Opportunities in the Postpartum Period to Reduce Cardiovascular Disease Risk After Adverse Pregnancy Outcomes: A Scientific Statement From the American Heart Association.

Adverse pregnancy outcomes are common among pregnant individuals and are associated with long-term risk of cardiovascular disease. Individuals with adverse pregnancy outcomes also have an increased incidence of cardiovascular disease risk factors after delivery. Despite this, evidence-based approaches to managing these patients after pregnancy to reduce cardiovascular disease risk are lacking. In this scientific statement, we review the current evidence on interpregnancy and postpartum preventive strategies, blood pressure management, and lifestyle interventions for optimizing cardiovascular disease using the American Heart Association Life's Essential 8 framework. Clinical, health system, and community-level interventions can be used to engage postpartum individuals and to reach populations who experience the highest burden of adverse pregnancy outcomes and cardiovascular disease. Future trials are needed to improve screening of subclinical cardiovascular disease in individuals with a history of adverse pregnancy outcomes, before the onset of symptomatic disease. Interventions in the fourth trimester, defined as the 12 weeks after delivery, have great potential to improve cardiovascular health across the life course.

Improving Maternal Cardiovascular Health in Underserved Populations: a Narrative Review of Behavioral Intervention Trials Targeting Postpartum Weight Retention.

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: Racial/ethnic minority and socioeconomically disadvantaged individuals experience greater postpartum weight retention, which has been linked to the development of cardiovascular disease. This article reviews recent literature on behavioral interventions targeting postpartum weight retention in these populations. RECENT FINDINGS: Seven randomized controlled trials published since 2010 were selected for this review. Four were successful in reducing or preventing postpartum weight retention. Recruitment primarily occurred in low-income urban areas. All interventions reported using the Social Cognitive Theory and targeted mostly individual-level behavior change focused on diet and physical activity. Four were technology-based, and most implemented strategies to increase cultural relevance of the intervention. Opportunities for future interventions include expand target population to enroll individuals starting in pregnancy and address rural populations; incorporate empirically tested retention strategies; increase focus on psychosocial factors, particularly chronic stress; utilize multilevel approaches; continue to leverage technology; and maximize efforts to increase cultural relevancy.

Equity in Psychosocial Outcomes and Care for Racial and Ethnic Minorities and Socioeconomically Disadvantaged People With Diabetes.

The role of social determinants of health (SDOH) in promoting equity in diabetes prevalence, incidence, and outcomes continues to be documented in the literature. Less attention has focused on disparities in psychosocial aspects of living with diabetes and the role of SDOH in promoting equity in psychosocial outcomes and care. In this review, the authors describe racial/ethnic and socioeconomic disparities in psychosocial aspects of living with diabetes, discuss promising approaches to promote equity in psychosocial care, and provide future research directions.

A Randomized Encouragement Trial to Increase Mail Order Pharmacy Use and Medication Adherence in Patients with Diabetes.

BACKGROUND: Mail order pharmacy (MOP) use has been linked to improved medication adherence and health outcomes among patients with diabetes. However, no large-scale intervention studies have assessed the effect of encouraging MOP use on medication adherence. OBJECTIVE: To assess an intervention to encourage MOP services to increase its use and medication adherence. DESIGN: Randomized encouragement trial. PATIENTS: 63,012 diabetes patients from three health care systems: Kaiser Permanente Northern California (KPNC), Kaiser Permanente Hawaii (KPHI), and Harvard Pilgrim Health Care (HPHC) who were poorly adherent to at least one class of cardiometabolic medications and had not used MOP in the prior 12 months. INTERVENTION: Patients were randomized to receive either usual care (control arm) or outreach encouraging MOP use consisting of a mailed letter, secure email message, and automated telephone call outlining the potential benefits of MOP use (intervention arm). HPHC intervention patients received the letter only. MEASUREMENTS: We compared the percentages of patients that began using MOP and that became adherent to cardiometabolic medication classes during a 12-month follow-up period. We also conducted a race/ethnicity-stratified analysis. RESULTS: During follow-up, 10.6% of intervention patients began using MOP vs. 9.3% of controls (p < 0.01); the percent of cardiometabolic medication delivered via mail was 42.1% vs. 39.8% (p < 0.01). Metformin adherence improved in the intervention arm relative to control at the two KP sites (52% vs. 49%, p < 0.01). Stratified analyses suggested a significant positive effect of the intervention in White (RR: 1.12, 95% CI: 1.03, 1.22) and Asian (RR: 1.30, 95% CI: 1.17, 1.45) patients. CONCLUSION: This pragmatic trial showed that simple outreach to encourage MOP modestly increased its use and improved adherence measured by refills to a key class of diabetes medications in some settings. Given its minimal cost, clinicians and health systems should consider outreach interventions to actively promote MOP use among diabetes patients. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov registration number: NCT02621476.

