# Hispanic Views About Online Information on Weight Gain, Diet, and Physical Activity in Pregnancy: A Qualitative Study

## TL;DR

This study explores how Hispanic individuals use online resources for pregnancy-related health information, focusing on weight gain, diet, and physical activity.

## Contribution

The study provides insights into the unique experiences and challenges of Hispanic individuals in accessing and applying online pregnancy health information.

## Key findings

- Participants used online resources to fill gaps in information provided by healthcare providers.
- Website features and user perspectives significantly influenced engagement with online pregnancy information.
- Nurses can help translate health guidelines into actionable behaviors for Hispanic individuals.

## Abstract

The vast amount of online health resources accessible to the public and the pregnant population shows their high interest in using online health resources for their pregnancies. In this study, we specifically aimed to understand the experience and use of online pregnancy health information among Hispanic individuals, who are at higher risk of gaining outside of the recommended guideline of gestational weight gain (GWG) than the overall U.S. childbearing population. We conducted face-to-face semi-structured interviews with 20 childbearing-age Hispanic individuals (who were either pregnant or non-pregnant) in the Austin area to explore seeking, understanding, and using online information about recommendations for GWG, diet, and physical activity during pregnancy. Using reflexive thematic analysis, we identified both user perspectives and website features that affected the participants’ engagement with and application of online pregnancy information. We conclude that the benefits of online resources fill gaps left by healthcare providers. Nurses as care providers and content creators of health information can help translate guidelines into behaviors that Hispanic people could apply in their everyday lives.