Patients on the Web: A model program to improve access to health information in underserved communit

1
Benefits of Internet Access for Pregnant Women
Results from a Pilot Study
Natalie A. Brown, BA Julie Becker, PhD, MPH Gala
True, PhD Center for Urban Health Policy and
Research Albert Einstein Healthcare
Network Philadelphia, PA
2
Purpose of Study

• Lack of access to health information online
  leaves many patients and communities at a
  disadvantage.
• Factors include economic and ethnic disparities,
  as well as issues of health literacy.
• One approach create a program that offers a
  curriculum focused on teaching patients how to
  conduct searches, navigate within sites, and
  evaluate content of health-related websites.

3
Description of WOW

• Women on the Web (WOW)
• A pilot program targeted to the needs of
  pregnant women and mothers of young children.
• Type of classes small-groups practicing Internet
  usage
• Internet delivery through an interactive,
  multi-media CD-ROM
• Curriculum includes
• how to conduct Internet searches
• how to evaluate health information and discuss
  information with their providers
• Web sites focused on prenatal care, pregnancy,
  and childbirth were used as examples.
• WOW was developed at the Center for Urban Health
  Policy and Research at Albert Einstein Healthcare
  Network with funding from the Nathan Cummings
  Foundation.

4
Evaluation Methods

• Knowledge and experience with Internet assessed
  prior to class assignment through screener
  questionnaire
• Change in knowledge and skills measured through
  repeated measure at baseline and after completion
  of class
• Participant feedback and attitude toward Internet
  measured through open-ended, semi-structured
  phone interviews at 3 month follow up
• Evaluation of CD ROM by outside expert consultant
  

5
Baseline and Post-test

• Questions measured changes in knowledge and
  skills related to
• Ability to correctly define and identify
  components of the Internet (URL, website, etc.)
• Understanding of components and steps necessary
  to conduct an Internet search using search
  engines, portals, etc.
• Navigation within a website
• Knowledge of important factors in evaluating
  reliability of a website and quality of content

6
Outside Evaluation

• Evaluation by Deputy Director of the Webby
  Awards-- measures best of the Web
• WOW given high rating on content, navigation,
  visual
• design and interactivity
• Recommendations-- make curriculum browser-
  based,
• give users more choices
• Overall-- increasing consistency in visual and
  narrative
• formula (i.e., developing easily recognizable
  learning
• screens, action screens, etc.) will improve
  learning and
• retention among participants

7
(No Transcript)
8
Pre and Post test data of WOW Participants
AEHN Unfortunately, our media person recommended
that we keep the titles short and sweet, so I
thik the knowledge questions on the bottom
should be enough info.
N 24
N 13
9
Three Month Follow-up data
10
Comments on WOW
All participants rated the WOW program as good or
excellent Able to go at own pace, good web
sites used as examples Learned a lot about how
to do searches, where to get on the
Internet Learned about how to do searches.
Lot of good info about health and
pregnancy The tutorial program itselfgood
teaching tool
11
Barriers to Intervention

• Dropouts from screening to completion of program
  due to
• - medical reasons ( i.e. bed rest due to
  pregnancy)
• - personal reasons ( i.e. starting new job)
• - lack of interest in program
• Reduce class time to slow down the rate of
  dropouts, all 4 lessons were collapsed into one
  class.
• Due to reduce time, participants were not able to
  spend as much time with the curriculum.
• WOW did not market well as a stand-alone
  program, recruitment increased when paired with
  existing pre-natal classes and other training
  programs.

12
Next Steps

• Work with community based organizations such as
  Community
• Technology Centers to add WOW classes to other
  education
• programs.
• Make revisions to program based on outside
  evaluation and feedback
• from participants.
• Target curriculum to teens and other
  populations--focus on issues such
• as pregnancy prevention.

13
Information about WOW
If you would like more information about WOMEN ON
THE WEB (WOW), Please contact Einstein Center
for Urban Health Policy and Research Wister Tower
Building One Penn Blvd. Suite 4442 Philadelphia,
PA 19144 215-951-8137 Program Director Gala
True, 215-951-8706, trueg_at_einstein.edu Program
Coordinator Natalie Brown, 215-951-8467,
brownna_at_einstein.edu