Comparative Effectiveness of 2 Diabetes Prevention Lifestyle Programs in the Workplace: The City and County of San Francisco Diabetes Prevention Trial.

INTRODUCTION: Data on the comparative effectiveness of Diabetes Prevention Programs (DPPs) in the workplace are limited. METHODS: Between September 2015 and July 2016, employees of the City and County of San Francisco who were at risk for type 2 diabetes (N = 158) were randomly assigned to one of 2 DPP-derived programs recognized by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: an in-person YMCA-DPP (n = 78) or an online virtual lifestyle management DPP (VLM-DPP) offered through Canary Health (n = 80). The primary outcome was change in body weight assessed at 6 and 12 months. Follow-up ended in August 2017. RESULTS: Both the YMCA-DPP and VLM-DPP yielded a significant reduction in percentage body weight at 6 months. For the YMCA-DPP, mean percentage change at 6 months was -2.70% (95% confidence interval [CI], -3.91% to -1.48%) and at 12 months was -2.46% (95% CI, -4.24% to -0.68%). For the VLM-DPP, mean percentage change at 6 months was -2.41% (95% CI, -4.07% to -0.77%) and at 12 months was -1.59% (95% CI, -3.51% to 0.33%). The mean between-condition difference at 6 months was -0.25% (95% CI, -2.04% to 1.55%) and at 12 months was -0.84% (95% CI, -3.03% to 1.34%). No significant differences were observed between conditions. The YMCA-DPP had a slightly higher reduction in waist circumference than VLM-DDP at 6 months (mean between-condition difference -2.00 cm [95% CI, -4.24 to 0.25 cm]). Participant engagement, expressed as mean number of completed core program sessions, was significantly higher for the YMCA-DPP than the VLM-DPP. Participants of the YMCA-DPP completed an average of 10.2 sessions (95% CI, 9.0 to 11.4), and participants of the VLM-DPP completed an average of 5.9 sessions (95% CI, 4.7 to 7.1). The adjusted mean between-condition difference was 4.2 sessions (95% CI, 2.54 to 5.99). CONCLUSION: Both the YMCA-DPP and VLM-DPP yielded weight loss at 6 months, which was maintained at 12 months in the YMCA-DPP. The workplace may be an effective setting to offer DPPs.

A Randomized Study of Values Affirmation to Promote Interest in Diabetes Prevention Among Women With a History of Gestational Diabetes.

OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study was to test whether 2 interventions promote interest in diabetes prevention among women with a history of gestational diabetes mellitus, who face high lifetime risk for diabetes. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS: We designed an email outreach message promoting an existing preventive lifestyle program. The message incorporated values affirmation, a theory-based intervention that can improve openness to health information but typically relies on a writing exercise less practical in health care settings. In a 3-arm randomized study, 237 women with elevated body mass index and a history of gestational diabetes mellitus were randomized to read an outreach message containing either no affirmation (control) or 1 of 2 affirmations, streamlined to remove the typical writing exercise: either a values affirmation prompting reflection on any personal value, or a parenting affirmation prompting reflection on caregiving-related values. Outcomes included demonstrating interest in the lifestyle program (seeking information about it or intending to join) and seeking publicly-available health information about diabetes prevention. RESULTS: Compared with control, participants randomized to the values affirmation more frequently demonstrated interest in the lifestyle program (59.0% vs. 74.4%; adjusted relative risk: 1.31; 95% confidence interval: 1.04-1.66) and sought information about diabetes prevention (59.0% vs. 73.4%; adjusted relative risk: 1.22; 95% confidence interval: 0.97-1.54). The parenting affirmation yielded no significant differences in either outcome. CONCLUSIONS: A streamlined values affirmation, designed for feasibility in a health care setting, can promote interest in diabetes prevention among women at high risk. Research is needed to evaluate its effects on diabetes prevention program enrollment and clinical outcomes.

