Designing and Developing a Mobile App for Management and Treatment of Gestational Diabetes in Nepal: User-Centered Design Study

BACKGROUND

Mobile apps can aid with the management of gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) by providing patient education, reinforcing regular blood glucose monitoring and diet/lifestyle modification, and facilitating clinical and social support.

OBJECTIVE

This study aimed to describe our process of designing and developing a culturally tailored app, Garbhakalin Diabetes athawa Madhumeha-Dhulikhel Hospital (GDM-DH), to support GDM management among Nepalese patients by applying a user-centered design approach.

METHODS

A multidisciplinary team of experts, as well as health care providers and patients in Dhulikhel Hospital (Dhulikhel, Nepal), contributed to the development of the GDM-DH app. After finalizing the app's content and features, we created the app's wireframe, which illustrated the app's proposed interface, navigation sequences, and features and function. Feedback was solicited on the wireframe via key informant interviews with health care providers (n=5) and a focus group and in-depth interviews with patients with GDM (n=12). Incorporating their input, we built a minimum viable product, which was then user-tested with 18 patients with GDM and further refined to obtain the final version of the GDM-DH app.

RESULTS

Participants in the focus group and interviews unanimously concurred on the utility and relevance of the proposed mobile app for patients with GDM, offering additional insight into essential modifications and additions to the app's features and content (eg, inclusion of example meal plans and exercise videos).The mean age of patients in the usability testing (n=18) was 28.8 (SD 3.3) years, with a mean gestational age of 27.2 (SD 3.0) weeks. The mean usability score across the 10 tasks was 3.50 (SD 0.55; maximum score=5 for "very easy"); task completion rates ranged from 55.6% (n=10) to 94.4% (n=17). Findings from the usability testing were reviewed to further optimize the GDM-DH app (eg, improving data visualization). Consistent with social cognitive theory, the final version of the GDM-DH app supports GDM self-management by providing health education and allowing patients to record and self-monitor blood glucose, blood pressure, carbohydrate intake, physical activity, and gestational weight gain. The app uses innovative features to minimize the self-monitoring burden, as well as automatic feedback and data visualization. The app also includes a social network "follow" feature to add friends and family and give them permission to view logged data and a progress summary. Health care providers can use the web-based admin portal of the GDM-DH app to enter/review glucose levels and other clinical measures, track patient progress, and guide treatment and counseling accordingly.

CONCLUSIONS

To the best of our knowledge, this is the first mobile health platform for GDM developed for a low-income country and the first one containing a social support feature. A pilot clinical trial is currently underway to explore the clinical utility of the GDM-DH app.

Effect of a social media-based health education program on postnatal care (PNC) knowledge among pregnant women using smartphones in Dhulikhel hospital: A randomized controlled trial

INTRODUCTION

Postnatal care services helps in detecting and subsequently managing life threatening complications. With the ubiquitous use of the mobile phone in Nepal, social media based postpartum education has the potential to increase PNC knowledge among pregnant women. This study aimed to assess the effect of social media-based health education program on PNC knowledge among pregnant women attending Dhulikhel hospital, Nepal.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

We conducted a two-arm open-label randomized controlled trial among literate pregnant women visiting Dhulikhel hospital for ANC check-up from May to August, 2021. A computer-based program allocated 229 pregnant women owning smartphones with internet connectivity in a 1:1 ratio to either intervention (n = 109) or usual care (n = 120). We assessed PNC knowledge in the participants by interviewing in-person or via phone. The intervention group received a 16 minutes video on PNC and the participants were reminded to view the video every week via telephone for a month. Control group received usual care. The primary outcome of the study was change in PNC knowledge score. We utilized intent-to-treat analysis and measured the effect of the intervention on PNC knowledge score using simple linear regression analysis.

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

The mean PNC knowledge score increased by additional 8.07 points among pregnant women in the intervention group compared to the control group (95% CI: 2.35: 13.80; p-value = 0.006). The maternal care attribute knowledge increased by 4.31 points (95% CI: 1.51-7.10, p-value = 0.03) and newborn care attribute knowledge increased by 3.39 points (95% CI: 0.41-6.37, p-value = 0.02) among pregnant women in the intervention compared to the control group.

CONCLUSION

A social media-based health education is effective in improving PNC knowledge score among pregnant women. Further research is needed to evaluate if this increased knowledge is translated into the increased utilization of PNC care.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

ClinicalTrials.gov ID: NCT05132608.

An evaluation of obstetric ultrasound education program in Nepal using the RE-AIM framework

BACKGROUND

Nepal has a high prevalence of congenital anomaly contributing to high infant mortality. Ultrasound, an important tool to detect congenital anomalies and manage maternity-related risk factors, is not properly used in Nepal because Nepali doctors have limited opportunities for learning ultrasound techniques. Hence, we developed and implemented an ultrasound education program from 2016 to 2018. The objective of this study is to evaluate the education program using the Reach, Effectiveness, Adoption, Implementation, and Maintenance (RE-AIM) framework.

METHODS

We conducted a mixed-method study to evaluate each component of RE-AIM. The team collected quantitative data from administrative records, tests, surveys, and an online follow-up survey. Qualitative data were collected from individual in-depth interviews at least a year after the program. The proportions, means, and t-tests were used for quantitative data, and thematic coding for qualitative data.

