(P24-091-23) Parent Preferences for a Digital Healthy Eating and Physical Activity Intervention

Objectives: To understand parents’ digital use, preferences, and motivations in the design of an mHealth intervention for parents to promote healthy eating and physical activity in preschoolers as part of the e-HEROS (electronic Home EnviROnments) study.

Methods: Participants were recruited for interviews from rural Head Start centers in NY (n=5) and CO (n=5) via electronic flyers. A semi-structured interview guide (13 questions with probes) explored: 1) parents’ use of digital devices, 2) preferences for program modalities (e.g., audio video, text), lesson duration, and connectedness, and 3) motivations for continued use of the digital program. Interviews (June 2022-January 2023) were audio-recorded, detailed field notes were taken, and qualitative content analysis was used to analyze and interpret data.

Results: Of the 59 parents who expressed interest, 16 participated; 50% identified as White, 32% as Black, and 19% as Hispanic; 75% were low-income; and 94% were mothers. Interviews ranged in length from 38-69 minutes. Digital literacy was moderately high (μ=31.5+ 5.6; out of 40). Overall, participants were enthusiastic about using the digital intervention. Device use varied based on time of day and purpose. Most participants had time to use their device when children were not present (e.g., in bed, at childcare), and purpose of use included social media, connecting with others, and gathering information. Preferred program modality and lesson duration (5-30 min) varied based on context (e.g., driving, doing chores). Participants’ interest in digital connectedness with other parents involved support and learning from others (i.e., discussing tips, ideas, and advice). Their preferred program length and motivation for completion related to perceived benefit and relevance of the content to their child.

Conclusions: There is widespread enthusiasm for the digital intervention in this sample of low-income, rural families. Parents’ motivations and preferences for a program prioritized temporal convenience, access to relevant and beneficial material, and staying connected to others. These findings, in concert with other formative research, will inform the development of the e-HEROs mHealth intervention, including wireframe and prototype testing.

Funding Sources: USDA AFRI 2015-68001-23240