Abstract
Study Objective
Develop and test the feasibility of a Health Belief Model theory-based interactive
smartphone application (app) aimed at providing information and support to adolescents
with long-acting reversible contraception (LARC).
Design, Setting, Participants, and Interventions
Using a mixed-method design, we conducted 30 in-person interviews with adolescent
LARC users who were enrolled in school-based health centers in New York City. Interviews
were conducted in 2 phases: during phase 1, 12 participants viewed a pilot version
of the app (MyLARC); during phase 2, 18 additional participants interacted with an
expanded version of the app. Phase 2 participants downloaded MyLARC onto their smartphone
and app usage was tracked.
Main Outcome Measures
Participants' responses to the in-person interviews and data usage of MyLARC from
phase 2 determined the feasibility and acceptability of using MyLARC to support young
women's satisfaction and continuation of LARC methods.
Results
Noneducational games were recommended as an approach to provide information to adolescents
in an engaging way, as well as educational graphics and visually appealing content.
Data tracking of MyLARC usage among phase 2 participants revealed a total of 67 unique
logins to the app with 18 average page visits per unique login. The total amount of
times MyLARC was opened was 1197. The most frequented features were ‘Info about LARC’
(95 unique visits) and ‘Games’ (80 unique plays).
Conclusion
A theory-based interactive smartphone app with LARC-specific information and support
is an appropriate and appealing medium to provide information and support to adolescents
using LARC. Games represented a novel opportunity to engage adolescents with health
information.
Key Words
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Article info
Publication history
Published online: November 20, 2017
Footnotes
The authors indicate no conflicts of interest.
This data was presented in part as a poster at the Society for Adolescent Health and Medicine conference 2017, and were published in the Journal of Adolescent Health (Timmons S, Shakibnia EB, Garbers S, et al: Supporting adolescents' continuation of long-acting reversible contraception (LARC): concept development and feasibility testing of a theory-based interactive smartphone app. J Adolesc Health 2017; 60:S114).
Identification
Copyright
© 2017 North American Society for Pediatric and Adolescent Gynecology. Published by Elsevier Inc.
