The Apple Watch is capable of recording single-lead electrocardiograms (ECGs). To incorporate such devices in routine medical care, the reliability of such devices to obtain precordial leads needs to be validated. The purpose of this study was to assess the feasibility and reliability of a smartwatch (SW) to obtain precordial leads compared to standard ECGs. We included 100 participants (62 male, aged 62.8 ± 13.1 years) with sinus rhythm and recorded a standard 12-lead ECG and the precordial leads with the Apple Watch. The ECGs were quantitively compared. A total of 98 patients were able to record precordial leads without assistance. A strong correlation was observed between the amplitude of the standard and SW-ECGs’ waves, in terms of P waves, QRS-complexes, and T waves (all p-values < 0.01). A significant correlation was observed between the two methods regarding the duration of the ECG waves (all p-values < 0.01). Assessment of polarity showed a significant and a strong concordance between the ECGs’ waves in all six leads (91–100%, all p-values < 0.001). In conclusion, 98% of patients were able to record precordial leads using a SW without assistance. The SW is feasible and reliable for obtaining valid precordial-lead ECG recordings as a validated alternative to a standard ECG.

Some of the recently released smartwatch products feature a single-lead electrocardiogram (ECG) recording capability. The reliability of obtaining 3-lead ECG with smartwatches is yet to be confirmed in a large study. This study aimed to assess the feasibility and reliability of smartwatch to obtain 3-lead ECG recordings, the classical Einthoven ECG leads I-III compared to standard ECG. To record lead I, the watch was worn on the left wrist and the right index finger was placed on the digital crown for 30 s. For lead II, the watch was placed on the lower abdomen and the right index finger was placed on the digital crown for 30 s. For lead III, the same process was repeated with the left index finger. Spearman correlation and Bland-Altman tests were used for data analysis. A total of 300 smartwatch ECG tracings were successfully obtained. ECG waves’ characteristics of all three leads obtained from the smartwatch had a similar duration, amplitude, and polarity compared to standard ECG. The results of this study suggested that the examined smartwatch (Apple Watch Series 4) could obtain 3-lead ECG tracings, including Einthoven leads I, II, and III by placing the smartwatch on the described positions.

Background: Maternal and child health initiatives are embracing the use of electronic or mobile technology, a branch of digital health popularly referred to as eHealth or mHealth. While digital health can offer extensive benefits, it has raised various challenges. For instance, digital health programs are not often designed with a focus on equity in distribution nor are they designed from a gender equity standpoint. Although digital health interventions for maternal healthcare focuses predominantly on women as beneficiaries, few studies explore gendered power relations and how they impact the success of maternal and child health projects in African contexts such as Nigeria. This gap in literature risks excluding women from engaging in the digital space and can worsen the negative and unintended consequences of participating in digital health. This thesis examines the impact and implications of digital health interventions for maternal health in sub-Saharan Africa. -- Method: Two secondary and three primary studies described the various implications of digital health in sub-Saharan Africa more broadly and in rural Edo State, Nigeria, specifically. The secondary studies involved a review and a systematic review of the literature, the primary studies involved focus group discussions and in-depth interviews with pregnant or postpartum women who were beneficiaries of a digital health program and their community members. -- Results: The first paper illustrated exclusionary practices of digital health programs in sub-Saharan Africa, the second paper showed how digital health programs can challenge and redress harmful and unequal gender norms, roles, and power relations that privilege men over women. Observations from the third paper indicate that while mHealth programs are helpful to women in many ways, they are not enough on their own to undo entrenched systems of power through which men control women's reproductive lives. The fourth paper affirms that a community-centered approach to implementing digital health programs enhances women's acceptance and sustained use of digital health. The fifth paper shows how women navigate patriarchal environments through negotiation, collaboration and maneuvering to yield the best possible maternal health outcomes. -- Conclusion: At the core of all the studies was the need to understand and redress overarching factors contributing to ill health and exacerbating health inequities in maternal health through gender transformative approaches. Potentially unintended consequences, side effects, and negative effects of digital health impedes its many benefits, therefore, to achieve meaningful impact, gender and digital inclusion must remain a priority in the development, implementation, and evaluation of digital health. This thesis illuminated the needs of those with the greatest barriers to health technologies for maternal health thereby contributing to the discussion on digital health social justice with overarching themes on how to achieve equitable opportunities for all women and girls to access, use and benefit from digital health for maternal health.

