A multimedia psychosocial support program for couples receiving infertility treatment: a feasibility study

Abstract

Objective: To develop and test the feasibility of a theory-driven, psychosocial support CD-ROM prototype for couples in infertility treatment.

Design: Focus group meetings with reproductive health experts, semistructured interviews with infertility patients, and content analysis of an infertility message board to determine content domains of the CD-ROM. Usability and acceptance testing of prototype CD-ROM based on predetermined feasibility criteria.

Setting: Private offices and fertility centers.

Patient(s): Expert panel of 5 reproductive health specialists; interviews with 62 individuals with infertility (35 women, 27 men); feasibility study with 12 patients and 12 experts in reproductive medicine and infertility support.

Intervention(s): None.

Main outcome measure(s): Product usability/acceptance test.

Result(s): Participant feedback and content analysis informed the development of a prototype patient education CD-ROM that uses audio, video, interactive tasks, and personalized feedback. Over 80% of participants successfully completed usability tasks, and over 90% rated prototype satisfaction as "good" to "excellent." Some areas were noted for improvement in navigation and refinement in delivery of instructions. Results strongly indicate an interest in an infertility multimedia support tool.

Conclusion(s): Multimedia methods may serve as an effective, innovative psychosocial intervention for infertility patients and overcome barriers of limited local access to educational and support services.