diabetes in Singapore: Mixed Methods Study

Background

Gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) is associated with risks for both the mother and child. The escalated prevalence of GDM because of obesity and changes in screening criteria demands for greater health care needs than before.

Objective

This study aimed to understand the perception of patients and health care providers of the barriers to GDM management and preferred interventions to manage GDM in an Asian setting.

Methods

This mixed methods study used a convergent parallel design. Survey data were collected from 216 women with GDM, and semistructured interviews were conducted with 15 women and with 8 health care providers treating patients with GDM. Participants were recruited from 2 specialized GDM clinics at the National University Hospital, Singapore.

Results

The patients were predominantly Chinese (102/214, 47.6%), employed (201/272, 73.9%), with higher education (150/216, 69.4%) and prenatal attendance at a private clinic (138/214, 64.2%), already on diet control (210/214, 98.1%), and receiving support and information from the GDM clinic (194/215, 90.2%) and web-based sources (131/215, 60.9%). In particular, working women reported barriers to GDM management, including the lack of reminders for blood glucose monitoring, diet control, and insufficient time for exercise. Most women preferred getting such support directly from health care providers, whether at the GDM clinic (174/215, 80.9%) or elsewhere (116/215, 53.9%). Smartphone apps were the preferred means of additional intervention. Desirable intervention features identified by patients included more information on GDM, diet and exercise options, reminders for blood glucose testing, a platform to record blood glucose readings and illustrate or understand trends, and a means to communicate with care providers.

Conclusions

A GDM-focused smartphone app that is able to integrate testing, education, and communication may be a feasible and acceptable intervention to provide support to women with GDM, particularly for working women.

Patient involvement in developing a patient-targeted feedback intervention after depression screening in primary care within the randomized controlled trial GET.FEEDBACK.GP

Background

Patient and public involvement (PPI) is increasingly required in mental health services research. To empower patients to actively address depression, the GET.FEEDBACK.GP study evaluates a patient‐targeted feedback intervention after depression screening using the Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ‐9).

Objective

To refine the patient‐targeted feedback from a previous study within a participatory research team (PRT) by conducting workshops to investigate patients' needs and preferences for feedback. To evaluate the process and outcome of PPI.

Design

Patient and public involvement was carried out on the levels of collaboration and consultation. A PRT of patient partners and researchers planned and conducted three workshops with patients. Patients' needs were investigated using a focus group. Participants prioritized needs, discussed feedback drafts and evaluated two drafts using cognitive debriefings. Researchers of the PRT communicated the results at project level. PPI was evaluated using the Public and Patient Engagement Evaluation Tools (PPEET).

Setting and Participants

A purposeful sampling of N = 12 patients with experiences of depression participated in at least one workshop.

Results

Relevant content‐related needs about feedback (eg no distinction between severe and moderate symptoms), recommendations for action and patient‐relevant information were considered. Needs for comprehensible, valuing, nonstigmatizing language and design elements (eg dimensional bar) were implemented. Workshops and PRT were positively evaluated.

Discussion and Conclusions

Patient and public involvement influenced the content, wording and design of the feedback. Strengths include two levels of PPI, methodical diversity and purposeful sampling. Limitations include the lack of inclusion of patients who are unaware of their depression. The evaluated PPI concept can be useful for future studies.

Web and mobile-based technologies for monitoring high-risk pregnancies

Introduction

High-risk pregnancy is an illness in which there are severe complications and problems that may cause fetal loss and requires continuous care. It seems that using telemedicine technology is helpful to provide wider access to prenatal care. The aim of this study was to compare the feasibility of using web-based and mobile-based technologies in caring for high-risk pregnancy.

Materials and methods

This was a cross-sectional study and the participants included midwives and gynaecologists who worked at teaching hospitals. The data were collected by using two five-point Likert scale questionnaires which were designed based on the literature review. The questionnaires included two main sections: demographic questions and questions related to five aspects of a feasibility study. Face and content validity of the questionnaires were confirmed by the experts and the reliability was checked by using the test-retest method. The data were analysed using descriptive and inferential statistics.

Results

In this study, 79 questionnaires were completed by 50 midwives (63.29%) and 29 gynaecologists (36.71%). Overall, midwives (p=0.001) and gynaecologists (p=0.003) believed that using mobile-based technologies was more feasible than using web-based technologies in caring for high-risk pregnancies.

