Presence of Complex and Potentially Conflicting Information in Prenatal Mobile Apps

Womack, Jasmyne J.; Anderson, Lois D.

doi:10.1177/1524839918796216

Cited by 18 publications

(25 citation statements)

References 32 publications

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“…Womack pointed out that only 50% of their study sample cited pregnancy apps as a source for their recommendation and presented conflicting recommendations for alcohol and food intake during pregnancy. This lack of credibility alongside simultaneous conflicts of risk threatens women’s ability to discern which recommendations should be followed [34]. Kaimal reported in their study of Web-based resources for obstetrics that only 3.6% of websites were created or sponsored by obstetrician-gynecologists [35].…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Recent studies conducted in some Western countries have demonstrated the effectiveness of an app-based lifestyle intervention on GWG and behavior changes [38]. However, in this complex and equivocal information environment, women are often provided with invalidated information by various prenatal apps [34]. This may limit the benefits that women would have got if apps containing quality content and evidence-based information were available.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Understanding the Use of Smartphone Apps for Health Information Among Pregnant Chinese Women: Mixed Methods Study

Wang¹,

Deng²,

Wen³

et al. 2019

JMIR Mhealth Uhealth

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Background Hospital-based health promotion resources to assist pregnant women in adopting a healthy lifestyle and optimizing gestational weight gain are important, but with limited effects. Increasingly, women are using mobile apps to access health information during the antenatal period. Objective The aims of the study were to investigate app-usage by Chinese women during pregnancy and to gain a better understanding of their views and attitudes toward apps containing health information. Methods A mixed methods study design was applied. Study participants were recruited from 2 maternity hospitals in Shanghai, China, between March and July 2018. A self-administered Web-based survey was conducted with 535 pregnant Chinese women on their sources of health information and reasons for using apps during pregnancy. A total of 4 semistructured focus groups were also conducted with the pregnant women (n=28). Results The use of pregnancy-related apps and the internet was common among the respondents. Almost half of the women had used pregnancy-related apps. Specifically, the use of apps for health information declined as pregnancy progressed from 70% (35/50) in the first trimester to 41.3% (143/346) in the third trimester. The main reason for using an app was to monitor fetal development (436/535, 81.5%), followed by learning about nutrition and recording diet in pregnancy (140/535, 26.2%). The women found that the apps were useful and convenient and can support lifestyle modifications during pregnancy. However, some apps also contained misinformation or incorrect information that could cause anxiety as reported by the participants. Many women expressed the need for developing an app containing evidence-based, well-informed, and tailored health information to support them during pregnancy. Conclusions The study suggests that apps were widely used by many Chinese women during pregnancy to monitor fetal development, to obtain diet and physical activity information, and to track their body changes. The women highly appreciated the evidence-based information, expert opinions, and tailored advice available on apps. Smartphone apps have the potential to deliver health information for pregnant women.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Understanding the Use of Smartphone Apps for Health Information Among Pregnant Chinese Women: Mixed Methods Study

Wang¹,

Deng²,

Wen³

et al. 2019

JMIR Mhealth Uhealth

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…Similarly, Brown et al recently reported that alcohol was a frequently included topic in a review of pregnancy apps available in Australia (n = 32, 62.7%; Brown et al, 2018) and that most common nutrition information described food safety guidelines during pregnancy. Our review also identified a focus on food safety, although a number of apps included mixed information, in line with Womack et al (2018) who reported conflicting information in prenatal apps. We found that iodine was the least covered nutrition topic, consistent with a review of online nutrition information for Australian pregnant women (Storr et al, 2017).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 93%

“…Health apps are an underregulated market, and it is important to ensure that nutrition information is evidenced-based and tailored to the user. To date, the quality of nutrition information included in pregnancy apps has been infrequently explored (Brown, Bucher, Collins, & Rollo, 2018;Womack, Anderson, & Ledford, 2018).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Health apps are an underregulated market, and it is important to ensure that nutrition information is evidenced‐based and tailored to the user. To date, the quality of nutrition information included in pregnancy apps has been infrequently explored (Brown, Bucher, Collins, & Rollo, ; Womack, Anderson, & Ledford, ). Smartphone apps targeted to pregnant women provide an opportunity to promote health behaviours and complement maternity services (Overdijkink et al, ).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Smartphone applications available to pregnant women in the United Kingdom: An assessment of nutritional information

Bland

Dalrymple

White

et al. 2019

Maternal & Child Nutrition

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The importance of diet during pregnancy is critically important for the short‐ and long‐term health of both mother and child. The number of apps targeting pregnant women is rapidly increasing, yet the nutritional content of these tools remains largely unexplored. This review aimed to evaluate the coverage and content of nutrition information in smartphone apps available to U.K. pregnant women. Keyword searches were conducted in iTunes and Google Play stores in November 2018. Candidate apps were included if they targeted pregnant women, provided pregnancy‐specific nutritional information, had a user rating of at least 4+ based on at least 20 ratings, and were available in English. Nutritional content was assessed for accuracy against U.K. recommendations. Behaviour change techniques (BCTs) were also evaluated. Twenty‐nine apps were included, seven of which originated in the United Kingdom. There was a large variability in the quality of smartphone app nutritional information. The accuracy of nutrition information varied, and several apps conveyed inappropriate information for pregnancy. On average, 10 BCTs were identified per app (range 2–15). Overall, smartphone apps do not consistently provide accurate and useful nutritional information to pregnant women. This study highlights the need for the integration of evidence‐based nutritional information during app development and for increased regulatory oversight. App developers should also make it clear that nutritional content is intended for a specific geographical region or population or modify for the intended audience. These are important considerations for the design of future apps, which are increasingly used to complement existing maternity services.

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#CoronavirusCruise: Impact and implications of the COVID-19 outbreaks on the perception of cruise tourism

Muritala

Hernández‐Lara

Rebull

et al. 2022

Tourism Management Perspectives

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Early in the COVID-19 pandemic, the Diamond Princess became the center of the largest outbreak outside the original epicenter in China. This outbreak which left 712 passengers infected and 14 dead, followed by subsequent outbreaks affecting over one-third of the active ships in the cruise industry's global fleet, quickly became a crisis that captured public attention and dominated mainstream news and social media. This study investigates the perception of cruising during these outbreaks by analyzing the tweets on cruising using Natural Language Processing (NLP). The findings show a prevalent negative sentiment in most of the analyzed tweets, while the criticisms directed at the cruise industry were based on perceptions and stereotypes of the industry before the pandemic. The study provides insight into the concerns raised in these conversations and highlights the need for new business models outside the pre-pandemic mass-market model and to genuinely make cruising more environmentally friendly.

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Presence of Complex and Potentially Conflicting Information in Prenatal Mobile Apps

Cited by 18 publications

References 32 publications

Understanding the Use of Smartphone Apps for Health Information Among Pregnant Chinese Women: Mixed Methods Study

Understanding the Use of Smartphone Apps for Health Information Among Pregnant Chinese Women: Mixed Methods Study

Smartphone applications available to pregnant women in the United Kingdom: An assessment of nutritional information

#CoronavirusCruise: Impact and implications of the COVID-19 outbreaks on the perception of cruise tourism

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