Use of a mobile app to capture supplemental health information during pregnancy: Implications for clinical research

• Published in: Pharmacoepidemiology and drug safety 2022-01, Vol.31 (1), p.37-45
• Main Authors: Rothschild, Claire W., Dublin, Sascha, Brown, Jeffrey S., Klasnja, Predrag, Herzig‐Marx, Chayim, Reynolds, Juliane S., Wyner, Zachary, Chambers, Christina, Martin, David
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Antidepressants; cell phone; Constipation; data collection; Delivery of Health Care, Integrated; Electronic health records; Electronic medical records; Female; Health care; Humans; Mental depression; Mobile Applications; mobile apps; Nausea; patient selection; Pilot Projects; Population; Pregnancy; pregnancy research; Pregnant Women; Substance use; Surveys and Questionnaires; Womens health
• ISSN: 1053-8569; 1099-1557
• DOI: 10.1002/pds.5320

Purpose Mobile applications (“apps”) may be efficient tools for improving the quality of clinical research among pregnant women, but evidence is sparse. We assess the feasibility and generalizability of a mobile app for capturing supplemental data during pregnancy. Methods In 2017, we conducted a pilot study of the FDA MyStudies mobile app within a pregnant population identified through Kaiser Permanente Washington (KPWA), an integrated healthcare delivery system. We ascertained health conditions, medications, and substance use through app‐based questionnaires. In a post‐hoc analysis, we utilized electronic health records (EHR) to summarize sociodemographic and health characteristics of pilot participants and, for comparison, a pregnant population identified using similar methods. Results Six percent (64/1070) of contacted women enrolled in the pilot study. Nearly half (23/53) reported taking medication for headaches and one‐fourth for constipation (13/53) and nausea (12/53) each. Few instances (2/92) of over‐the‐counter medication use were identified in electronic dispensing records. One‐quarter to one‐third of participants with depression and anxiety/panic, respectively, reported recently discontinuing medications for these conditions. Eighty‐eight percent of pilot participants reported White race (95%CI: 81–95%), versus 67% of the comparison population (N = 2065). More pilot participants filled ≥1 prescription for antianxiety medication (22% [95%CI: 13–35%]) and antidepressants (19% [95%CI 10–31%]) pre‐pregnancy than the comparison population (10 and 9%, respectively). Conclusions Mobile apps may be a feasible tool for capturing health data not routinely available in EHR. Pregnant women willing to use a mobile app for research may differ from the general pregnant population, but confirmation is needed.