title: Clinic staff attitudes towards the use of mHealth technology to conduct perinatal depression screenings: a qualitative study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The use of mHealth technology is an innovative approach for screening low-income mothers for depression. Past studies show that the use of technology removes barriers such as literacy issues, language challenges, concerns about privacy and lack of transportation and can also increase reliability. However, little is known about staff attitudes and perceptions towards using mHealth technology for screening low-income women for depression in clinics.
  
  
  METHODS
  Four focus groups were conducted with staff members in a supplemental nutrition program for women, infants and children located in a public health clinic. A semi-structured focus group interview guide was used to examine staff perceptions related to depression screening with tablet technology. All interviews were audio recorded and transcribed verbatim. Thematic analysis was used to analyse all focus group data.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Three major benefits and two major barriers were found. The benefits of using technology for perinatal depression screenings were reduction of literacy and language barriers, reduction of redundancy and errors and increased privacy for clients. The barriers were increased network issues and responsibility for technology, which included fear of the devices being lost, stolen or broken.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Before implementing mHealth tablet technology for depression screening in a public health clinic, it is important to address the concerns of staff members to make the transition more effective. This study provides timely information on staff-perceived benefits and barriers when implementing mHealth technology in a public health setting.
authors.affiliation: School of Social Work, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, USA, Identifying Depression through Early Assessment (IDEA) Research Team, Urbana, IL, USA, pineros1@illinois.edu.
authors.forename: Maria
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Pineros-Leano
authors.affiliation: School of Social Work, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, USA, Identifying Depression through Early Assessment (IDEA) Research Team, Urbana, IL, USA.
authors.forename: Karen M
authors.initials: KM
authors.lastname: Tabb
authors.affiliation: School of Social Work, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, USA, Identifying Depression through Early Assessment (IDEA) Research Team, Urbana, IL, USA.
authors.forename: Heather
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Sears
authors.affiliation: Identifying Depression through Early Assessment (IDEA) Research Team, Urbana, IL, USA, Champaign Urbana Public Health District, Champaign, IL, USA.
authors.forename: Brandon
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Meline
authors.affiliation: Identifying Depression through Early Assessment (IDEA) Research Team, Urbana, IL, USA, Department of Psychiatry, Cambridge Health Alliance, Harvard Medical School, Cambridge, MA, USA and Institute of Psychiatry & LIM-23, Faculty of Medicine, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil.
authors.forename: Hsiang
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Huang
mesh_terms: D000554:Ambulatory Care Facilities; D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D003144:Communication Barriers; D034201:Computers, Handheld; D003863:Depression / Q000175:diagnosis*; D005260:Female; D017144:Focus Groups; D006801:Humans; D000067010:Literacy; D008122:Local Area Networks; D009111:Local Government; D008403:Mass Screening / Q000379:methods*; D049590:Postpartum Period; D011203:Poverty; D018907:Privacy; D036301:Qualitative Research
keywords: Depression screening; WIC.; mHealth technology; perinatal; public health clinic