No description available.

no / Which antecedents affect the adoption by users is still often a puzzle for policy-makers. Antecedents examined in this research include technological artefacts from the Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology (UTAUT), consumer context from UTAUT2 and psychological behaviour concepts such as citizens' channel preference and product selection criteria. This research also investigated cultural domination on citizens' behavioural perception. The data for this study was collected among citizens from three countries: USA, Canada, and Bangladesh. The findings suggest that the UTAUT model could partially shape technology artefact behaviour and the extended UTAUT must consider specific determinants relevant to cognitive, affective, and conative or behavioural aspects of citizens. The model helps policy-makers to develop mobile healthcare service system that will be better accepted. The finding also suggests that this mobile service system should reflect a country's cultural traits. These findings basically extend the theoretical concept of UTAUT model to articulate adoption behaviour of any complex and sensitive ICT related issues like mobile healthcare system.

Early detection and intervention are crucial for optimal outcomes in autism spectrum disorder (ASD), but access to services is often lacking in rural communities. In fact, the average age of ASD diagnosis in rural communities is later than elsewhere, increasing the risk of missed early intervention and subsequently poorer outcomes. Caregivers in Southwest Virginia report that major barriers to ASD services include few providers with expertise in ASD, unaffordability of services, and geographic isolation; limited parent training or education about ASD emerges as a particular paucity in this region. To address these barriers, the current pilot study assessed the feasibility of delivering ASD assessment through a mobile clinic (n = 15). During COVID-19, the study shifted to pilot an ASD teleassessment protocol (n = 15). Participants included 30 children between 1.7 and 14.9 years of age and one or both caregivers. Following a diagnostic feedback session, caregivers of children who received an ASD diagnosis (n = 28) were randomized to either attend psychoeducation sessions or receive comparable materials about ASD, with the goal of improving caregiver ASD knowledge and empowerment to seek and provide care for their child. Although flexibility in scheduling was necessary to accommodate families’ schedules, both delivery formats exhibited high feasibility and strong caregiver satisfaction. The primary reason for rescheduling mobile assessments was weather-related, whereas teleassessments were rescheduled due to family emergencies and work-related conflicts. Caregiver empowerment in the domains of family and the community improved after receiving assessment and psychoeducation services, as did total ASD knowledge (η2 = .114–.235, p < .05). / M.S. / Children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) tend to achieve better outcomes with early intervention, which requires early assessment and diagnosis. However, families in rural areas typically have greater difficulty accessing such services, due to limited providers, high cost of services, and geographic distance from provider offices. This often results in children from rural regions being diagnosed with ASD at a later age than elsewhere, thereby missing opportunities for effective and timely treatment. To overcome these barriers, the current pilot study evaluated two novel service delivery formats: (1) mobile assessment through the Mobile Autism Clinic prior to the COVID-19 pandemic (n = 15); and (2) tele-assessment via a secure video platform during the pandemic (n = 15). Participants included 30 children between 1.7 and 14.9 years of age and one or both caregivers. After completing an assessment, caregivers attended a feedback session to review diagnoses and recommendations. If their child received an ASD diagnosis (n = 28), caregivers then either completed additional educational sessions about ASD or received similar informational materials, with the goal of improving caregiver knowledge and empowerment. Although flexibility in scheduling was necessary to accommodate families’ schedules, both delivery formats demonstrated high feasibility and strong caregiver satisfaction. The primary reason for rescheduling mobile assessments was weather-related, whereas teleassessments were rescheduled due to family emergencies and work-related conflicts. Caregiver empowerment within their family and community improved after receiving assessment and psychoeducation services, as did total ASD knowledge.