Conclusion

It seems that planning for the future technological direction and providing mobile-based applications should be taken into account and prioritised to improve the quality of prenatal care and to increase access to healthcare services for high-risk pregnancies.

Effect of the Pregnant+ smartphone application in women with gestational diabetes mellitus: a randomised controlled trial in Norway

OBJECTIVE

To assess the effect of the Pregnant+ app on the 2-hour glucose level of the routine postpartum oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) among women with gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM). The Pregnant+ app was designed to provide information about GDM, and promote physical activity and a healthy diet.

DESIGN

A multicentre, non-blinded randomised controlled trial.

SETTING

Five diabetes outpatient clinics in the Oslo region.

PARTICIPANTS

Women ≥18 years old with a 2-hour OGTT blood glucose level ≥9 mmol/L who owned a smartphone; understood Norwegian, Urdu or Somali; and were <33 weeks pregnant. A total of 238 women were randomised; 158 women completed the OGTT post partum.

INTERVENTION

The Pregnant+ app and usual care, the control group received usual care.

PRIMARY AND SECONDARY OUTCOMES

The primary outcome was the 2-hour blood glucose level of the routine postpartum OGTT. Secondary outcomes reported were mode of delivery, induction of labour, Apgar score, birth weight, transfer to the neonatal intensive care unit and breast feeding practice. Blood glucose levels during pregnancy, knowledge of diabetes, diet and physical activity are not reported.

RESULTS

No difference was found for the 2-hour blood glucose level of the postpartum OGTT, with 6.7 mmol/L (95% CI 6.2 to 7.1) in the intervention group and 6.0 mmol/L (95% CI 5.6 to 6.3) in the control group. The significant difference in the proportion of emergency caesarean sections between the intervention group, 10 (8.8%) and the usual care group, 27 (22.1%), disappeared when adjusted for parity. There were no differences in birth weight, breast feeding practice, obstetric complications or transfer to the intensive neonatal care unit. No adverse events were registered.

CONCLUSION

The Pregnant+ app had no effect on 2-hour glucose level at routine postpartum OGTT. After controlling for parity, the difference in emergency caesarean section was not statistically significant.

TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER

NCT02588729.

Patient-Centered Methods for Designing and Developing Health Information Communication Technologies: A Systematic Review

Background: Chronic disease management and maintaining healthy behaviors to prevent disease are important lifelong considerations. Adherence to prescribed management and behaviors often falls short of physician recommendations, which can result in negative health outcomes. Information communication technologies (ICTs) offer an approach to combat this issue. However, uptake and sustainability of ICTs have mixed results. One reason could be that technologies are often created without an understanding of the complexities of patient needs. Therefore, the intent of this study is to explore the current landscape of patient-centered design and development of health ICTs through a systematic review. Materials and Methods: Systematic literature searches were conducted in the databases EBSCO, PubMed, and Web of Science between October 2016 and February 2017. Each paper was critically evaluated for each data extraction classification, and was categorized based on the chronic disease or health focus, method of patient-centered design, resulting themes, and use of theory. Results: The study search resulted in 3,748 articles total. After duplicates and articles not meeting criteria were removed, 57 articles were selected for assessment. Four main themes emerged: participant experience, technological requirements, behavioral and knowledge components, and social components. Conclusions: Adhering to chronic disease management and healthy behaviors are both crucial to attain positive health outcomes. ICTs can play an interesting role in aiding disease management and healthy behavior promotion, but involving end-users and applying a theoretical foundation in the design and development of these technologies should be considered.

d-GDM: A mobile diagnostic decision support system for gestational diabetes

OBJECTIVE

The aim of the study is to describe a portable and convenient software to facilitate the diagnostics of gestational (GDM) and pre-gestational diabetes (PGDM).

MATERIALS AND METHODS

An open source software, d-GDM, was developed in Java. The integrated development environment Android Studio was used as the Android operational system. The software for GDM diagnosis uses the criteria endorsed by the International Association of Diabetes and Pregnancy Study Group, modified by the World Health Organization.

