Tailoring of Health-Promotion Video Messaging for Reproductive-Aged Women at Risk for Developing Cardiometabolic Disease: Qualitative Focus-Groups Study.

BACKGROUND: Targeting reproductive-aged women at high risk for type 2 diabetes (T2D) provides an opportunity for prevention earlier in the life course. A woman's experiences during her reproductive years may have a large impact on her future risk of T2D. Her risk is 7 to 10 times higher if she has had gestational diabetes (GDM). Despite these risks, T2D is preventable. Evidence-based programs, such as the National Diabetes Prevention Program (DPP), can reduce the risk of developing T2D by nearly 60%. However, only 0.4% of adults with prediabetes have participated in the DPP to date and reproductive-aged women are 50% less likely to participate than older women. In prior work, our team developed a mobile 360° video to address diabetes risk awareness and promote DPP enrollment among at-risk adults; this video was not designed, however, for reproductive-aged women. OBJECTIVE: This study aims to obtain feedback from reproductive-aged women with cardiometabolic disease risk about a 360° video designed to promote enrollment in the DPP, and to gather suggestions about tailoring video messages to reproductive-aged women. METHODS: Focus groups and a qualitative descriptive approach were used. Women with at least 1 previous pregnancy, aged 18 to 40 years, participated in one of three focus groups stratified by the following health risks: (1) a history of GDM or a hypertensive disorder of pregnancy, (2) a diagnosis of prediabetes, or (3) a BMI classified as obese. Focus-group questions addressed several topics; this report shared findings regarding video feedback. The 3 focus-group discussions were conducted via Zoom and were recorded and transcribed for analysis. Deductive codes were used to identify concepts related to the research question and inductive codes were created for novel insights shared by participants. The codes were then organized into categories and themes. RESULTS: The main themes identified were positive feedback, negative feedback, centering motherhood, and the importance of storytelling. While some participants said the video produced a sense of urgency for health-behavior change, all participants agreed that design changes could improve the video's motivating effect on health-behavior change in reproductive-aged women. Participants felt a tailored video should recognize the complexities of being a mother and how these dynamics contribute to women's difficulty engaging in healthy behaviors without stirring feelings of guilt. Women desired a video with a positive, problem-solving perspective, and recommended live links as clickable resources for practical solutions promoting health behavior change. Women suggested using storytelling, both to describe how complications experienced during pregnancy impact long-term health and to motivate health behavior change. CONCLUSIONS: Reproductive-aged women require tailored lifestyle-change messaging that addresses barriers commonly encountered by this population (eg, parenting or work responsibilities). Moreover, messaging should prioritize a positive tone that harnesses storytelling and human connection while offering realistic solutions.

Some key questions: Pregnancy intention screening by community health workers.

BACKGROUND: Unintended pregnancy contributes to a high burden of maternal and fetal morbidity in the United States, and pregnancy intention screening offers a key strategy to improve preconception health and reproductive health equity. The One Key Question© is a pregnancy intention screening tool that asks a single question, "Would you like to become pregnant in the next year?" to all reproductive-age women. This study explored the perspectives of community health workers on using One Key Question in community-based settings. OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to identify barriers and facilitators to the use of the One Key Question pregnancy intention screening tool by community health workers who serve reproductive-age women in Salt Lake City, Utah. DESIGN: Using reproductive justice as a guiding conceptual framework, this study employed a qualitative descriptive design. Participants were asked to identify barriers and facilitators to the One Key Question, with open-ended discussion to explore community health workers' knowledge and perceptions about pregnancy intention screening. METHODS: We conducted focus groups with 43 community health workers in Salt Lake City, Utah, from December 2017 through January 2018. Participants were trained on the One Key Question algorithm and asked to identify barriers and facilitators to implementation. All focus groups occurred face-to-face in community settings and used a semi-structured facilitation guide developed by the study Principal Investigator with input from community partners. RESULTS: Pregnancy intention screening is perceived positively by community health workers. Barriers identified include traditional cultural beliefs about modesty and sex, lack of trust in health care providers, and female bias in the One Key Question algorithm. Facilitators include the simplicity of the One Key Question algorithm and the flexibility of One Key Question responses. CONCLUSION: One Key Question is an effective pregnancy intention screening tool in primary care settings but is limited in its capacity to reach those outside the health system. Community-based pregnancy intention screening offers an alternative avenue for implementation of One Key Question that could address many of these barriers and reduce disparities for underserved populations.

Perceptions about future health trajectories among women at risk for developing cardiometabolic disease: A qualitative study.

Background: The reproductive years provide a window into future risk for Type 2 Diabetes (T2DM); women's risk is seven to 10 times higher after gestational diabetes (GDM) and two to four times higher after a hypertensive disorder of pregnancy (HDP). Targeting reproductive-aged women at high risk for T2DM could reduce future T2DM incidence. However, little is known about such women's diabetes risk perceptions, or their knowledge or barriers/motivators of lifestyle change-information essential to understanding how to engage these at-risk women in tailored prevention programs promoting long-term health. This study's aims include: among reproductive-aged women at high risk for T2DM, what is/are 1) personal health-risk awareness, 2) lifestyle-change interest, and 3) barriers/motivators of participation in lifestyle-change programs? Methods: Women aged 18 to 48 were eligible if they had one of the following health risks: 1) GDM or HDP during pregnancy, 2) prediabetes diagnosis, or 3) BMI classified as obese. Three Zoom focus groups, organized by risk group, were conducted with a total of 20 participants. Qualitative content and thematic analysis were used for the focus group transcriptions. Results: Women's personal health-risk awareness was limited and generalized (e.g., being overweight might lead to other risks) and rarely reflected awareness connected to their personal health history (e.g., GDM increases their lifetime risk of T2DM). Participants reported that healthcare providers did not adequately follow or address their health risks. All women expressed interest in making healthy lifestyle changes, including engagement in formal programs, but they shared multiple barriers to healthy behavior change related to being "busy moms." Women emphasized the need for social support and realistic solutions that accounted for the dynamics of motherhood and family life. Common motivators included the desire to maintain health for their families and to set a good example for their children. Conclusions: Participants lacked knowledge and were eager for information. Healthcare improvement opportunities include better coordination of care between primary and specialty-care providers, and more frequent communication and education on diabetes-related health risks and long-term health. Formal lifestyle programs should tailor content by providing multiple formats and flexibility of scheduling while leveraging peer support for sustained engagement.