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

Study Overview
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Brief Summary
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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
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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.

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

Conditions
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Telehealth, Nutrition Education, Breast Feeding, Dietary Intake, WIC

Intervention / Treatment
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* Behavioral: Telehealth solution


Participation Criteria
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Eligibility Criteria
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Inclusion Criteria: Pregnant women Breastfeeding women postpartum women with children in the age range of 0 to 5 years Exclusion Criteria: -

Ages Eligible for Study
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Minimum Age: 18 Years

Sexes Eligible for Study
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Female

Accepts Healthy Volunteers
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Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Study Plan
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How is the study designed?
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Design Details

Primary Purpose: Other
Allocation: Randomized
Intervention Model: Parallel Assignment
Interventional Model Description: Study participants will be clients at local WIC agency sites where either the telehealth solution is offered or where only usual care is available (control).
Masking: None (Open Label)


Arms and Interventions

| Participant Group/Arm | Intervention/Treatment |
| --- | --- |
| Experimental: Telehealth solution<br>Telehealth solution offered | Behavioral: Telehealth solution<br>* Video conferencing<br>|
| No Intervention: Control<br>Usual care | |

What is the study measuring?
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Primary Outcome Measures

| Outcome Measure | Measure Description | Time Frame |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Satisfaction with the telehealth solution | 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. | During the study period, approximately 18 months | 

Secondary Outcome Measures

| Outcome Measure | Measure Description | Time Frame |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Breastfeeding duration | 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. | During the study period, approximately 18 months | 
| Attendance at scheduled appointments | 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. | During the study period, approximately 18 months | 
| Dietary intake | 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. | During the study period, approximately 18 months | 
| Attitudes to breastfeeding and nutrition education | 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. | During the study period, approximately 18 months | 
| Barriers encountered in obtaining nutrition education and breastfeeding support | 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. | During the study period, approximately 18 months | 

 Terms related to the study
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Keywords Provided by Centre Hospitalier Valida
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Telehealth, WIC, nutrition education, breast feeding, dietary intake