scholarly journals Development of a Mobile App to Support Self-Management of Anxiety and Depression in African American Women: A Usability Study (Preprint)

10.2196/24393 ◽  
2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Terika McCall ◽  
Muhammad Osama Ali ◽  
Fei Yu ◽  
Paul Fontelo ◽  
Saif Khairat
Keyword(s):  
African American ◽  
African American Women ◽  
Mobile App ◽  
Self Management ◽  
Anxiety And Depression ◽  
Usability Study ◽  
American Women

scholarly journals Development of a Mobile App to Support Self-Management of Anxiety and Depression in African American Women: A Usability Study (Preprint)

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Terika McCall ◽  
Muhammad Osama Ali ◽  
Fei Yu ◽  
Paul Fontelo ◽  
Saif Khairat
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
African American ◽  
User Interface ◽  
Mental Health Services ◽  
Health Services ◽  
African American Women ◽  
Usability Testing ◽  
Self Management ◽  
Anxiety And Depression ◽  
American Women

BACKGROUND Anxiety and depressive disorders are the most common mental health conditions among African American women (AAW). Despite the need for mental health care, AAW significantly underutilize mental health services. Past mHealth studies revealed significant improvement in anxiety or depressive symptoms post-intervention. Use of mobile applications (apps) has the potential to eliminate or mitigate barriers for AAW seeking to access mental health services and resources. OBJECTIVE This study aimed to evaluate the usability of the prototype of an app designed to support self-management of anxiety and depression in AAW. METHODS Individual usability testing sessions were conducted with 15 participants in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. Cognitive walkthrough and a think-aloud protocol were used to evaluate the user interface. Eye tracking glasses were used to record participants’ visual focus and gaze path as they performed tasks. The Questionnaire for User Interface Satisfaction was administered following each session to assess participants’ acceptance of the app. RESULTS Participants positively rated the usability of the prototype and provided recommendations for app improvement. The average of means scores for usability assessment (i.e., overall reactions to the software, screen, terminology and app information, learning, and app capabilities) ranged from 7.2 to 8.8 on a scale from 0 to 9 (low to high rating) for user tasks. Most participants were able to complete each task with limited or no assistance. Design recommendations included improving the user interface by adding graphics and color, adding a tutorial for first-time users, curating a list of Black women therapist within the app, adding details about tracking anxiety and depression in the check-up graphs, informing users that they can use the talk-to-text feature for journal entries to reduce burden, relabeling the mental health information icon, monitoring for crisis support, and improving clickthrough sequencing. CONCLUSIONS This study provided better understanding of user experience with an app tailored to support management of anxiety and depression for AAW, an underserved group. Since AAW have high rates of smartphone ownership, there is a great opportunity to use mobile technology to provide access to needed mental health services and resources. Future work will include incorporating feedback from the usability testing and focus group sessions to refine and further develop the app. The updated app will undergo iterative usability testing prior to launching the pilot study to assess efficacy. CLINICALTRIAL

scholarly journals The Acceptability of Text Messaging to Help African American Women Manage Anxiety and Depression: Cross-Sectional Survey Study

10.2196/15801 ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 7 (2) ◽  
pp. e15801 ◽  
Author(s):  
Terika McCall ◽  
Todd A Schwartz ◽  
Saif Khairat
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Health Care ◽  
African American ◽  
Mental Health Care ◽  
African American Women ◽  
Text Messaging ◽  
Anxiety And Depression ◽  
American Women ◽  
To Receive ◽  
Insight Into

Background The rates of mental illness among African American women are comparable with the general population; however, they significantly underutilize mental health services compared with their white counterparts. Previous studies revealed that interventions delivered via text messaging are effective and can be used to increase access to services and resources. More insight into whether or not this modality is acceptable for use to deliver mental health care to help African American women manage anxiety and depression is needed. Objective This exploratory study aimed to gain insight into the acceptability of using text messaging to help African American women manage anxiety and depression. Methods A self-administered Web-based survey was launched in June 2018 and closed in August 2018. Eligible participants were African American women (18 years or older) who reside in the United States. Participants were recruited through convenience sampling (eg, email sent via listservs and social media posts). Respondents were provided an anonymous link to the questionnaire. The survey consisted of 53 questions on the following subjects: sociodemographic characteristics, attitudes toward seeking professional psychological help, mobile phone use, and acceptability of using a mobile phone to receive mental health care. Results The results of this exploratory study (N=101) showed that fewer than half of respondents endorsed the use of text messaging to communicate with a professional to receive help to manage anxiety (49/101, 48.5%) and depression (43/101, 42.6%). Approximately 51.4% (52/101) agreed that having the option to use text messaging to communicate with a professional if they are dealing with anxiety would be helpful. Similarly, 48.5% (49/101) agreed that having the option to use text messaging to communicate with a professional if they are dealing with depression would be helpful. Among participants who agreed that text messaging would be helpful, more than 80% noted being comfortable with its use to receive help for managing anxiety (approximately 86%, 45/52) and depression (approximately 82%, 40/49; highly significant positive association, all P<.001). More than 50% of respondents (56/101, 55.4%) indicated having concerns about using text messaging. No statistically significant associations were found between age and agreement with the use of text messaging to communicate with a professional to receive help for managing anxiety (P=.26) or depression (P=.27). Conclusions The use of text messaging was not highly endorsed by African American women as an acceptable mode of communication with a professional to help them manage anxiety or depression. Concerns around privacy, confidentiality, and the impersonal feel of communicating about sensitive issues via text messages must be addressed for this modality to be a viable option. The findings of this study demonstrated the need for further research into the use of mobile technology to provide this population with more accessible and convenient options for mental health care.

