Pilot Test of an Evidence-Based Clinical Intervention to Reduce Rural Preterm Births using Mobile Technology and Community Health Worker Support

Cramer Mary E,Wilson Fernando,Ford Amy L,Kupzyk Kevin A

doi:10.36959/545/366

Abstract

Preterm birth is a priority health problem in the U.S. One in ten babies in the U.S. is born before 37 weeks gestation, which results in lengthy hospitalizations and sometimes lifelong health problems. Obtaining adequate prenatal healthcare is essential for reducing prematurity.

Highlights

Prematurity exacts a significant social and economic toll in the U.S, and is a priority public health problem [1]
Pilot results showed that concierge mobile technology with community health workers (CHW) support can promote prenatal self-care among rural women
Our feasibility findings contribute to a better understanding of intervention delivery and sampling issues, as well as the effectiveness of the intervention among rural populations-all of which are essential for larger scale studies [23,26]

Summary

Introduction

Prematurity exacts a significant social and economic toll in the U.S, and is a priority public health problem [1]. Premature/low birth weight infants can experience complicated health problems that often require lengthy hospitalizations costing more than 10 times that of uncomplicated newborns [4]. An essential element in reducing preterm birth is ensuring adequate prenatal health care. For women living in rural communities, accessing early and regular prenatal care be challenging because of provider shortages (i.e., physicians, nurse practitioners, physician assistants), long travel distances, and limited public health or support services [6,7]. Mobile technology and community health workers (CHW) are two resources that show potential for reducing rural access barriers by extending provider outreach across distances and enhancing patient communications and education [8,9,10,11]. The problem has been that not all mobile technology users are well-informed about accessing evidence-based health information [18]

Methods

Results

Conclusion