OBJECTIVE The purpose of this qualitative study was to gather insights into pregnant women’s experiences with provider advice about diet and physical activity. METHODS We conducted a series of 13 focus groups with a total of 58 pregnant African American, Caucasian, and Hispanic women of varying body sizes. Statements were independently coded, reduced, and then reconstructed to identify overarching themes with the assistance of ATLAS/ti software. RESULTS Mean gestational age at the time of the focus groups was 30 weeks. Women commonly reported overwhelming and confusing diet advice and a paucity of physical activity advice that was largely limited to walking. Many reported following advice; when advice was not followed, it was because women disagreed with it or simply did not want to do it. CONCLUSION Women would benefit from more clear guidance from physicians and other providers regarding dietary choices and physical activity in pregnancy. PRACTICE IMPLICATIONS Providers should make dietary and physical activity advice in pregnancy more clear and individualized and offer such guidance multiple times throughout pregnancy.

To explore the association between health care provider advice about weight gain and gestational weight gain. Using data from a prospective cohort study, we explored the association between provider advice about weight gain in pregnancy with weight gain adequacy among 1,454 pregnant women. Provider advice was measured by maternal self-report at 27–30 weeks’ gestation. Linear and Poisson regression were used to explore associations. Seventy-eight percent of the women gained outside current recommendations. Fifty-one percent reported receiving weight gain advice from a health care provider. Adjusted Generalized Linear Model (GLM) estimates showed weak effect of provider advice on inadequate or excessive gain (Relative Risk (RR) 0.96, 95% CI 0.74, 1.26 for inadequate gain and RR 1.01, 95% CI 0.97, 1.06 for excessive gain). There is a need for more women to hear about their targeted weight gains during pregnancy and the present advice that exists does little to influence actual gains. Further studies are warranted to find better strategies for providers to motivate their patients to gain weight within the appropriate ranges.

Objective: To explore the association between healthcare provider advice about weight loss and physical activity in the postpartum period and weight retention and activity levels in women assessed at 3 months postpartum. Methods: Using data from a prospective cohort study, we explored the association of advice with postpartum weight retention and activity levels in 688 women at 3 months postpartum. Data from home visits included anthropometric measurements and information collected from sociodemographic, health behavior, and psychosocial questionnaires. Weight retention was calculated as weight at 3 months postpartum minus prepregnancy weight; activity levels and advice were based on maternal self-report. Linear regression and Poisson regression were used to explore associations.

Purpose: American Indian adults have not experienced decreases in colorectal cancer (CRC) incidence and mortality observed in other races or ethnic groups and their screening rates are low. Decision aids that explain available CRC screening options are one potential strategy to promote screening. The goal of this study was to test the effect of a culturally adapted decision aid on CRC-related outcomes among American Indian adults, including screening-related knowledge, attitudes, self-efficacy, intentions, and screening modality preferences. Methods: We recruited American Indian adults aged 50-75 years who were not current with CRC screening. Participants viewed a 9-min multimedia decision aid that used narrative vignettes to provide educational information about screening along with messages to address culturally specific barriers and values uncovered in formative research. We conducted a single-arm (pre-post) study and assessed screening-related outcomes at baseline and immediately after viewing the decision aid. Results: Among n = 104 participants, knowledge scores increased from a mean of 36% correct to 76% correct. Participants also had statistically significant increases in positive attitudes, perceived social norms, self-efficacy, and intent. The proportion of participants who identified a preference for a specific CRC screening modality rose from 81% identified at pre-intervention to 93% post-intervention ( p = 0.013). Conclusion: Our study provides promising new findings that our culturally adapted decision aid is efficacious in educating American Indian adults about CRC screening and increases their screening intentions and ability to state modality preferences. Future research is needed to test the decision aid as a component of CRC screening interventions with American Indian adults.

We designed a randomized clinical trial to test a novel use of a patient decision aid to promote appropriate colorectal cancer screening and have recruited a diverse study population that seems similar between the intervention and control groups. The study should be able to determine the ability of a patient decision aid to increase individualized and appropriate colorectal cancer screening.