Digital Solutions to Reduce Maternal Morbidity and Mortality in Pregnant Refugee Women
Weill Medical College of Cornell University
Summary
The goal of this observational study is to use digital health tracking to improve how high blood pressure and other health issues are detected in pregnant refugee women. The main questions this study aims to answer are are: * Can a digital monitoring system that checks for high blood pressure in these women be tested and refined, using clinical training and validation? * Can this digital monitoring system accurately track any related pregnancy health issues and be used to refer participants to care providers? * Can this system be used to accurately identify risks associated with the contraction of pregnancy-related conditions, such as preeclampsia and high blood pressure? Participants will: * Complete baseline and follow-up in-person appointments; * Complete surveys at these appointment that track their health, stress levels, and comorbidities/risks associated with pregnancy; * Be given a smartwatch fitness tracker and electronic blood pressure cuffs for at-home measurements.
Description
The objective of this application, funded by the National Academy of Medicine Catalyst Award, is to maximize the performance of a digital cardiovascular monitoring system to detect gestational hypertension in pregnant refugee women. The central hypothesis is that the application of these digital health technologies will be able to diagnose gestational hypertension in refugee mothers with 85% sensitivity as compared to the gold standard (clinical diagnosis). The rationale for this investigation is to improve the diagnosis of hypertension in refugee mothers, leading to targeted treatment. This…
Eligibility
- Age range
- 18+ years
- Sex
- Female
- Healthy volunteers
- Yes
Inclusion Criteria: * Pregnant * Refugee, asylum seeking, or asylee as designated by the U.S. Government * Greater than or equal to 18 years of age * Has a personal smartphone Exclusion Criteria: * Unable to provide informed consent * Determined by the PI to be in an extremely vulnerable position and therefore not suited for research participation * Planned move from the New York City (NYC) area within the next 24 months
Interventions
- DeviceNokia-Withings BPM Connect Blood Pressure Monitor
At-home blood pressure (BP) measurements will be weekly via a blood pressure cuff (e.g., Nokia-Withings BPM (Beats per Minute) Connect), with measurements being manually entered into the study specific smartphone app.
- DeviceSmartwatch Devices
Passive continuous collection of digital data (e.g., daily heart rate trends, activity levels, sleep measurements) for exploratory outcomes will occur via Apple Watches and Fitbit Versa 3s, which are synced to a smartphone application.
Location
- Weill Cornell MedicineNew York, New York