Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
. 2025 Jul 28:7:1597651.
doi: 10.3389/fdgth.2025.1597651. eCollection 2025.

Parental perceptions of a wearable vital signs monitor for observation of newborns: in-depth interviews in three tertiary hospitals, Southwest Nigeria

Yetunde Olufisayo John-Akinola  1 , Adejumoke Idowu Ayede  1 , Ayomide Adeyemi  1 , Assumpta Nantume  2 , Adesewa Oluwatomisin Olaleye  1 , Olugbenga Akinrinoye  1 , Olukemi Oluwatoyin Tongo  1 , Michael Abe Alao  1 , Adenike Oluleye  1 , Oluseye Sobande  1 , Olatayo Sunday Olayemi  1 , Bertha Akinyi Oketch  2 , Rosena Olubanke Oluwafemi  3   4 , Patricia Ireti Eniowo  3 , Samuel Ojo  3 , Omolayo Adebukola Olubosede  4 , Emmanuel Olaseinde Bello  4 , Ismaila Sani  4 , Teresa Cauvel  2 , Sona Shah  2
Affiliations

Parental perceptions of a wearable vital signs monitor for observation of newborns: in-depth interviews in three tertiary hospitals, Southwest Nigeria

Yetunde Olufisayo John-Akinola et al. Front Digit Health. .

Abstract

Introduction: The first 28 days of a newborn's life are a critical time for their survival and subsequent growth and development. Wearable devices have emerged as a potential solution for clinical monitoring, offering affordability, accessibility, and improved patient care. This study explored the acceptability, satisfaction, and perceived benefits of the neoGuard wearable vital signs monitoring device among parents/guardians of sick newborns in Nigeria.

Methods: This was a qualitative study conducted between April and December 2022 at three tertiary level health facilities in Nigeria. In-depth interviews were conducted with 17 parents/guardians whose newborns were monitored using the neoGuard technology. Participants were selected based on specific criteria, including observation of at least 2 h of use of the neoGuard technology on their newborn, and interviews were conducted in the participants' preferred language. Interviews were moderated with a semi-structured interview guide and audio recorded. Data were transcribed, coded and analyzed thematically using NVivo software.

Results: The majority of participants expressed positive reactions to the neoGuard device, although some initial concerns were reported. Participants appreciated the device's functionality, ease of use, and potential to detect health issues in newborns. The device did not interfere with routine care activities such as cleaning, breastfeeding, or kangaroo care. Participants expressed high levels of confidence in the device's safety and expressed satisfaction with its performance. They suggested improvements such as designing the device to be worn on the wrist instead of the forehead.

Conclusion: Overall, the neoGuard wearable vital signs monitor was well accepted by parents/guardians of sick newborns in Nigeria. The device's functionality, ease of use and potential to improve newborn health were positively perceived. Some suggestions for design improvements were provided. These findings highlight the importance of considering the perspectives of parents/guardians, alongside clinicians and other stakeholders, when implementing new technologies in clinical care. Further research should examine the device's clinical impact and cost-effectiveness while considering the experiences and perceptions of both healthcare providers and patients' guardians to inform adoption into clinical practice.

Keywords: acceptability; newborns; parental perceptions; satisfaction; wearable vital signs monitor.

PubMed Disclaimer

Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest. The author(s) declared that they were an editorial board member of Frontiers, at the time of submission. This had no impact on the peer review process and the final decision.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
The neoGuard vital signs monitoring system. Reprinted with permission from Neopenda, original image created by Neopenda PBC, 2024.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

References

    1. United Nations Children’s Fund. United Nations Inter-agency Group for Child Mortality Estimation (UNIGME), Levels & Trends in Child Mortality: Report 2022, Estimates Developed by the United Nations Inter-agency Group for Child Mortality Estimation. New York: United Nations Children’s Fund; (2023). Available online at: https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/levels-and-trends-in-ch...
    1. Adetola AO, Tongo OO, Orimadegun AE, Osinusi K. Neonatal mortality in an urban population in Ibadan, Nigeria. Pediatr Neonatol (2011) 52(5):243–50. 10.1016/j.pedneo.2011.06.001 - DOI - PubMed
    1. Owa JA, Osinaike AI. Neonatal morbidity and mortality in Nigeria. Indian J Pediatr (1998) 65(3):441–9. 10.1007/BF02761140 - DOI - PubMed
    1. Bangdiwala SI, Fonn S, Okoye O, Tollman S. Workforce resources for health in developing countries. Public Health Rev. (2010) 32(1):1. 10.1007/BF03391604 - DOI
    1. Naicker S, Plange-Rhule J, Tutt RC, Eastwood JB. Shortage of healthcare workers in developing countries–Africa. Ethn Dis. (2009) 19(1 Suppl 1):S1-60–4. - PubMed

LinkOut - more resources