TY  - JOUR
AU  - Chua, Joelle Yan Xin
AU  - Choolani, Mahesh
AU  - Chee, Cornelia Yin Ing
AU  - Yi, Huso
AU  - Chan, Yiong Huak
AU  - Lalor, Joan Gabrielle
AU  - Chong, Yap Seng
AU  - Shorey, Shefaly
PY  - 2024
DA  - 2024/6/21
TI  - Parents’ Perceptions of Their Parenting Journeys and a Mobile App Intervention (Parentbot—A Digital Healthcare Assistant): Qualitative Process Evaluation
JO  - J Med Internet Res
SP  - e56894
VL  - 26
KW  - perinatal
KW  - parents
KW  - mobile app
KW  - chatbot
KW  - qualitative study
KW  - interviews
KW  - experiences
KW  - mobile phone
AB  - Background: Parents experience many challenges during the perinatal period. Mobile app–based interventions and chatbots show promise in delivering health care support for parents during the perinatal period. Objective: This descriptive qualitative process evaluation study aims to explore the perinatal experiences of parents in Singapore, as well as examine the user experiences of the mobile app–based intervention with an in-built chatbot titled Parentbot—a Digital Healthcare Assistant (PDA). Methods: A total of 20 heterosexual English-speaking parents were recruited via purposive sampling from a single tertiary hospital in Singapore. The parents (control group: 10/20, 50%; intervention group: 10/20, 50%) were also part of an ongoing randomized trial between November 2022 and August 2023 that aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of the PDA in improving parenting outcomes. Semistructured one-to-one interviews were conducted via Zoom from February to June 2023. All interviews were conducted in English, audio recorded, and transcribed verbatim. Data analysis was guided by the thematic analysis framework. The COREQ (Consolidated Criteria for Reporting Qualitative Research) checklist was used to guide the reporting of data. Results: Three themes with 10 subthemes describing parents’ perceptions of their parenting journeys and their experiences with the PDA were identified. The main themes were (1) new babies, new troubles, and new wonders; (2) support system for the parents; and (3) reshaping perinatal support for future parents. Conclusions: Overall, the PDA provided parents with informational, socioemotional, and psychological support and could be used to supplement the perinatal care provided for future parents. To optimize users’ experience with the PDA, the intervention could be equipped with a more sophisticated chatbot, equipped with more gamification features, and programmed to deliver personalized care to parents. Researchers and health care providers could also strive to promote more peer-to-peer interactions among users. The provision of continuous, holistic, and family-centered care by health care professionals could also be emphasized. Moreover, policy changes regarding maternity and paternity leaves, availability of infant care centers, and flexible work arrangements could be further explored to promote healthy work-family balance for parents. 
SN  - 1438-8871
UR  - https://www.jmir.org/2024/1/e56894
UR  - https://doi.org/10.2196/56894
DO  - 10.2196/56894
ID  - info:doi/10.2196/56894
ER  -