A Qualitative, Exploratory Study of Predominantly Female Parental Perceptions of Consumer Health Technology Use by Their Overweight and/or Obese Female Adolescent Participating in a Fee-Based 4-Week Weight-Management Intervention

• Published in: Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics 2014-04, Vol.114 (4), p.570-577
• Main Authors: Knoblock-Hahn, Amy L., PhD, MPH, MS, RD, LeRouge, Cynthia M., PhD
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adolescent; Biological and medical sciences; Biomedical Technology - methods; Body Mass Index; Body Weight; Child; Feeding. Feeding behavior; Female; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Gastroenterology and Hepatology; Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; Humans; Internal Medicine; Life Style; Medical sciences; Metabolic diseases; Mothers - psychology; Obesity; Obesity - therapy; Overweight - therapy; Parent-Child Relations; Perception; Qualitative Research; Socioeconomic Factors; Surveys and Questionnaires; Vertebrates: anatomy and physiology, studies on body, several organs or systems
• ISSN: 2212-2672; 2212-2680
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jand.2013.11.021

Abstract Consumer health technologies (CHTs) are a growing part of the continuum of care for self-management of overweight and obesity. Parents positively or negatively influence adolescent weight-management efforts and are especially important throughout continuum of care settings. User-centered design (UCD) applications have been developed to assist primary users, such as adolescents, with their weight management, but less is known about the influence of parents as secondary users across many socio-ecological environments. The purpose of this study was to use the Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology (UTAUT) to inform the design of a UCD application in a qualitative study that sought to determine parental views on how technology can support previously learned behaviors that require ongoing management and support beyond formal lifestyle interventions. Parents of overweight and obese adolescents (n=14) were interviewed about perceived usefulness and planned user-intent of CHT that was designed for adolescents. UTAUT provided theoretical parental constructs (intention, performance and effort expectancy, and social influence) interactions within several socio-ecological contexts, including the home food environment and restaurant dining experiences. Although generalizations of this qualitative study are limited by a small sample size with predominantly mothers (n=13) of overweight and obese daughters (n=12), the exploratory inquiry using a parent as a secondary consumer user can complement the adoption of applications designed by adolescents.