Melhorar a saúde das gestantes é uma prioridade para as agências de saúde global e para os governos dos países de baixa e média renda. O desafio da erradicação e/ou redução das morbimortalidades materna e perinatal evitáveis vem colocando em destaque a necessidade de expandir as ações para prevenção de agravos para além da abordagem clínica das complicações obstétricas, a partir do fortalecimento dos sistemas de saúde e da valorização da autonomia das mulheres dentro das sociedades, implementando a abordagem de direitos humanos como um dos componentes da qualidade do cuidado à saúde reprodutiva. O objetivo desta pesquisa é determinar se um programa de educação em saúde e apoio às gestantes, adaptado à realidade do Sistema Único de Saúde brasileiro e às especificidades da telefonia celular, é um complemento útil ao acompanhamento pré-natal padrão. A pesquisa foi realizada em duas etapas, tendo início com a condução de uma pesquisa formativa, exploratória, para identificar barreiras e facilitadores da atenção ao pré-natal e parto, avaliar aceitação do uso de mensagens de texto como item complementar ao cuidado pré-natal padrão, e desenvolver e refinar a intervenção do programa PRENACEL. Esta compreende um programa de 148 mensagens de texto no celular com informações essenciais para o acompanhamento do ciclo gravídico-puerperal de mulheres saudáveis, em atendimento na rede pública de saúde. Foi desenvolvida com propósitode melhorar resultados maternos e perinatais. Sua efetividade foi avaliada por meio de um ensaio aleatorizado por conglomerados, realizado em 20 unidades de saúde que provêm assistência pré-natal em uma cidade da região sudeste do Brasil. Gestantes em acompanhamento pré-natal nas unidades de saúde sorteadas para o grupo intervenção foram convidadas a participar do PRENACEL. Em unidades de saúde alocadas ao grupo controle, as gestantes receberam a atenção pré-natal padrão. Os dados analisados foram coletados durante a internação para o parto em quatro maternidades públicas da mesma localidade. Para cada variável de interesse, foram realizadas análise por intenção de tratar e análise por protocolo, pelo cálculo dos riscos relativos, com 95% de intervalo de confiança. Ao final do seguimento da gestação, 1210 mulheres elegíveis à participação no estudo tiveram seus desfechos avaliados nas maternidades selecionadas para a pesquisa, por meio de revisão de prontuários, cartões de pré-natal e entrevista individual estruturada. Das mulheres incluídas nas análises, 770 eram provenientes das unidades de saúde do grupo intervenção e 440 das unidades controle. Receber informações do programa PRENACEL durante a gestação foi associado a um aumento na percepção das mulheres de sentirem-se melhor preparadas para o parto, e na percepção de que o pré-natal colabora para que se sintam mais preparadas. Também foram observados impactos no estabelecimento do contato pele-a-pele e aleitamento materno e no conhecimento sobre intervenções obstétricas. Não foram observadas diferenças nos demais desfechos maternos e perinatais avaliados, incluindo a satisfação das mulheres com o atendimento. Nossa conclusão é de que o PRENACEL pode contribuir para a ampliação do acesso das mulheres a informações que lhes sejam estratégicas para que se sintam melhor preparadas para a experiência do parto. / Improving maternal health is a priority for global health agencies and for governments in low- and middle-income countries. The challenge of reducing preventable maternal and perinatal morbidity and mortality has highlighted the need to expand actions to prevent injuries beyond the clinical approach to obstetric complications, through strengthening health systems and enhancing autonomy of women within societies, by implementing a human rights approach as one of the components of the quality of reproductive health care. The objective of this research is to determine if a program of health education and support to pregnant women, adapted to be used by Brazilian National Health System and delivered by short messages service (SMS) on the cell phone is a useful complement to standard prenatal follow-up. The research was carried out in two stages, starting with the conduction of a formative and exploratory research to identify barriers and facilitators of antenatal and delivery care, to evaluate the acceptance of the use of SMS as a complementary item to antenatal care and to develop and refine the PRENACEL program intervention. It comprises a program of 148 SMS with essential information from pregnancy to puerperium, for healthy pregnant women attending antenatal care. It was developed with the purpose of improving maternal and perinatal outcomes. Its effectiveness was evaluated through a cluster-randomized trial conducted in 20 health units that provide antenatal care in a city in the southeastern region of Brazil. Pregnant women from the health units drawn for the intervention group were invited to participate in PRENACEL. In health unitsallocated to the control group, pregnant women received standard antenatal care. Analyzed data were collected during admission to labor in four public maternity hospitals in the same locality. For each variable of interest, intention-to-treat analysis and analysis by protocol were carried out, as well as the relative risk, with 95% of confidence interval. At the end of the gestation follow-up, 1210 women eligible to participate in the study had their outcomes evaluated in the maternity wards, through their medical records review, antenatal cards review and individual structured interviews. Of the women included in the analyzes, 770 came from the health units of the intervention group and 440 from the control units. Receiving information from the PRENACEL program during pregnancy was associated with an increase in women\'s perception of better preparedness for delivery, and the perception that antenatal care helps them feel more prepared. Enhancement of the timing for early skin-to-skin contact and breastfeeding, and knowledge on obstetric interventions were also observed. No differences were observed in other maternal and perinatal outcomes evaluated, including women\'s satisfaction with care. We concluded that PRENACEL can contribute to increase women\'s access to information that are strategic to the improve their perception of feeling confident and better prepared for the childbirth experience.