Gestational weight gain and optimal wellness (GLOW): rationale and methods for a randomized controlled trial of a lifestyle intervention among pregnant women with overweight or obesity.

BACKGROUND: Excess gestational weight gain (GWG) is common among women with overweight or obesity, increasing their risks for pregnancy complications, delivering a large infant, and postpartum weight retention. To date, only intensive interventions have had success and few interventions have been designed for implementation in healthcare settings. METHODS: We describe the development, rationale, and methods of GLOW (GestationaL Weight Gain and Optimal Wellness), a randomized controlled trial evaluating the efficacy of a lifestyle intervention to prevent excess GWG among racially/ethnically diverse women with overweight or obesity in an integrated healthcare delivery system. Participants in Kaiser Permanente Northern California will be randomized, within 2 weeks of completing a study baseline clinic visit at 10 weeks' gestation, to either usual medical care or a multi-component pregnancy lifestyle intervention adapted from the Diabetes Prevention Program (target N = 400). Informed by focus groups with patients and designed to be feasible in a clinical setting, the intervention will include 13 weekly individual sessions (11 delivered by telephone) focused on behavior change for weight management, healthy eating, physical activity, and stress management. Outcomes will be assessed in women and their infants from randomization to 12 months postpartum. The primary outcome is GWG. Secondary outcomes include changes in diet and physical activity during pregnancy and infant birthweight. Exploratory outcomes include cardiometabolic profile assessed via pregnancy blood samples and cord blood samples; and postpartum weight retention and infant anthropometrics up to 12 months of age. The trial includes systematic approaches to enhance intervention fidelity, intervention adherence, and participant retention in trial assessments. DISCUSSION: GLOW is among few trials targeting excess GWG among diverse women with overweight or obesity in a healthcare setting, with long-term maternal and infant outcomes assessed up to 12 months after delivery. This evaluation of a multi-component intervention is designed to produce generalizable results to inform potential adoption of the intervention in clinical settings. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov ( NCT02130232 ): submitted April 30, 2014; posted May 5, 2014.

Opportunities to encourage mail order pharmacy delivery service use for diabetes prescriptions: a qualitative study.

BACKGROUND: Medication non-adherence is a major contributor to poor outcomes in diabetes. Previous research has shown an association between use of mail order pharmacy delivery and better medication adherence, but little is known about the barriers and facilitators to mail order pharmacy use in diabetes patients. This qualitative study examined factors related to mail order pharmacy use versus traditional "brick and mortar" pharmacies to refill prescriptions. METHODS: We conducted four 90-min focus groups in 2016 among 28 diabetes patients in the Hawaii and Northern California regions of Kaiser Permanente, a large integrated health care delivery system. We queried participants on their preferred mode for refilling prescriptions and perceived barriers and facilitators of mail order pharmacy use. One researcher independently coded each focus group transcript, with two of these transcripts double-coded by a second researcher to promote reliability. We employed thematic analysis guided by the Capability, Opportunity, Motivation, and Behavior (COM-B) framework using NVivo 11 software. RESULTS: A total of 28 diabetes patients participated. Participants' average age was 64.1 years; 57% were female; and racial/ethnic backgrounds included Asian/Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander (36%), Black/African-American (21%) Hispanic/Latino (7%), and non-Hispanic White (36%). Analysis uncovered 26 themes related to the decision to use mail order pharmacy, with each theme representing a barrier or facilitator mapped to the COM-B framework. Most themes (20/26) fell into the COM-B category of 'Opportunity.' Opportunity barriers to mail order pharmacy use included unpredictability of medication delivery date, concerns about mail security, and difficulty coordinating refill orders for multiple prescriptions. In contrast, facilitators included greater access and convenience (e.g., no need to wait in line or arrange transportation) compared to traditional pharmacies. Motivational facilitators to mail order pharmacy use included receiving a pharmacy benefit plan incentive of a free one-month supply of prescriptions. CONCLUSIONS: This study found that while patients with diabetes may benefit from mail order pharmacy use, they perceive numerous barriers to using the service. These findings will inform the design of interventions and quality improvement initiatives to increase mail order pharmacy use, which in turn may improve medication adherence and outcomes in diabetes patients, across health care systems.