RESULTS

GDM diagnosis criteria is not simple to follow, therefore, errors or inconsistencies in diagnosis are expected and could delay the appropriate treatment. The d-GDM, was developed to assist GDM diagnosis with precision and consistency diagnostic reports. The open source software can be manipulated conveniently. The operator requires information regarding the gestational period and selects the appropriate glycaemic marker options from the menu. During operation, pressing the button "diagnosticar" on the screen will present the diagnosis and information for the follow up. d-GDM is available in Portuguese or English and can be downloaded from the Google PlayStore. A responsive web version of d-GDM is also available. The usefulness and accuracy of d-GDM was verify by field tests involving 22 subjects and 5 mobile phone brands. The approval regards user-friendliness and efficiency were 95% or higher. The GDM diagnosis were 100% correct, in this pilot test. d-GDM is a user-friendly, free software for diagnosis that was developed for mobile devices. It has the potential to contribute and facilitate the diagnosis of gestational diabetes for healthcare professionals.

Understanding Pregnancy and Postpartum Health Using Ecological Momentary Assessment and Mobile Technology: Protocol for the Postpartum Mothers Mobile Study

Background

There are significant racial disparities in pregnancy and postpartum health outcomes, including postpartum weight retention and cardiometabolic risk. These racial disparities are a result of a complex interplay between contextual, environmental, behavioral, and psychosocial factors.

Objective

This protocol provides a description of the development and infrastructure for the Postpartum Mothers Mobile Study (PMOMS), designed to better capture women’s daily experiences and exposures from late pregnancy through 1 year postpartum. The primary aims of PMOMS are to understand the contextual, psychosocial, and behavioral factors contributing to racial disparities in postpartum weight and cardiometabolic health, with a focus on the daily experiences of stress and racism, as well as contextual forms of stress (eg, neighborhood stress and structural racism).

Methods

PMOMS is a longitudinal observation study that is ancillary to an existing randomized control trial, GDM² (Comparison of Two Screening Strategies for Gestational Diabetes). PMOMS uses an efficient and cost-effective approach for recruitment by leveraging the infrastructure of GDM², facilitating enrollment of participants while consolidating staff support from both studies. The primary data collection method is ecological momentary assessment (EMA) and through smart technology (ie, smartphones and scales). The development of the study includes: (1) the pilot phase and development of the smartphone app; (2) feedback and further development of the app including selection of key measures; and (3) implementation, recruitment, and retention.

Results

PMOMS aims to recruit 350 participants during pregnancy, to be followed through the first year after delivery. Recruitment and data collection started in December 2017 and are expected to continue through September 2020. Initial results are expected in December 2020. As of early May 2019, PMOMS recruited a total of 305 participants. Key strengths and features of PMOMS have included data collection via smartphone technology to reduce the burden of multiple on-site visits, low attrition rate because of participation in an ongoing trial in which women are already motivated and enrolled, high EMA survey completion and the use of EMA as a unique data collection method to understand daily experiences, and shorter than expected timeframe for enrollment because of the infrastructure of the GDM² trial.

Conclusions

This protocol outlines the development of the PMOMS, one of the first published studies to use an ongoing EMA and mobile technology protocol during pregnancy and throughout 1 year postpartum to understand the health of childbearing populations and enduring racial disparities in postpartum weight and cardiometabolic health. Our findings will contribute to the improvement of data collection methods, particularly the role of EMA in capturing multiple exposures and knowledge in real time. Furthermore, the results of the study will inform future studies investigating weight and cardiometabolic health during pregnancy and the postpartum period, including how social determinants produce population disparities in these outcomes.

International Registered Report Identifier (IRRID)

DERR1-10.2196/13569

The Rise of Pregnancy Apps and the Implications for Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Women: Narrative Review

Background

Pregnancy apps are a booming global industry, with most pregnant women in high-income countries now using them. From the perspective of health care and health information provision, this is both encouraging and unsettling; the demand indicates a clear direction for the development of future resources, but it also underscores the importance of processes ensuring access, reliability, and quality control.

Objective

This review provides an overview of current literature on pregnancy apps and aims at describing (1) the ways in which apps are used by women, in general, and by those of a culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) background; (2) the utility and quality of information provided; and (3) areas where more research, development, and oversight are needed.

