Usage of Digital Health Tools and Perception of mHealth Intervention for Physical Activity and Sleep in Black Women.

Yue Liao,Kyrah K Brown

doi:10.3390/ijerph19031557

Abstract

Black women of reproductive age are disproportionately affected by chronic health conditions and related disease risk factors such as physical inactivity and obesity. Health promotion studies need to focus on this population since optimizing preconception health will lead to improvement of both birth outcomes and the woman’s long-term health. mHealth interventions that utilize wearable sensors to provide personalized and timely feedback can be used to promote physical activity (PA). This study aimed to examine Black women’s wearable sensor usage and their perceptions about future mHealth interventions that target PA and sleep. Our analysis included 497 Black women (aged 18–47 years) who completed a cross-sectional online survey. Ninety-two percent of participants did not meet the recommended level of PA, and 32.3% reported poor sleep quality. More participants indicated interest in a remote PA program (77%) than an in-person one (73%). More than half of participants indicated interest in receiving personalized feedback messages based on wearable trackers about PA (58.1%) and sleep (63.5%). This perceived acceptability of remote intervention and wearable-based feedback messages did not differ by socioeconomic status. Remotely delivered mHealth interventions that utilize wearables can be a viable behavioral change strategy to promote PA and sleep quality in Black women.

Highlights

In the United States, the prevalence of cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk factors among women of reproductive age (18–49) has demonstrated a 40% increase over the last two decades, with the prevalence substantially greater among non-Hispanic Black women [1]
The purpose of this study is to explore Black women’s current wearable sensors usage and perceptions of receiving personalized feedback from those wearable sensors
We believe the present study contributes to the dearth of cardiovascular health-related mobile health (mHealth) literature focused on Black women of reproductive age in the United States

Summary

Introduction

In the United States, the prevalence of cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk factors among women of reproductive age (18–49) has demonstrated a 40% increase over the last two decades, with the prevalence substantially greater among non-Hispanic Black women (hereafter referred to as Black women) [1]. Nonpregnant Black women of reproductive age are an important population for CVD prevention research considering that over half of all pregnancies are unplanned and the implications of cardiovascular health on maternal health (which is an important marker of the overall health of a nation) and health later in life [5]. CVD is the leading cause of death among Black women [6]; CVD, including cardiomyopathy, accounts for 27.8% of preventable maternal deaths among reproductive-age Black women [7]. Compared to pregnant and older women (≥50 years), nonpregnant women of reproductive age are largely underrepresented in cardiovascular health research [4,8,9]

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Discussion

Conclusion