Moderate and Vigorous Intensity Exercise During Pregnancy and Gestational Weight Gain in Women with Gestational Diabetes.

Objectives To estimate the associations of moderate and vigorous intensity exercise during pregnancy with the rate of gestational weight gain (GWG) from gestational diabetes (GDM) diagnosis to delivery, overall and stratified by prepregnancy overweight/obesity. Methods Prospective cohort study with physical activity reported shortly after the GDM diagnosis and prepregnancy weight and post-diagnosis GWG obtained from electronic health records (n = 1055). Multinomial logistic regression models in the full cohort and stratified by prepregnancy overweight/obesity estimated associations of moderate and vigorous intensity exercise with GWG below and above the Institute of Medicine's (IOM) prepregnancy BMI-specific recommended ranges for weekly rate of GWG in the second and third trimesters. Results In the full cohort, any participation in vigorous intensity exercise was associated with decreased odds of GWG above recommended ranges as compared to no participation [odds ratio (95 % confidence interval): 0.63 (0.40, 0.99)], with a significant trend for decreasing odds of excess GWG with increasing level of vigorous intensity exercise. Upon stratification by prepregnancy overweight/obesity, significant associations were only observed for BMI ≥ 25.0 kg/m(2): any vigorous intensity exercise, as compared to none, was associated with 54 % decreased odds of excess GWG [0.46 (0.27, 0.79)] and significant trends were detected for decreasing odds of GWG both below and above the IOM's recommended ranges with increasing level of vigorous exercise (both P ≤ 0.03). No associations were observed for moderate intensity exercise. Conclusions for Practice In women with GDM, particularly overweight and obese women, vigorous intensity exercise during pregnancy may reduce the odds of excess GWG.

Outreach to diversify clinical trial participation: A randomized recruitment study.

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Racial and ethnic minorities remain underrepresented in clinical research, yet few recruitment strategies have been rigorously evaluated. METHODS: We experimentally tested whether targeted recruitment letters acknowledging diabetes health disparities and health risks specific to recipients' racial/ethnic group improved two metrics of trial participation: willingness to be screened and enrollment. This experiment was efficiently nested within a randomized clinical trial examining a preventive lifestyle intervention among women at high risk for diabetes. Pregnant women with gestational diabetes or impaired glucose tolerance (N = 445) were randomized to receive a targeted recruitment letter with health risk information specific to their racial/ethnic group (n = 216), or a standard letter with risk information for the general population (n = 229). All letters were bilingual in English and Spanish. RESULTS: The targeted as compared to the standard letter did not improve screening or enrollment rates overall or within separate racial/ethnic groups. Among Latina women who preferred Spanish, the targeted letter showed trends for improved screening (66.7% vs 33.3%, p = .06) and enrollment rates (38.9% vs 13.3%, p = .13). In contrast, among Latina women who preferred English, the targeted letter significantly lowered screening (29.6% vs 57.1%, p = .04) and showed trends for lowered enrollment rates (25.9% vs 50.0%, p = .07). CONCLUSION: Results from this randomized study appear to suggest that recruitment letters with diabetes health risk information targeted to recipients' race/ethnicity may improve one metric of clinical trial participation among Latina women who prefer Spanish, but not English. Larger experimental studies, incorporating input from diverse participant stakeholders, are needed to develop evidence-based minority recruitment strategies.

Wellness Coaching for People With Prediabetes: A Randomized Encouragement Trial to Evaluate Outreach Methods at Kaiser Permanente, Northern California, 2013.