Melhorar a saúde das gestantes é uma prioridade para as agências de saúde global e para os governos dos países de baixa e média renda. O desafio da erradicação e/ou redução das morbimortalidades materna e perinatal evitáveis vem colocando em destaque a necessidade de expandir as ações para prevenção de agravos para além da abordagem clínica das complicações obstétricas, a partir do fortalecimento dos sistemas de saúde e da valorização da autonomia das mulheres dentro das sociedades, implementando a abordagem de direitos humanos como um dos componentes da qualidade do cuidado à saúde reprodutiva. O objetivo desta pesquisa é determinar se um programa de educação em saúde e apoio às gestantes, adaptado à realidade do Sistema Único de Saúde brasileiro e às especificidades da telefonia celular, é um complemento útil ao acompanhamento pré-natal padrão. A pesquisa foi realizada em duas etapas, tendo início com a condução de uma pesquisa formativa, exploratória, para identificar barreiras e facilitadores da atenção ao pré-natal e parto, avaliar aceitação do uso de mensagens de texto como item complementar ao cuidado pré-natal padrão, e desenvolver e refinar a intervenção do programa PRENACEL. Esta compreende um programa de 148 mensagens de texto no celular com informações essenciais para o acompanhamento do ciclo gravídico-puerperal de mulheres saudáveis, em atendimento na rede pública de saúde. Foi desenvolvida com propósitode melhorar resultados maternos e perinatais. Sua efetividade foi avaliada por meio de um ensaio aleatorizado por conglomerados, realizado em 20 unidades de saúde que provêm assistência pré-natal em uma cidade da região sudeste do Brasil. Gestantes em acompanhamento pré-natal nas unidades de saúde sorteadas para o grupo intervenção foram convidadas a participar do PRENACEL. Em unidades de saúde alocadas ao grupo controle, as gestantes receberam a atenção pré-natal padrão. Os dados analisados foram coletados durante a internação para o parto em quatro maternidades públicas da mesma localidade. Para cada variável de interesse, foram realizadas análise por intenção de tratar e análise por protocolo, pelo cálculo dos riscos relativos, com 95% de intervalo de confiança. Ao final do seguimento da gestação, 1210 mulheres elegíveis à participação no estudo tiveram seus desfechos avaliados nas maternidades selecionadas para a pesquisa, por meio de revisão de prontuários, cartões de pré-natal e entrevista individual estruturada. Das mulheres incluídas nas análises, 770 eram provenientes das unidades de saúde do grupo intervenção e 440 das unidades controle. Receber informações do programa PRENACEL durante a gestação foi associado a um aumento na percepção das mulheres de sentirem-se melhor preparadas para o parto, e na percepção de que o pré-natal colabora para que se sintam mais preparadas. Também foram observados impactos no estabelecimento do contato pele-a-pele e aleitamento materno e no conhecimento sobre intervenções obstétricas. Não foram observadas diferenças nos demais desfechos maternos e perinatais avaliados, incluindo a satisfação das mulheres com o atendimento. Nossa conclusão é de que o PRENACEL pode contribuir para a ampliação do acesso das mulheres a informações que lhes sejam estratégicas para que se sintam melhor preparadas para a experiência do parto. / Improving maternal health is a priority for global health agencies and for governments in low- and middle-income countries. The challenge of reducing preventable maternal and perinatal morbidity and mortality has highlighted the need to expand actions to prevent injuries beyond the clinical approach to obstetric complications, through strengthening health systems and enhancing autonomy of women within societies, by implementing a human rights approach as one of the components of the quality of reproductive health care. The objective of this research is to determine if a program of health education and support to pregnant women, adapted to be used by Brazilian National Health System and delivered by short messages service (SMS) on the cell phone is a useful complement to standard prenatal follow-up. The research was carried out in two stages, starting with the conduction of a formative and exploratory research to identify barriers and facilitators of antenatal and delivery care, to evaluate the acceptance of the use of SMS as a complementary item to antenatal care and to develop and refine the PRENACEL program intervention. It comprises a program of 148 SMS with essential information from pregnancy to puerperium, for healthy pregnant women attending antenatal care. It was developed with the purpose of improving maternal and perinatal outcomes. Its effectiveness was evaluated through a cluster-randomized trial conducted in 20 health units that provide antenatal care in a city in the southeastern region of Brazil. Pregnant women from the health units drawn for the intervention group were invited to participate in PRENACEL. In health unitsallocated to the control group, pregnant women received standard antenatal care. Analyzed data were collected during admission to labor in four public maternity hospitals in the same locality. For each variable of interest, intention-to-treat analysis and analysis by protocol were carried out, as well as the relative risk, with 95% of confidence interval. At the end of the gestation follow-up, 1210 women eligible to participate in the study had their outcomes evaluated in the maternity wards, through their medical records review, antenatal cards review and individual structured interviews. Of the women included in the analyzes, 770 came from the health units of the intervention group and 440 from the control units. Receiving information from the PRENACEL program during pregnancy was associated with an increase in women\'s perception of better preparedness for delivery, and the perception that antenatal care helps them feel more prepared. Enhancement of the timing for early skin-to-skin contact and breastfeeding, and knowledge on obstetric interventions were also observed. No differences were observed in other maternal and perinatal outcomes evaluated, including women\'s satisfaction with care. We concluded that PRENACEL can contribute to increase women\'s access to information that are strategic to the improve their perception of feeling confident and better prepared for the childbirth experience.