RESULTS

A total of 228 healthcare workers representing 27.3% of the districts of Nepal were reached from 2016 to 2018. The program improved participants' knowledge (29.3, 8.7, and 23.8 increases out of 100, each year, p< 0.001, n=85) and self-confidence (0.6, 0.3, 1.3 increases out of 4.0, p< 0.01, n=111). The participants were highly satisfied with the program (4.2, 4.1, and 4.0 out of 5.0, n=162). Among the respondents of the online follow-up survey (n=28), 60.7% had used ultrasound in their daily practice after the education program, and a medical institution established an ultrasound training center. The absence of clear accreditation and practical guidelines in ultrasound use were presented as barriers for adoption and maintenance.

CONCLUSION

The program was successful in improving participant's knowledge and self-confidence in ultrasound techniques and showed great potential for the adoption and maintenance of the techniques in their practice. Continuous implementation of the program and institutional policy changes to facilitate ultrasound use may increase the ultrasound use and improve ultrasound service quality in Nepal.

NUrse-led COntinuum of care for people with Diabetes and prediabetes (NUCOD) in Nepal: study protocol for a cluster randomized controlled trial

Background

The purpose of this study will be to improve diabetes prevention, access to care and advocacy through a novel cost-effective nurse-led continuum of care approach that incorporates diabetes prevention, awareness, screening and management for low-income settings, and furthermore utilizes the endeavor to advocate for establishing a standard diabetes program in Nepal.

Methods

We will conduct a two-arm, parallel group, stratified cluster randomized controlled trial of the NUrse-led COntinuum of care for people with Diabetes (N₁ = 200) and prediabetes (N₂ = 1036) (NUCOD) program, with primary care centers (9 outreach centers and 17 government health posts) as a unit of randomization. The NUCOD program will be delivered through the trained diabetes nurses in the community to the intervention group and the outcomes will be compared with the usual treatment group at 6 and 12 months of the intervention. The primary outcome will be the change in glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) level among diabetes individuals and progression to type 2 diabetes among prediabetes individuals, and implementation outcomes measured using the RE-AIM (reach, effectiveness, adoption, implementation and maintenance) framework. Outcomes will be analyzed on an intention-to-treat basis.

Discussion

The results of this trial will provide information about the effectiveness of the NUCOD program in improving clinical outcomes for diabetes and prediabetes individuals, and implementation outcomes for the organization. The continuum of care model can be used for the prevention and management of diabetes and other noncommunicable diseases within and beyond Nepal with similar context.

Trial registration

ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT04131257. Registered on 18 October 2019.

Prevalence of intestinal parasitic infections among public school children in a rural village of Kathmandu Valley

Intestinal parasitic infections (IPI) are one of the most prevalent infections in humans residing in developing countries and its burden is high among school aged children. This cross-sectional study was conducted to determine the prevalence of intestinal parasitic infection and types of intestinal parasites in rural public school children of Nepal. It included students from Nursery to Class X of a rural public school located in the northeast part of the Kathmandu Valley, Nepal. Among the 194 participating children, prevalence of intestinal parasitic infection was found as 23.7%; (28.2% for boys; 20.2% for girls). Amongst the infected children, single and mixed parasitic infection was detected in 43 (93.5%) and 3 (6.5%) children respectively. Among protozoan parasites, Giardia lamblia was the most common (58.6%) whereas Hymenolepis nana was the most common (21.7%) among the helminths. Statistically different prevalence of intestinal parasitic infection was observed among children aged above 10 years and children aged below 6 years as well as 6 to 10 years. Gender-wise, there was no statistical difference in prevalence of intestinal parasitic infection. This study suggests the need of health education program in schools along with regular screening of intestinal parasites and treatment for effective management of the intestinal parasites among school children in Nepal.

Microalbuminuria and macroalbuminuria in type 2 diabetes

BACKGROUND

Type 2 diabetes is the leading cause of end stage renal disease worldwide. Prevalence of diabetic nephropathy (DN) varies in the different ethnic groups. Nepal is country with great ethnic diversity. This study has been done to find the prevalence of microalbuminuria and macroalbuminuria in the two ethnic groups Jyapu and Brahmin.

METHODS

In our study we have included two ethnic groups Jyapu and Brahmin type 2 diabetic patients.

INCLUSION CRITERIA

Age ≥ 30 years, clinically diagnosed type 2 diabetic patients.

EXCLUSION CRITERIA

Patients with a history of urinary tract infection, hematuria, renal failure, intercaste marriage and women with menstruation at the time of sample collection.

RESULTS

The overall prevalence of albuminuria was 49.05%. The prevalence of microalbuminuria was 35.89% in Jyapu and 37.73% in Brahmin which was comparable. There was significantly higher prevalence of macroalbuminuria in Jyapu 20.75% and Brahmin 3.77%. Association of dietary habit was seen with microalbuminuria and macroalbuminuria in both ethnic groups.

CONCLUSIONS

The overall prevalence of albuminuria in type 2 diabetes of our study was high and there was significantly higher macroalbuminuria in Jyapu compared with Brahmin. It, therefore, predicts a higher risk of having kidney disease in Jyapu population.