INTRODUCTION: Health coaching can improve lifestyle behaviors known to prevent or manage chronic conditions. Little is known about effective ways to encourage health and wellness coaching among people who might benefit. The purpose of this randomized encouragement trial was to assess the relative success of 3 outreach methods (secured email message, telephone message, and mailed letter) on the use of wellness coaching by people with prediabetes. METHODS: A total of 14,584 Kaiser Permanente Northern California (KPNC) patients with diagnosed prediabetes (fasting plasma glucose, 110-125mg/dL) were randomly assigned to be contacted via 1 of 4 intervention arms from January through May 2013. The uptake rate (making an appointment at the Wellness Coaching Center [WCC]) was assessed, and the association between uptake rate and patient characteristics was examined via multivariable logistic regression. RESULTS: The overall uptake rate across intervention arms was 1.9%. Secured email message had the highest uptake rate (3.0%), followed by letters and telephone messages (P < .05 for all pairwise comparisons). No participants in the usual-care arm (ie, no outreach) made an appointment with the WCC. For each year of increased age, the estimated odds of the uptake increased by 1.02 (odds ratio [OR] = 1.02; 95% CI, 1.01-1.04). Women were nearly twice as likely to make an appointment at the WCC as men (OR = 1.87; 95% CI, 1.40-2.51). CONCLUSION: Our results suggest that the WCC can recruit and encourage KPNC members with prediabetes to participate in the WCC. Future research should focus on increasing participation rates in health coaching among patients who may benefit.

A pragmatic cluster randomized clinical trial of diabetes prevention strategies for women with gestational diabetes: design and rationale of the Gestational Diabetes' Effects on Moms (GEM) study.

BACKGROUND: Women with gestational diabetes (GDM) are at high risk of developing diabetes later in life. After a GDM diagnosis, women receive prenatal care to control their blood glucose levels via diet, physical activity and medications. Continuing such lifestyle skills into early motherhood may reduce the risk of diabetes in this high risk population. In the Gestational Diabetes' Effects on Moms (GEM) study, we are evaluating the comparative effectiveness of diabetes prevention strategies for weight management designed for pregnant/postpartum women with GDM and delivered at the health system level. METHODS/DESIGN: The GEM study is a pragmatic cluster randomized clinical trial of 44 medical facilities at Kaiser Permanente Northern California randomly assigned to either the intervention or usual care conditions, that includes 2,320 women with a GDM diagnosis between March 27, 2011 and March 30, 2012. A Diabetes Prevention Program-derived print/telephone lifestyle intervention of 13 telephonic sessions tailored to pregnant/postpartum women was developed. The effectiveness of this intervention added to usual care is to be compared to usual care practices alone, which includes two pages of printed lifestyle recommendations sent to postpartum women via mail. Primary outcomes include the proportion of women who reach a postpartum weight goal and total weight change. Secondary outcomes include postpartum glycemia, blood pressure, depression, percent of calories from fat, total caloric intake and physical activity levels. Data were collected through electronic medical records and surveys at baseline (soon after GDM diagnosis), 6 weeks (range 2 to 11 weeks), 6 months (range 12 to 34 weeks) and 12 months postpartum (range 35 to 64 weeks). DISCUSSION: There is a need for evidence regarding the effectiveness of lifestyle modification for the prevention of diabetes in women with GDM, as well as confirmation that a diabetes prevention program delivered at the health system level is able to successfully reach this population. Given the use of a telephonic case management model, our Diabetes Prevention Program-derived print/telephone intervention has the potential to be adopted in other settings and to inform policies to promote the prevention of diabetes among women with GDM.

The multigroup ethnic identity measure-revised: measurement invariance across racial and ethnic groups.

The Multigroup Ethnic Identity Measure-Revised (MEIM-R), a brief instrument assessing affiliation with one's ethnic group, is a promising advance in the ethnic identity literature. However, equivalency of its measurement properties across specific racial and ethnic groups should be confirmed before using it in diverse samples. We examined (a) the psychometric properties of the MEIM-R, including factor structure, measurement invariance, and internal consistency reliability, and (b) levels of and differences in ethnic identity across multiple racial and ethnic groups and subgroups. Asian (n = 630), Black/African American (n = 58), Hispanic (n = 240), multiethnic (n = 160), and White (n = 375) women completed the MEIM-R as part of the "Gestational diabetes' Effect on Moms" diabetes prevention trial in the Kaiser Permanente Northern California health care setting (N = 1,463; M age = 32.5 years, SD = 4.9). Multiple-groups confirmatory factor analyses provided provisional evidence of measurement invariance, i.e., an equal, correlated 2-factor structure, equal factor loadings, and equal item intercepts across racial and ethnic groups. Latent factor means for the 2 MEIM-R subscales, exploration and commitment, differed across groups; effect sizes ranging from small to large generally supported the notion of ethnic identity as more salient among people of color. Pending replication, good psychometric properties in this large and diverse sample of women support the future use of the MEIM-R. Preliminary evidence of measurement invariance suggests that the MEIM-R could be used to measure and compare ethnic identity across multiple racial and ethnic groups.

