Participant Experiences of an Infant Obesity Prevention Program Delivered via Telephone Calls or Text Messages
1
Faculty of Medicine and Health, Sydney School of Public Health, The University of Sydney, Camperdown, NSW 2006, Australia
2
NHMRC Centre of Research Excellence in the Early Prevention of Obesity in Childhood, The University of Sydney, Camperdown 2006, Australia
3
Prevention Research Collaboration, Charles Perkins Centre, Sydney School of Public Health, The University of Sydney, Camperdown 2006, Australia
4
Health Promotion Unit, Sydney Local Health District, Camperdown 2050, Australia
5
Sydney Medical School, The University of Sydney, Camperdown 2006, Australia
6
New South Wales Office of Preventive Health, Ministry of Health, Liverpool 2170, Australia
*
Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Healthcare 2020, 8(1), 60; https://doi.org/10.3390/healthcare8010060
Received: 14 February 2020
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Revised: 11 March 2020
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Accepted: 13 March 2020
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Published: 16 March 2020
(This article belongs to the Section Nutrition and Public Health)
A 3-arm randomised controlled trial implemented in 2017, recruited participants from four Local Health Districts (LHDs) in New South Wales (NSW) to test an early obesity prevention program delivered via telephone calls (telephone) or text messages (SMS). This sub-study explored participants’ experience and satisfaction with the program. A multimethod design was used. Quantitative satisfaction questions were completed by participants when their child was six-months old. A purposive sample of participants with varying satisfaction levels was invited for in-depth qualitative interviews. Data were analysed using Excel (quantitative) and inductive thematic analysis (qualitative). Of the 1155 participants recruited: 947 (293 telephone; 338 SMS; 316 control) completed the six-month survey; 34 (14 telephone; 13 SMS; 7 control) were interviewed. Participants’ overall program satisfaction was 100% (telephone) and 85% (SMS). Participants’ qualitative responses demonstrated appreciation of: personalised stage-based information; opportunity to communicate with health professionals (telephone); linked Healthy Beginnings booklets and SMS mostly as nudges (SMS). There is a clear need for stage-based information, and supplemented modes of delivery i.e., text messages along with telephone calls; with text messages solely seen as nudges or reminders. However, individual preferences vary according to information needs at any given time, time constraints on new mothers and hence, multiple modes of information provision are recommended in order to reach a wider population and for better engagement. Choice and flexibility in mode of delivery has the potential to provide equitable access to information, empowering women with infants to practice recommended health behaviours for infant obesity prevention.
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Keywords:
mHealth; infant obesity prevention; mother; process evaluation; mobile telephone calls; text messages; SMS; satisfaction; perception; childhood obesity
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MDPI and ACS Style
Ekambareshwar, M.; Taki, S.; Mihrshahi, S.; Baur, L.A.; Rissel, C.; Wen, L.M. Participant Experiences of an Infant Obesity Prevention Program Delivered via Telephone Calls or Text Messages. Healthcare 2020, 8, 60. https://doi.org/10.3390/healthcare8010060
AMA Style
Ekambareshwar M, Taki S, Mihrshahi S, Baur LA, Rissel C, Wen LM. Participant Experiences of an Infant Obesity Prevention Program Delivered via Telephone Calls or Text Messages. Healthcare. 2020; 8(1):60. https://doi.org/10.3390/healthcare8010060
Chicago/Turabian StyleEkambareshwar, Mahalakshmi, Sarah Taki, Seema Mihrshahi, Louise A. Baur, Chris Rissel, and Li M. Wen. 2020. "Participant Experiences of an Infant Obesity Prevention Program Delivered via Telephone Calls or Text Messages" Healthcare 8, no. 1: 60. https://doi.org/10.3390/healthcare8010060
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