Journal of Clinical and Translational Science (Apr 2022)

515 Development of an online intervention prototype for gestational weight management in rural women

  • Rebecca L. Emery,
  • Catherine A McCarty,
  • Susan M. Mason

DOI
https://doi.org/10.1017/cts.2022.309
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 6
pp. 105 – 106

Abstract

Read online

OBJECTIVES/GOALS: Despite the importance of addressing maternal weight to promote healthy pregnancies, previous gestational weight management programs have overlooked rural women. Accordingly, this study used an optimization framework to develop and refine a prototype for an online gestational weight management intervention targeting rural women. METHODS/STUDY POPULATION: Methods were guided by the Obesity-Related Behavioral Intervention Trials (ORBIT) model, an optimization framework focused on intervention development and refinement. In line with this framework, three major steps were followed. First, qualitative interviews were conducted with 16 rural women who were currently or had recently been pregnant to identify barriers, facilitators, and desired resources for gestational weight management. A template analysis approach was applied to the resulting interview transcripts to identify pertinent themes. Second, themes derived from the initial interviews were used to inform the development of an online intervention prototype. Third, feedback on this prototype was sought from an additional sample of 15 rural women who were currently or had recently been pregnant. RESULTS/ANTICIPATED RESULTS: Themes from the initial interviews highlighted numerous barriers, facilitators, and desired resources for rural gestational weight management that aligned with common social determinants of health (e.g., neighborhood and built environment, social and community context) and pregnancy-specific factors. Women also described wanting an online gestational weight management program that included a user-friendly interface, psychoeducation, tailored health recommendations, accountability, and simple behavior-logging tools. Using this feedback, an online intervention prototype was developed. Results from the feedback interviews are currently being qualitatively analyzed for themes and will be used to further refine the prototype prior to feasibility testing. DISCUSSION/SIGNIFICANCE: This study used an optimization framework to develop an online intervention aimed at supporting healthy maternal weight outcomes in rural communities. Because rural women experience notable weight disparities compared to their urban peers, this intervention has the potential to promote more equitable maternal health outcomes in rural areas.