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| Name | Class |
|---|---|
| University of Pittsburgh | OTHER |
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The investigators will conduct a randomized controlled trial (RCT) to generate data on the impact of direct-to-consumer "telelactation" (virtual breastfeeding support) services. We will explore the feasibility, acceptability, and impact of these services. Postpartum mothers age 18 and older who have initiated breastfeeding will be recruited at a critical access hospital without access to IBCLCs in rural Pennsylvania and randomized into two study arms: 1) outpatient telelactation services via video calls on personal devices or 2) usual care. Data on breastfeeding duration and exclusivity, as well as perceptions and satisfaction with breastfeeding, will be captured via surveys and in-depth interviews and compared across groups.
Increasing breastfeeding rates is an ongoing public health priority because of the health and economic benefits for infants, mothers, and communities. Professional lactation support, specifically by International Board Certified Lactation Consultants (IBCLCs), increases breastfeeding duration and exclusivity. Rural and underserved mothers have lower breastfeeding rates, and limited access to professional lactation support may contribute to this disparity. As such, the Surgeon General identifies increasing access to IBCLCs as a policy priority. Virtual "telelactation" consults that use two-way video have the potential to increase access to IBCLC services in rural settings that lack them. Several companies have begun to offer telelactation through a direct-to-consumer (DTC) model, where patients initiate video calls with providers using their personal devices including mobile phones, tablets, and laptops. While four studies with small samples explored the use of antiquated videoconferencing technology (i.e., that required dedicated equipment) for lactation support, no research has studied DTC telelactation or linked telelactation with breastfeeding outcomes. To address this evidence gap, the investigators will conduct a randomized controlled trial (RCT) to generate data on the feasibility, acceptability, and impact of DTC telelactation services. Postpartum mothers age 18 and older who have initiated breastfeeding will be recruited at a critical access hospital without access to IBCLCs in rural Pennsylvania and randomized into two study arms: 1) outpatient telelactation services via video calls on personal devices or 2) usual care. Data on breastfeeding duration and exclusivity, as well as perceptions and satisfaction with breastfeeding and with telelactation services, will be captured via surveys and in-depth interviews and compared across groups. This study will be the first experimental evaluation of telelactation and the first ever evaluation of DTC telelactation services. The results will inform policy debates about reimbursement and regulation of DTC telehealth services and the strengths and limitations of this model of healthcare delivery as applied to breastfeeding. It also has the potential to promote breastfeeding, one of the most widely recommended health behaviors among underserved families, and improve children's health in rural settings.
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| Label | Type | Description | Intervention Names |
|---|---|---|---|
| Telelactation support | Experimental | Participants in the experimental group will receive unlimited, free telelactation visits with lactation consultants (IBCLCs) as demanded up to 12 weeks post-partum. Services will be available through mobile phone app. |
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| Usual care | No Intervention | Participants in the control arm will receive care as usual. |
| Name | Type | Description | Arm Group Labels | Other Names |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Telelactation services | Behavioral | Mothers will get unlimited access (for a three month period) to video calls with lactation consultants who are available 24/7. Mothers can use the service as demanded. |
| Measure | Description | Time Frame |
|---|---|---|
| Any breastfeeding (yes/no) at 3 months | Three months | |
| Exclusive breastfeeding (yes/no) at 3 months | Three months |
| Measure | Description | Time Frame |
|---|---|---|
| Breastfeeding satisfaction (self-reported via questionnaire at 3 months postpartum) | Survey question which captures extent of satisfaction with the experience of breastfeeding. Question reads: How satisfied do you feel about the experience of breastfeeding your baby over the past three months? (Very unsatisfied, somewhat unsatisfied, neither unsatisfied nor satisfied, somewhat satisfied, very satisfied). We will create a binary variable (satisfied vs. unsatisfied) based on this response, with those reporting "somewhat satisfied" or "very satisfied" defined as "satisfied." |
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Inclusion Criteria for mothers:
Inclusion criteria for infants:
Exclusion Criteria:
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| Facility | Status | City | State | ZIP | Country | Contacts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| RAND Corporation | Arlington | Virginia | 22202 | United States |
| PubMed Identifier | Type | Citation | Retractions |
|---|---|---|---|
| 31629118 | Derived | Uscher-Pines L, Ghosh-Dastidar B, Bogen DL, Ray KN, Demirci JR, Mehrotra A, Kapinos KA. Feasibility and Effectiveness of Telelactation Among Rural Breastfeeding Women. Acad Pediatr. 2020 Jul;20(5):652-659. doi: 10.1016/j.acap.2019.10.008. Epub 2019 Oct 16. | |
| 31482848 | Derived | Kapinos K, Kotzias V, Bogen D, Ray K, Demirci J, Rigas MA, Uscher-Pines L. The Use of and Experiences With Telelactation Among Rural Breastfeeding Mothers: Secondary Analysis of a Randomized Controlled Trial. J Med Internet Res. 2019 Sep 3;21(9):e13967. doi: 10.2196/13967. |
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| ID | Term |
|---|---|
| D001942 | Breast Feeding |
| ID | Term |
|---|---|
| D005247 | Feeding Behavior |
| D001519 | Behavior |
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| Three months |