Telehealth Intervention Strategies for WIC (THIS-WIC)- Michigan

Not Applicable

Completed

• Conditions: Dietary Intake; WIC; Breast Feeding; Telehealth; Nutrition Education
• Interventions: Behavioral: Telehealth solution

• Registration Number: NCT05746741
• Lead Sponsor: Tufts University

Brief Summary

With funding through the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) and Tufts University's Telehealth Intervention Strategies for WIC (THIS-WIC), Michigan's (MI) WIC department will pilot telehealth opportunities as a means of delivering services to WIC Clients. This video conferencing pilot looks to improve and/or remove barriers. Implementing a pilot program in select local agencies to utilize technology would allow clients to connect with a WIC Registered Dietitian (RD) or an International Board-Certified Lactation Consultant (IBCLC). Videoconferencing could open new opportunities for leveraging the extensive expertise of the nutrition and lactation workforce in WIC agencies to address rural and remote locations and travel considerations.

The purpose of this study will be to evaluate the effectiveness of this telehealth solution.

Detailed Description

Michigan WIC Agency will pilot telehealth opportunities as a means of delivering services to WIC Clients.This video conferencing pilot looks to improve and/or remove barriers such as negative clinic experiences (long wait times or poor customer service), lost time from work (creating job risk and lost wages), inconvenient WIC clinic locations and appointment times, and lack of transportation. Implementing a pilot program in select local agencies to utilize technology would allow clients to connect with a WIC Registered Dietitian (RD) or an International Board-Certified Lactation Consultant (IBCLC). Videoconferencing could open new opportunities for leveraging the extensive expertise of the nutrition and lactation workforce in WIC agencies to address rural and remote locations and travel considerations. Additional urban locations, where clients lack transportation or use of public transportation presents a barrier to traveling to subsequent WIC appointments, will also be included in the pilot. Local agencies in rural and urban areas with similar caseloads will serve as controls to compare outcomes between offering telehealth and conducting IBCLC and RD appointments in person.

The purpose of this study is to evaluate the effectiveness of this telehealth solution by having clients complete surveys on their comfortability using telehealth and their satisfaction with the telehealth appointment. Additionally, secondary demographic and other nutrition-related information about study participants is already collected in the MIS and will be utilized.

Study Timeline

• Study Start: 2021-12-10
• Study First Submitted: 2023-02-16
• Study First Submitted QC: 2023-02-16
• Study First Posted: 2023-02-28
• Primary Completion: 2023-11-30
• Study Completion: 2023-11-30
• Status Verified: 2024-05
• Last Update Submitted: 2024-05-29
• Last Update Posted: 2024-05-31

Recruitment & Eligibility

• Status: COMPLETED
• Sex: Female
• Target Recruitment: 386

Inclusion Criteria

• Pregnant women
• Breastfeeding women
• postpartum women with children in the age range of 0 to 5 years

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Exclusion Criteria

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Study & Design

• Study Type: INTERVENTIONAL
• Study Design: PARALLEL

Arm && Interventions

Group	Intervention	Description
Telehealth solution	Telehealth solution	Telehealth solution offered

Primary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
Satisfaction with the telehealth solution	During the study period, approximately 18 months	WIC clients satisfaction with nutrition education and breastfeeding support offered via the telehealth solution compared to usual care. Data will be collected, and this outcome measure will be assessed via survey completion by study participants.

Secondary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
Attendance at scheduled appointments	During the study period, approximately 18 months	WIC clients attendance at appointments when offered the telehealth solution compared to usual care. Data will be collected, and this outcome measure will be assessed via survey completion by study participants.
Dietary intake	During the study period, approximately 18 months	Impact of the telehealth solution compared to usual care on dietary intake. Data will be collected, and this outcome measure will be assessed via survey completion by study participants.
Barriers encountered in obtaining nutrition education and breastfeeding support	During the study period, approximately 18 months	Impact of the telehealth solution compared to usual care on barriers encountered by WIC clients in obtaining nutrition education and breastfeeding support. Data will be collected, and this outcome measure will be assessed via survey completion by study participants.
Breastfeeding duration	During the study period, approximately 18 months	Duration of breastfeeding in clients offered the telehealth solution compared to usual care. Data will be collected, and this outcome measure will be assessed via survey completion by study participants.
Attitudes to breastfeeding and nutrition education	During the study period, approximately 18 months	Impact of the telehealth solution compared to usual care on WIC clients' attitudes to breastfeeding and nutrition education. Data will be collected, and this outcome measure will be assessed via survey completion by study participants.

Trial Locations

Locations (1)

Tufts University; 🇺🇸 Boston, Massachusetts, United States