Methods

We chose a narrative review methodology for the study and performed a structured literature search including studies published between 2012 and 2017. Searches were performed using MEDLINE, EMBASE, and CINAHL databases. Studies were identified for inclusion using two separate search criteria and strategies: (1) studies on pregnancy apps and pregnant women’s use of these apps and (2) studies on CALD pregnant women and their use of technology for accessing information on and services for pregnancy. Overall, we selected 38 studies.

Results

We found that pregnancy apps were principally used to access pregnancy health and fetal development information. Data storage capability, Web-based features or personalized tools, and social media features were also popular app features sought by women. Lower rates of the pregnancy app uptake were indicated among lower-income and non-English-speaking women. Preliminary evidence indicates that a combination of technological, health literacy, and language issues may result in lower uptake of pregnancy apps by these groups; however, further investigation is required. A marked limitation of the health app industry is lack of regulation in a commercially dominated field, making it difficult for users to assess the reliability of the information being presented. Health professionals and users alike indicate that given the choice, they would prefer using pregnancy apps that are relevant to their local health care context and come from a trusted source. Evidence indicates a need for greater health professional and institutional engagement in the app development, as well as awareness of and guidance for women’s use of these resources.

Conclusions

This is the first review of pregnancy app use, types of information provided, and features preferred by pregnant women in general and by those of a CALD background in particular. It indicates the demand for access to accurate information that is relevant to users, their community, and their associated health services. Given the popularity of pregnancy apps, such apps have enormous potential to be used for the provision of accurate, evidence-based health information.

Health-e mums: Evaluating a smartphone app design for diabetes prevention in women with previous gestational diabetes

AIM

Women with prior gestational diabetes have increased risk for developing type 2 diabetes postpartum. While diabetes prevention programs are effective in reducing a woman's risk, the reach of traditional face-to-face programs is poor in this population and using a mHealth approach appears to be promising. We aimed to evaluate a pilot smartphone app developed from an evidence-based diabetes prevention program specifically for women with previous gestational diabetes mellitus using a series of focus groups to explore the app functionality and messaging.

METHODS

The Health-e Mums app underwent an iterative, three-phase development: initial development, wireframe development and pilot testing. Twenty-six women participated in four focus groups during the pilot-testing phase. The focus group transcripts were analysed thematically to evaluate the app functionality and user-experience.

RESULTS

Focus group participants identified diabetes screening confusion and a need for personalisation as sub-themes within the app functionality theme. The user-experience exploration found generally positive findings but participants had mixed responses to the utility of video segments and applying milestones relating to diabetes prevention guidelines.

CONCLUSIONS

A user-centred approach was taken to develop a diabetes prevention program app for women with prior gestational diabetes. Women were predominantly satisfied with the overall app design, how it functioned and what the user experience would be like when fully developed.

A Personalized Healthcare Monitoring System for Diabetic Patients by Utilizing BLE-Based Sensors and Real-Time Data Processing

Current technology provides an efficient way of monitoring the personal health of individuals. Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE)-based sensors can be considered as a solution for monitoring personal vital signs data. In this study, we propose a personalized healthcare monitoring system by utilizing a BLE-based sensor device, real-time data processing, and machine learning-based algorithms to help diabetic patients to better self-manage their chronic condition. BLEs were used to gather users’ vital signs data such as blood pressure, heart rate, weight, and blood glucose (BG) from sensor nodes to smartphones, while real-time data processing was utilized to manage the large amount of continuously generated sensor data. The proposed real-time data processing utilized Apache Kafka as a streaming platform and MongoDB to store the sensor data from the patient. The results show that commercial versions of the BLE-based sensors and the proposed real-time data processing are sufficiently efficient to monitor the vital signs data of diabetic patients. Furthermore, machine learning–based classification methods were tested on a diabetes dataset and showed that a Multilayer Perceptron can provide early prediction of diabetes given the user’s sensor data as input. The results also reveal that Long Short-Term Memory can accurately predict the future BG level based on the current sensor data. In addition, the proposed diabetes classification and BG prediction could be combined with personalized diet and physical activity suggestions in order to improve the health quality of patients and to avoid critical conditions in the future.

Health Care Professionals' Attitudes Toward, and Experiences of Using, a Culture-Sensitive Smartphone App for Women with Gestational Diabetes Mellitus: Qualitative Study

Background

The increasing prevalence of gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) among women of different ethnic backgrounds provides new challenges for health care professionals, who often find it difficult to provide information about the management of this disease to such individuals. Mobile health (mHealth) may act as a useful tool for blood sugar control and care process enhancement. However, little is known about health care professionals’ experiences and attitudes toward the use of mHealth for women with GDM.

