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Benefits of Internet Access for Pregnant Women: Results from a Pilot Study

Benefits of Internet Access for Pregnant Women: Results from a Pilot Study. Natalie A. Brown, BA Julie Becker, PhD, MPH Gala True, PhD Center for Urban Health Policy and Research Albert Einstein Healthcare Network Philadelphia, PA. Purpose of Study.

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Benefits of Internet Access for Pregnant Women: Results from a Pilot Study

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  1. Benefits of Internet Access for Pregnant Women:Results from a Pilot Study Natalie A. Brown, BA Julie Becker, PhD, MPH Gala True, PhD Center for Urban Health Policy and Research Albert Einstein Healthcare Network Philadelphia, PA

  2. Purpose of Study • Lack of access to health information online leaves many patients and communities at a disadvantage. • Factors include economic and ethnic disparities, as well as issues of health literacy. • One approach: create a program that offers a curriculum focused on teaching patients how to conduct searches, navigate within sites, and evaluate content of health-related websites.

  3. Description of WOW Women on the Web (WOW)*: • A pilot program targeted to the needs of pregnant women and mothers of young children. • Type of classes: small-groups practicing Internet usage • Internet delivery through an interactive, multi-media CD-ROM • Curriculum includes: • how to conduct Internet searches • how to evaluate health information and discuss information with their providers • Web sites focused on prenatal care, pregnancy, and childbirth were used as examples. *WOW was developed at the Center for Urban Health Policy and Research at Albert Einstein Healthcare Network with funding from the Nathan Cummings Foundation.

  4. Evaluation Methods • Knowledge and experience with Internet assessed prior to class assignment through screener questionnaire • Change in knowledge and skills measured through repeated measure at baseline and after completion of class • Participant feedback and attitude toward Internet measured through open-ended, semi-structured phone interviews at 3 month follow up • Evaluation of CD ROM by outside expert consultant

  5. Baseline and Post-test Questions measured changes in knowledge and skills related to: • Ability to correctly define and identify components of the Internet (URL, website, etc.) • Understanding of components and steps necessary to conduct an Internet search using search engines, portals, etc. • Navigation within a website • Knowledge of important factors in evaluating reliability of a website and quality of content

  6. Outside Evaluation • Evaluation by Deputy Director of the “Webby Awards”-- measures “best of the Web” • WOW given high rating on content, navigation, visual • design and interactivity • Recommendations-- make curriculum browser- based, • give users more choices • Overall-- increasing consistency in visual and narrative • formula (i.e., developing easily recognizable “learning” • screens, “action” screens, etc.) will improve learning and • retention among participants

  7. AEHN: Unfortunately, our media person recommended that we keep the titles short and sweet, so I thik the “knowledge questions” on the bottom should be enough info. Pre and Post test data of WOW Participants N = 24 N = 13

  8. Three Month Follow-up data

  9. Comments on WOW All participants rated the WOW program as good or excellent: “Able to go at own pace, good web sites used as examples” “Learned a lot about how to do searches, where to get on the Internet” “Learned about how to do searches. Lot of good info about health and pregnancy” “The tutorial program itself…good teaching tool”

  10. Barriers to Intervention • Dropouts from screening to completion of program due to - medical reasons ( i.e. bed rest due to pregnancy) - personal reasons ( i.e. starting new job) - lack of interest in program • Reduce class time to slow down the rate of dropouts, all 4 lessons were collapsed into one class. • Due to reduce time, participants were not able to spend as much time with the curriculum. • WOW did not market well as a stand-alone program, recruitment increased when paired with existing pre-natal classes and other training programs.

  11. Next Steps • Work with community based organizations such as Community • Technology Centers to add WOW classes to other education • programs. • Make revisions to program based on outside evaluation and feedback • from participants. • Target curriculum to teens and other populations--focus on issues such • as pregnancy prevention.

  12. Information about WOW If you would like more information about WOMEN ON THE WEB (WOW), Please contact: Einstein Center for Urban Health Policy and Research Wister Tower Building One Penn Blvd. Suite 4442 Philadelphia, PA 19144 215-951-8137 Program Director: Gala True, 215-951-8706, trueg@einstein.edu Program Coordinator: Natalie Brown, 215-951-8467, brownna@einstein.edu

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