Digital health outreach to promote postpartum screening after gestational diabetes: A randomized factorial pilot study.

Objective: We examined the acceptability and feasibility of a multi-component digital health outreach intervention to promote uptake of guideline-recommended postpartum screening for type 2 diabetes among patients with gestational diabetes (GDM). Methods: We conducted a 24 randomized factorial experiment as part of the Multiphase Optimization Strategy (MOST) preparation phase for developing behavioral interventions. Participants with current or recent GDM in an integrated healthcare system were randomized to receive an outreach message with up to four intervention components, designed to be self-administered in about 10 min and efficiently delivered online via REDCap: a streamlined values affirmation, personalized information on diabetes risk, an interactive motivational interviewing-based component, and an interactive action planning component. Patient-reported acceptability and feasibility outcomes were assessed via survey. Results: Among 162 participants, 72% self-identified with a racial/ethnic minority group. Across components, acceptability scores averaged 3.9/5; ≥91% of participants read most or all of the outreach message; ≥89% perceived the amount of information as "about right"; and ≥ 87% completed ≥1 interactive prompt. Conclusion: Each intervention component was acceptable to diverse patients and feasible to deliver in a brief, self-directed, online format. Innovation: These novel components target unaddressed barriers to patient engagement in guideline-recommended postpartum diabetes screening and adapt theory-based behavior change techniques for large-scale use.

How cy pres promotes transdisciplinary convergence science: an academic health center for women's cardiovascular and brain health.

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is largely preventable, and the leading cause of death for men and women. Though women have increased life expectancy compared to men, there are marked sex disparities in prevalence and risk of CVD-associated mortality and dementia. Yet, the basis for these and female-male differences is not completely understood. It is increasingly recognized that heart and brain health represent a lifetime of exposures to shared risk factors (including obesity, hyperlipidemia, diabetes, and hypertension) that compromise cerebrovascular health. We describe the process and resources for establishing a new research Center for Women's Cardiovascular and Brain Health at the University of California, Davis as a model for: (1) use of the cy pres principle for funding science to improve health; (2) transdisciplinary collaboration to leapfrog progress in a convergence science approach that acknowledges and addresses social determinants of health; and (3) training the next generation of diverse researchers. This may serve as a blueprint for future Centers in academic health institutions, as the cy pres mechanism for funding research is a unique mechanism to leverage residual legal settlement funds to catalyze the pace of scientific discovery, maximize innovation, and promote health equity in addressing society's most vexing health problems.

Health-plan and employer-based wellness programs to reduce diabetes risk: The Kaiser Permanente Northern California NEXT-D Study.

Primary prevention of diabetes is increasingly recognized by both health plans and employers as an important strategy to improve the health of insured populations. As a part of the Natural Experiments in Translation for Diabetes (NEXT-D) network, the Kaiser Permanente Northern California (KPNC) Division of Research is assessing the effectiveness of 2 health plan-initiated programs to prevent the onset of diabetes in patients at high risk. The first study evaluates a telephonic health-coaching program that provides counseling on healthful eating, active living, and weight loss to KPNC members. The second evaluation examines a postpartum glucose screening and educational diabetes prevention program for women with gestational diabetes mellitus that KPNC implemented in 2006. Identifying effective approaches to preventing diabetes will be of value to health care systems, policy makers, and public health officials seeking to understand the roles systems and employers can play in preventing chronic illness.

Patient satisfaction and perceived success with a telephonic health coaching program: the Natural Experiments for Translation in Diabetes (NEXT-D) Study, Northern California, 2011.