Novel Interventions for HIV Self-management in African American Women: A Systematic Review of mHealth Interventions

2015 ◽  
Vol 26 (2) ◽  
pp. 139-150 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kimberly Adams Tufts ◽  
Kaprea F. Johnson ◽  
Jewel Goodman Shepherd ◽  
Ju-Young Lee ◽  
Muna S. Bait Ajzoon ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Systematic Review ◽  
African American ◽  
African American Women ◽  
Self Management ◽  
American Women

scholarly journals Overcoming barriers to recruitment and retention of African–American women with SLE in behavioural interventions: lessons learnt from the WELL study

2020 ◽  
Vol 7 (1) ◽  
pp. e000391
Author(s):  
Cristina Drenkard ◽  
Kirk Easley ◽  
Gaobin Bao ◽  
Charmayne Dunlop-Thomas ◽  
S Sam Lim ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
African American ◽  
African American Women ◽  
Research Team ◽  
Performance Standards ◽  
Self Management ◽  
Close Monitoring ◽  
Culturally Competent ◽  
Behavioural Interventions ◽  
American Women ◽  
Recruitment And Retention

BackgroundAfrican–Americans are historically under-represented in SLE studies and engaging them in behavioural interventions is challenging. The Women Empowered to Live with Lupus (WELL) study is a trial conducted to examine the effectiveness of the Chronic Disease Self-Management Program (CDSMP) among African–American women with SLE. We describe enrolment and retention challenges and successful strategies of the WELL study.MethodsThe Georgians Organized Against Lupus (GOAL) cohort, a population-based cohort established in Atlanta, Georgia, was used to enrol a sample of 168 African–American women with SLE into the CDSMP. The CDSMP is a 6-week, group-based programme led by peers to enhance self-management skills in people with chronic conditions. Study performance standards were predefined and close monitoring of recruitment and retention progress was conducted by culturally competent staff members. Continuous contact with participants, research coordinators’ notes and regular research team meetings served to assess barriers and define strategies needed to meet the desired recruitment and retention outcomes.ResultsWhile no substantial barriers were identified to enrol GOAL participants into the WELL study, WELL participants faced difficulties registering for and/or completing (attending ≥4 sessions) a CDSMP workshop. Major barriers were unpredicted personal and health-related issues, misunderstanding of the scope and benefits of the intervention, and transportation problems. Early implementation of tailored strategies (eg, CDSMP scheduled on Saturdays, CDSMP delivered at convenient/familiar facilities, transportation services) helped to reduce participant barriers and achieve a CDSMP registration of 168 participants, with 126 (75%) completers. Frequent contact with participants and compensation helped to reach 92.3% retention for the 6-month survey.ConclusionsPredefined standards and monitoring of participant barriers by a culturally competent research team and proactive solutions were critical to implementing successful strategies and achieving the desired recruitment and retention outcomes of a behavioural trial involving African–American women with SLE.Trial registration numberNCT02988661.

Diabetes Self-Management Education and Self-Efficacy Among African American Women Living With Type 2 Diabetes in Rural Primary Care

2017 ◽  
Vol 10 (1) ◽  
pp. 11-16
Author(s):  
Cynthia Harrington ◽  
Heather D. Carter-Templeton ◽  
Susan J. Appel
Keyword(s):  
Type 2 Diabetes ◽  
African American ◽  
African American Women ◽  
Health Care Providers ◽  
Self Efficacy ◽  
Self Management ◽  
Health Clinic ◽  
Care Providers ◽  
American Women

African American women suffer the highest prevalence of type 2 diabetes (T2D). Self-efficacy is important for optimal diabetes self-management (DSM). Purpose: To evaluate DSM by comparing pre- and postintervention responses to a diabetes self-efficacy scale. Design: Descriptive pilot study. Sample: Participants for this study were N = 15 African American women aged 25–65 years (M = 47.4 years) and recruited from a rural health clinic in the Southeastern United States, who received a 4-hr DSM class. Method: Data were collected using the Stanford Self-Efficacy for Diabetes (SED). Results: The increase in the pre- and posttest SED scores were statistically significant, (p < .001). Implications for Nursing: Health care providers should tailor a diabetes education program for these individuals living with T2D. Through a collaborative patient–provider relationship to care, individuals may ultimately experience increased self-efficacy leading to improved DSM.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document