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Development and design of an intervention to improve physical activity in pregnant women using Text4baby

  • Original Research
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Translational Behavioral Medicine

Abstract

Text4baby is a free, mobile health information service for pregnant and post-partum women. This study aims to understand preferences of physical activity text messages (SMS), sequentially develop prototype SMS, and determine preferred dose of SMS to inform a future study utilizing Text4baby. This study had a user-centered design with three phases: (1) literature review and interviews with pregnant women for development of prototype SMS, (2) interviews with health care professionals and pregnant women for prototype SMS feedback, and (3) survey to determine preferred dose of SMS. Data from interviews identified knowledge and support as major themes. Prototypes were developed (N = 14) and informed 168 SMS. Pregnant women (N = 326) thought three SMS/week were about right (50.2 %) and preferred three SMS/week throughout pregnancy (71.9 %). There is a need for opportunities for behavioral scientists to incorporate evidence-based practices within scalable interventions. As such, this research will inform utilization of Text4baby to potentially improve physical activity participation.

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Acknowledgments

This paper was supported by the Virginia G. Piper Charitable Trust.

Conflict of interest

The authors declare that they have no conflict of interests.

Adherence to ethical standards

All procedures were conducted in accordance with the ethical standards of the responsible committee on human experimentation (institutional and national) and with the Helsinki Declaration of 1975, as revised in 2000.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Exercise Science and Health Promotion, Arizona State University, Phoenix, AZ, 85004, USA

    Jennifer Huberty PhD, Lacey Rowedder MS, Eric Hekler PhD, Marc Adams PhD & Matt Buman PhD

  2. Department of Exercise Science & Pre-Health Professions, Creighton University, Omaha, NE, 68178, USA

    Emily Hanigan MPH

  3. College of Nursing and Health Innovation, Arizona State University, Phoenix, AZ, 85004, USA

    Darya McClain PhD

  4. Community Health and Nutrition Services, Douglas County Health Department, Omaha, NE, 68105, USA

    Mary Balluff MS, RD, LMNT

  5. Text4baby, National Healthy Mothers, Healthy Babies Coalition, Alexandria, VA, USA

    Jessica Bushar MPH

Authors
  1. Jennifer Huberty PhD
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  2. Lacey Rowedder MS
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  3. Eric Hekler PhD
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  4. Marc Adams PhD
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  5. Emily Hanigan MPH
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  6. Darya McClain PhD
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  7. Mary Balluff MS, RD, LMNT
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  8. Matt Buman PhD
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  9. Jessica Bushar MPH
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Jennifer Huberty PhD.

Additional information

Implications

Practice: To use an already existing, free, mobile health service, Text4baby, as an opportunity to disseminate physical activity messages to pregnant and post-partum women.

Policy: Health care providers could easily, with little resources (i.e., time, money) use Text4baby to refer patients to evidence-based information about physical activity during and after pregnancy.

Research: Research to determine the optimal dose of physical activity text messages within the Text4baby curriculum to improve physical activity participation in pregnant women is needed.

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Huberty, J., Rowedder, L., Hekler, E. et al. Development and design of an intervention to improve physical activity in pregnant women using Text4baby. Behav. Med. Pract. Policy Res. 6, 285–294 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s13142-015-0339-7

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s13142-015-0339-7

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