INTRODUCTION: Health coaching can improve lifestyle behaviors known to prevent or manage chronic conditions such as diabetes. However, little is known about the patient experience with telephonic coaching programs in real-world care settings. We examined patient satisfaction, patient's perceived success in achieving program goals, and the patient-level correlates of these outcomes in a voluntary telephonic coaching program at a large integrated health care delivery system in northern California. METHODS: Kaiser Permanente Northern California patients who participated in a telephonic coaching program in 2011 were sent a cross-sectional survey about their satisfaction with health coaching and perceived success with program goals. We examined associations with patient characteristics. RESULTS: The survey response rate was 34%; analyses were based on the 32% who completed the survey. Of those who had completed 2 or more sessions (n = 232 [52%]), most reported being satisfied (70%) or neutral (20%) with the program, and 71% would recommend health coaching. Healthy weight, healthful eating, and physical activity were the most common topics discussed (88%). Adjusting for demographic characteristics, 73% of those who had 2 or more sessions reported that health coaching helped achieve their weight-related goal. Outcomes were positively correlated with patient activation but not consistently correlated with patient demographic characteristics. CONCLUSION: Levels of satisfaction and perceived success with telephonic health coaching provided by a health plan were high and positively correlated with the number of sessions completed and patient activation. Voluntary telephonic health coaching programs should promote retention and assess patients' activation levels.

Intrinsic motivation for physical activity, healthy eating, and self-weighing in association with corresponding behaviors in early pregnancy.

Healthy lifestyle behaviors influence maternal cardiovascular health, but motivation for them in pregnancy is poorly understood. We examined whether intrinsic motivation (assessed on 5-point scales for each behavior) is associated with three lifestyle behaviors in early pregnancy: physical activity, by intensity level; healthy eating, quantified with the Alternate Healthy Eating Index for Pregnancy (AHEI-P); and weight self-monitoring, a standard weight management technique. Participants in the Northern California Pregnancy, Lifestyle and Environment Study (PETALS) population-based cohort completed validated surveys in early pregnancy (2017-18; N = 472; 22 % Asian, 6 % Black, 30 % Hispanic, 13 % multiracial, 30 % White). Cross-sectional data were analyzed in 2021-22. Overall, 40.7 % (n = 192) met United States national physical activity guidelines; the average AHEI-P score was 62.3 out of 130 (SD 11.4); and 36.9 % reported regular self-weighing (≥once/week; n = 174). In models adjusted for participant characteristics, 1-unit increases in intrinsic motivation were associated with increased likelihood of meeting physical activity guidelines (risk ratio [95 % CI]: 1.66 [1.48, 1.86], p < 0.0001); meeting sample-specific 75th percentiles for vigorous physical activity (1.70 [1.44, 1.99], p < 0.0001) and AHEI-P (1.75 [1.33, 2.31], p < 0.0001); and regular self-weighing (2.13 [1.92, 2.37], p < 0.0001). A 1-unit increase in intrinsic motivation lowered the risk of meeting the 75th percentile for sedentary behavior (0.79 [0.67, 0.92], p < 0.003). Intrinsic motivation was not associated with reaching 75th percentiles for total, light, or moderate activity. Intrinsic motivation is associated with physical activity, healthy eating, and self-weighing among diverse individuals in early pregnancy. Results can inform intervention design to promote maternal health via increased enjoyment of lifestyle behaviors.

Understanding of Lactational Amenorrhea As a Contraceptive Method Among U.S. Pregnant Women.

Introduction: The lactational amenorrhea method (LAM) of postpartum contraception is more effective than typical use of condoms or birth control pills. However, LAM may be underutilized due to incomplete perinatal counseling. Methods: We compared perceptions of the effectiveness of postpartum contraceptives including LAM among U.S.-born nulliparous pregnant women recruited using social media for a trial (NCT04601987). We used descriptive statistics to summarize data. Results: Of 760 individuals screened, 627 were invited to participate, and 451 (72%) were enrolled. Most (81%) had a college degree; 79% intended to breastfeed for at least 1 month. Only 8% believed exclusive breastfeeding reduces the chance of pregnancy "a lot" within 6 months of delivery and 2% indicated that exclusive breastfeeding is typically more effective than birth control pills or condoms. Compared with those planning to use other postpartum contraceptives, the 17% of respondents who planned to use LAM were more likely to know that breastfeeding delays return of menses (84% versus 44%, p ≤ 0.0001) and provides protection from pregnancy until menses return (54% versus 22%, p ≤ 0.0001). Although 25% of those planning to use LAM believed exclusive breastfeeding reduces pregnancy risk by "a lot," only 5% thought LAM is more effective than birth control pills and only 9% thought that it is more effective than condoms. Conclusions/Implications: First-time U.S. mothers are often unaware of breastfeeding's effects on menses and fertility. Clinicians providing counseling about postpartum contraceptive options should include more information on LAM.