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O. Akinwande1,2, O. Adegbesan2, C. Sanuade3, E. Oguntimehin4, O. Sonuga4, C. Mbada4, J. Babalola2
1University College Hospital, Department of Physiotherapy, Ibadan, Nigeria, 2University of Ibadan, Department of Human Kinetics and Health Education, Ibadan, Nigeria, 3University of Ibadan, Department of Physiotherapy, Ibadan, Nigeria, 4Obafemi Awolowo University, Department of Medical Rehabilitation, Ile-Ife, Nigeria
Background: Historically, pregnancy was considered as a period of restriction and confinement. However, research has demonstrated the potential health benefits of Physical Activity (PA) during pregnancy and the postpartum period. Therefore, PA is considered safe and advisable in maintaining optimal health in pregnancy. Although, there are no evidence suggesting that PA in pregnancy is associated with any maternal or foetal adverse outcomes, it is prudent that adjustments are made to PA regimes where necessary in order to avoid potential harm due to the anatomical and physiological changes that take place during pregnancy.
Purpose: This study was aimed to assess the feasibility, acceptability and efficacy of a smartphone-based six-minute walk-talk physical activity application in pregnancy.
Methods: Development and feasibility testing stages were involved in this two-phase study. A three-round modified Delphi approach was employed in development phase comprising a panel of four medical expert informants in the field of maternal-fetal medicine, two physiotherapists and a pregnant woman (gestation period of six months). Based on consensus, five types of physical activities comprising Warm up stretches, Forward-march arm swing amble walk talk, On the spot march walk talk, On the spot dance walk talk and Cool down stretches with a total duration of 30 minutes covering repetitions of a six-minute exercise training session each were developed into a smartphone-based six-minute walk-talk physical activity application (S-B 6M W-T PAA). Forty consenting pregnant women participated in the feasibility testing of the program after a two-week utilization and provided feedback using the System Usability Scale (SUS) and Mobile App Rating Scale (MARS) respectively.
Results: The mean age and body mass index of the participants were 29.4 ± 4.28 years and 27.9 ± 3.53 Kg/m2 respectively. Most of the participants (65%) were in their third trimester. A high usability rating of (75%) was observed for the Application (App). The most rated attributes of the App were intention to use the App (80%), ease of learning to use the App (78%), integration of App function (75%), ease of use of the App (75%) and confidence about the use of the App (75%) using SUS. Furthermore, on using MARS, functionality (14.70 ± 2.77, out of a total of 20) and App subjective quality (15.00 ± 3.6, out of a total of 20) were the most rated attributes. The total App quality rating was 82.63 ± 14.74 out of 115.
Conclusion(s): The smartphone-based six-minutes walk-talk physical activity application has high usability, quality rating and acceptability among pregnant women.
Implications: Physical activity among pregnant women can be enhanced if the smartphone-based six minutes walk-talk physical activity application is promoted. This will help improve compliance to exercise prescriptions and translating to an improvemnt in the health of both the pregnant woman and the foetus
Funding, acknowledgements: Self-funded
Keywords: Physical Activity, Telemedicine, Pregnant women
Topic: Health promotion & wellbeing/healthy ageing/physical activity
Did this work require ethics approval? Yes
Institution: Institute For Advanced Medical Research And Training, University of Ibadan, Nigeria
Committee: University of Ibadan/University College Hospital
Ethics number: UI/EC/18/0130
All authors, affiliations and abstracts have been published as submitted.
