614 - Exploring Parental Perspectives Surrounding Novel Environmental Research Approaches in the Perinatal Period

Poster Number: 614
Publication Number: 614.313

Gabriella B. Smith, Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago, Chicago, IL, United States; Mickayla Jones, Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago, Chicago, IL, United States; Mary J. Akel, Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago, Chicago, IL, United States; Leonardo Barrera, Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago, Chicago, IL, United States; Marie Heffernan, Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago, Chicago, IL, United States; Patrick Seed, Northwestern University The Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL, United States; Michelle Macy, Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago, Chicago, IL, United States; Stephanie Fisher, Northwestern University The Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL, United States; Leena B. Mithal, Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago, Chicago, IL, United States

Background: As interest in research on perinatal environmental exposures grows, innovative monitoring and sampling methods provide a unique opportunity for data capture in the home. How these novel technologies may be perceived by parents and families warrants further investigation.

Objective: To explore perspectives of new and expecting parents surrounding novel environmental monitoring technologies for perinatal research.

Design/Methods: This qualitative study consisted of semi-structured interviews of new (at least one child < 2 years) and expecting parents from diverse racial/ethnic and socioeconomic status (SES) groups. Participants were recruited via social media and in outpatient clinics. The interviewer inquired about p</span>arental opinions and concerns regarding hypothetical research scenarios using novel technologies, namely audio monitoring, home environmental sampling, and wearable devices. De-identified interview transcripts were analyzed in Dedoose qualitative software using a constant comparative approach to identify themes. An initial codebook was refined following the review of two transcripts. Each interview transcript was coded by one team member, reviewed by another team member, and discussed to establish consensus. Coded excerpts were reviewed to identify themes.

Results: Among 22 p</span>articipants, there were 9 new parents and 13 pregnant people [Table 1]. Themes included 1) Positive Perceptions; 2) Returning Results; 3) Privacy and Safety Concerns; and 4) Logistics and Feasibility [Table 2]. Perspectives were similar across racial/ethnic and SES groups. More participants expressed positive sentiments regarding environmental sampling (86%) than wearable devices (68%). Participants were open to audio monitors that collect volume and pitch of sound, but many expressed concerns about devices that could analyze words. Most concerns across all forms of monitoring were related to privacy of data and safety. Participants emphasized their desire to receive timely results of investigations that could be actionable to help improve the health of their family and development of their child. Participants wanted details about the logistics and feasibility of monitoring.

Conclusion(s): Many participants had positive sentiments regarding monitoring technologies for data capture, yet they expressed significant concerns about safety and privacy. Audio monitoring was controversial among p</span>articipants. Ensuring data security, privacy, and absence of harm were key priorities. Participant perspectives should be used to inform the design of future studies that incorporate novel technologies for home-based data collection.