Objective

The aim of this study was to explore how health care professionals perceived the provision of care to pregnant women who managed their GDM using the culture-sensitive Pregnant+ app in a randomized controlled trial.

Methods

Individual interviews with 9 health care professionals providing care for women with GDM were conducted. Braun and Clark’s method of thematic content analysis inspired the analysis. This study included health care professionals who were primarily responsible for providing care to participants with GDM in the Pregnant+ randomized controlled trial at 5 diabetes outpatient clinics in Oslo, Norway.

Results

Health care professionals perceived mHealth, particularly the Pregnant+ app, as an appropriate tool for the care of women with GDM, who were described as individuals comprising a heterogeneous, motivated group that could be easily approached with health-related information. Some participants reported challenges with respect to provision of advice to women with different food cultures. The advantages of the Pregnant+ app included provision of information that women could access at home, the information provided being perceived as trustworthy by health care professionals, the culture sensitivity of the app, and the convenience for women to register blood sugar levels. Technical problems, particularly those associated with the automatic transfer of blood glucose measurements, were identified as the main barrier to the use of the Pregnant+ app. Strict inclusion criteria and the inclusion of participants who could not speak Norwegian were the main challenges in the recruitment process for the randomized controlled trial.

Conclusions

The findings of this study suggest that mHealth is a useful tool to enhance the care provided by health care professionals to women with GDM. Future mobile apps for the management of GDM should be developed by a trustworthy source and in cooperation with health care professionals. They should also be culture sensitive and should not exhibit technical problems.

Reducing risk of type 2 diabetes after gestational diabetes: a qualitative study to explore the potential of technology in primary care

Background

Despite the seven-fold increased risk of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) among females previously diagnosed with gestational diabetes (GD), annual rates of follow-up in primary care are low. There is a need to consider how to reduce the incidence of progression to T2DM among this high-risk group.

Aim

To examine the views of females diagnosed with GD to ascertain how to improve primary care support postnatally, and the potential role of technology in reducing the risk of progression to T2DM.

Design and setting

A qualitative study of a purposive sample of 27 postnatal females leaving secondary care with a recent diagnosis of GD.

Method

Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 27 females, who had been previously diagnosed with GD, at around 6–12 weeks postnatally. Interviews were audiotaped, transcribed, and analysed thematically.

Results

Facilitators and barriers to engaging in a healthy postnatal lifestyle were identified, the most dominant being competing demands on time. Although females were generally satisfied with the secondary care they received antenatally, they felt abandoned postnatally and were uncertain what to expect from their GP in terms of follow-up and support. Females felt postnatal care could be improved by greater clarity regarding this, and enhanced by peer support, multidisciplinary input, and subsidised facilities. Technology was seen as a potential adjunct by providing information, enabling flexible and personalised self-management, and facilitating social support.

Conclusion

A more tailored approach for females previously diagnosed with GD may help reduce the risk of progression to T2DM. A need for future research to test the efficacy of using technology as an adjunct to current care was identified.

Women's experiences with using a smartphone app (the Pregnant+ app) to manage gestational diabetes mellitus in a randomised controlled trial

OBJECTIVE

The purpose of this study was to explore the experiences of women with gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) with controlling their blood glucose values and receiving health and nutrition information using a smartphone app (the Pregnant+ app).

DESIGN AND PARTICIPANTS

The study utilised the interpretative phenomenological analysis method. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 17 participants among those participating to the randomised controlled trial.

RESULTS

The women experienced sorrow and disappointment when they were diagnosed with GDM, but they all went through a process of learning to self-manage their condition that was strongly motivated by theirdesire to care for their unborn babies. The women found that the app increased their confidence in their self management of GDM and their motivation for behavioural change. For some women, the app contributed to feelings offrustration or obsession. In addition, some technological problems and a lack of support from health-care professionals limited several women from using the app.

KEY CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTISE

The findings suggest that asmartphone app may have potential for supporting women with GDM, particularly in their blood glucose management. However, it also highlights some of the potential challenges of using mHealth technologies. The findings indicate that a closer collaboration between health-care professionals and patients is of great importance in the implementation of apps for women with GDM.