It is widely supported that there are significant, positive relationships between the occurrence of some mental health symptoms and physical illnesses. Research indicates that the burden experienced by those with a physical and mental illness are magnified compared to individuals who do not experience an illness. More specifically, one of the burdens experienced by individuals is the monetary burden of affording the necessary health services to properly manage their illness. This study attempts to reveal a difference between mental health symptom count for individuals who do and do not experience difficulty affording health care for their physical problems. The first hypothesis states that the indication of medical problems will be associated with greater mental health symptoms. The second hypothesis states that the relationship between medical concerns and mental health symptoms will be moderated by difficulty affording health services. Lastly, the third hypothesis states that the indication of unhealthy behaviors, such as smoking and irregular exercise, will be associated with greater mental health symptoms. All data used in this study is archived data that was gathered by the Institute for Rural Health’s Mobile Health Units during free community health fairs from September 2012 to February 2014. The first hypothesis was supported because the incidence rate of mental health symptom count was increased with the presence of some physical problems. These findings supported previous research that indicated that the presence of physical illness increases the chance of developing a mental illness. The study results revealed that the second hypothesis was not supported since difficulty affording health services did not have a significant effect on the relationship between indicated physical illnesses and mental health symptom count. Previous research reports that there is monetary burden for individuals who experience a physical or mental illness when accessing appropriate health services. This research aimed to explore if that burden would significantly affect the relationship of those illnesses. Lastly, the third hypothesis was supported because mental health symptom count incidence rate was found to increase for individuals partaking in negative health behaviors, such as smoking, and decrease for individuals partaking in positive health behaviors, such as exercising.

Aims: Untreated opioid use disorder (OUD) is associated with overdose, premature death and infectious disease, including human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and Hepatitis C (HCV). While prior studies have shown that educational interventions are associated with improvements in HIV and HCV knowledge and reductions in risk behaviors, those examined to date have typically been time- and resource-intensive. We recently developed an HIV+HCV Education intervention which aims to improve HIV and HCV knowledge in a single visit using an automated iPad platform. In this project, we examined its ability, using a within-subject evaluation, to improve knowledge of HIV and HCV transmission and risks among adults with OUD. Methods: Participants were 25 adults with OUD who were enrolled in a 12-week randomized trial evaluating the efficacy of an Interim Buprenorphine Treatment (IBT) for reducing illicit opioid use while awaiting entry into community-based opioid treatment. Participants completed a baseline HIV+HCV knowledge assessment (Pre-Test) followed by corrective feedback, both administered via iPad. They then completed an interactive HIV flipbook and animated HCV video, also on iPad, followed by a second administration of the knowledge assessment (Post-Test). Finally, to evaluate whether any changes in knowledge persisted over time, the HIV+HCV assessment was administered again at 4 and 12 weeks following study intake. Results: At baseline (Pre-Test), participants answered 69% and 65% of items correctly on the HIV and HCV assessments, respectively. After completing the educational intervention, participants answered 86% of items correctly on both the HIV and HCV assessments (p’s<.001). These improvements in knowledge also persisted throughout the three-month study, with scores at Week 4 and 12 timepoints significantly greater than baseline (p’s<.001). Conclusion: An HIV+Hepatitis Education intervention delivered via a portable, automated iPad platform may produce significant and persistent improvements in HIV and HCV knowledge among adults with OUD. These data provide additional support for the use of mobile educational interventions for enhancing HIV and HCV knowledge in individuals at elevated risk for infectious disease. Support: This trial was supported by NIDA R34 DA3730385 (Sigmon) with additional support by NIDA T32 DA007242 (Higgins).