momHealth: A Feasibility Study of a Multi-behavioral Health Intervention for Pregnant and Parenting Adolescent Mothers

Abstract

Introduction. In 2016, 209,809 babies were born to mothers 15 -19 years of age, for a live birth rate of 20.3 per 1,000 in this age group. Many health issues surround adolescent mothers and their infants, many which can be addressed through behavioral change. We examined feasibility and acceptability of momHealth, a Multiple Health Behavior Change (MHBC) intervention focused on breastfeeding, healthy eating/active living, and depression prevention among pregnant and parenting adolescents. Methods. We used a one-group quasi-experimental longitudinal design. Nine iPad-delivered education modules, text messaging, and virtual group and individual support were provided for 12 weeks, beginning at 32 weeks of pregnancy with follow-up to 3 months postpartum. Data were collected at three home visits and ten postpartum weekly and biweekly online surveys. Results. Although recruitment and attrition presented challenges, six participants enrolled; all were pregnant with their first child, single, and had a mean age of 17.7 years (SD = 1.4). Intervention participation ranged from 59% to 91% for intervention components and three peer support groups were held. Intervention feasibility was supported by reports of clear and relevant content, reasonable time burden, iPad ease of use, and acceptable intervention length. Data collection was reported as convenient and non-burdensome, but diet recalls and activity monitoring challenged some. Conclusions. This was the first MHBC research in adolescent pregnant women to improve breastfeeding outcomes, healthy eating/active living, and depression prevention. Findings demonstrated strengths and challenges of the interventions and methods, support feasibility and acceptability of momhealth, and informed a pilot randomized trial.

Acceptability and Feasibility of Text Message Interface to Assess Parents’ Real-time PICU Experiences

“…The study environment is a single PICU in a free-standing children's hospital in a major metropolitan area, with a total of 72 PICU beds divided into cardiac (24) and non-cardiac (48).…”

“…[18][19][20][21][22] It is convenient and may bypass some limitations of retrospective methods, such as recall bias. Research from other settings supports its potential convenience to parents [23][24][25] and its potential to help parents feel more supported by their child's medical teams. 26 However, parents' experiences in the PICU differ meaningfully from those of parents in the community.…”

Obesity, Pregnancy and the Social Contract with Today’s Adolescents

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