Functionality, Implementation, Impact, and the Role of Health Literacy in Mobile Phone Apps for Gestational Diabetes: Scoping Review

BACKGROUND

The increasing ownership of mobile phones and advances in hardware and software position these devices as cost-effective personalized tools for health promotion and management among women with gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM). Numerous mobile phone apps are available online; however, to our knowledge, no review has documented how these apps are developed and evaluated in relation to GDM.

OBJECTIVE

The objective of our review was to answer the following 2 research questions: (1) What is known from the existing literature about the availability, functionality, and effectiveness of mobile phone apps on GDM prevention and management? (2) What is the role of health literacy in these apps?

METHODS

We searched 7 relevant electronic databases for original research documents using terms related to mobile phone apps, GDM, and health literacy. We thematically categorized selected articles using a framework adapted from Arksey and O'Malley.

RESULTS

We included 12 articles related to 7 apps or systems in the final analysis. We classified articles around 2 themes: (1) description of the development, feasibility, or usability of the apps or systems, and (2) trial protocols. The degree of personalization varied among the apps for GDM, and decision support systems can be used to generate time-efficient personalized feedback for both patients and health care providers. Health literacy was considered during the development or measured as an outcome by some apps.

CONCLUSIONS

There is a limited body of research on mobile phone apps in relation to GDM prevention and management. Mobile phone apps can provide time- and cost-efficient personalized interventions for GDM. Several randomized controlled trials have been launched recently to evaluate the effectiveness of the apps. Consideration of health literacy should be improved when developing features of the apps.

The Design, Development, and Evaluation of a Qualitative Data Collection Application for Pregnant Women

PURPOSE

This article explores the development and evaluation of a smartphone mobile software application (app) to collect qualitative data. The app was specifically designed to capture real-time qualitative data from women planning a vaginal birth after caesarean delivery. This article outlines the design and development of the app to include funding, ethics, and the recruitment of an app developer, as well as the evaluation of using the app by seven participants.

ORGANIZING CONSTRUCT

Data collection methods used in qualitative research include interviews and focus groups (either online, face-to-face, or by phone), participant diaries, or observations of interactions. This article identifies an alternative data collection methodology using a smartphone app to collect real-time data.

CONCLUSIONS

The app provides real-time data and instant access to data alongside the ability to access participants from a variety of locations. This allows the researcher to gain insight into the experiences of participants through audio or video recordings in longitudinal studies without the need for constant interactions or interviews with participants.

CLINICAL RELEVANCE

Using smartphone applications can allow researchers to access participants who are traditionally hard to reach and access their data in real time. Evaluating these apps before use in research is invaluable.

Smartphone application for women with gestational diabetes mellitus: a study protocol for a multicentre randomised controlled trial

INTRODUCTION

The promotion of a healthy diet, physical activity and measurement of blood glucose levels are essential components in the care for women with gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM). Smartphones offer a new way to promote health behaviour. The main aim is to investigate if the use of the Pregnant+ app, in addition to standard care, results in better blood glucose levels compared with current standard care only, for women with GDM.

METHODS AND ANALYSIS

This randomised controlled trial will include 230 pregnant women with GDM followed up at 5 outpatient departments (OPD) in the greater Oslo Region. Women with a 2-hour oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) ≥9 mmol/L, who own a smartphone, understand Norwegian, Urdu or Somali and are <33 weeks pregnant, are invited. The intervention group receives the Pregnant+ app and standard care. The control group receives standard care only. Block randomisation is performed electronically. Data are collected using self-reported questionnaires and hospital records. Data will be analysed according to the intention-to-treat principle. Groups will be compared using linear regression for the main outcome and χ2 test for categorical data and Student's t-test or Mann-Whitney-Wilcoxon test for skewed distribution. The main outcome is the glucose level measured at the 2-hour OGTT 3 months postpartum. Secondary outcomes are a change in health behaviour and knowledge about GDM, quality of life, birth weight, mode of delivery and complications for mother and child.

ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION

The study is exempt from regional ethics review due to its nature of quality improvement in patient care. Our study has been approved by the Norwegian Social Science Data Services and the patient privacy protections boards governing over the recruitment sites. Findings will be presented in peer-reviewed journals and at conferences.

TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER

NCT02588729, Post-results.