Obstetric Patients and Healthcare Providers Perspectives to Inform Mobile App Design for Physical Activity and Weight...

Area of Science:

• Maternal Health
• Digital Health
• Public Health

Background:

• Mobile health technology can overcome barriers to exercise for pregnant and postpartum women, especially in rural areas.
• Common barriers include childcare, time constraints, safety concerns, and facility access.

Purpose of the Study:

• To explore the needs and perspectives of rural pregnant women, postpartum women, and healthcare providers regarding a mobile app for physical activity.
• To inform the development of a user-centered mobile health intervention.

Main Methods:

• Qualitative study using focus groups and in-depth interviews with 14 pregnant women, 13 postpartum women, and 11 healthcare providers in a rural setting.
• Semi-structured interviews guided by the Health Belief Model to identify physical activity influences.
• Content analysis of transcribed qualitative data.

Main Results:

• Participants emphasized physical activity for weight management and the need for evidence-based exercise information.
• Desired app features include goal setting, tailored exercise guidance, social support forums, symptom tracking, efficient workouts, and notifications.
• Key themes identified barriers and facilitators to physical activity in rural pregnancy and postpartum periods.

Conclusions:

• Perspectives from rural women and healthcare providers are crucial for designing effective mobile health apps.
• The findings should guide the development of physical activity mobile applications for pregnant and postpartum women in rural communities.