An approach to revising mHealth interventions for children and families: A case example in sickle cell disease.
Shannon Phillips, Julie Kanter, Kenneth J Ruggiero and 3 others
PMID 31393015WHAT IT FOUND
Families and clinic providers found a sickle cell self-management app appealing for pain tracking and communication, but wanted clearer instructions, age-tailored content, and messaging workflows.
This was formative feedback, not evidence the app improves health.
Key findings
01All child/parent dyads reported using technology, and 88% used it very often or every day, but none reported using mobile apps for health management.
02Nearly all child/parent dyads and healthcare providers found the app interesting and appealing, especially the customizable avatar, detailed information, and symptom tracking tools.
03The team prioritized critical revisions: clearer instructions, secure child/parent-provider communication with a protocol, simplified education, age-tailored content, more visuals, revised pain descriptors, and a medication tracker.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for RNs
Read the rest of this summary
You get three full summaries a month, free, and we do not ask for a card. Search, the TL;DRs and your library stay unlimited either way.
What it does not show
The study did not test whether the app improved self-management, pain, medication adherence, communication, or health outcomes. It used only qualitative end-user feedback, not quantitative outcome data. The case example was done in one pediatric sickle cell clinic, so it may not apply to other settings or populations. Only English-speaking participants were included. Most participants were already familiar with technology, so families less comfortable with technology may have different views. The app was presented on a tablet rather than the intended phone, and interrupted Wi-Fi limited some features. Data from two child/parent dyads were unusable because audio recording failed. The authors state that the approach stops at revision and does not include pilot testing or randomized testing.
Declared interests
The article is listed as NIH extramural funded, and the authors declared no conflicts of interest. The original app had been developed through a collaboration with a pharmaceutical company, which later dissolved and transferred rights to the research team.
The easy way to misread this
Do not conclude that the app improves sickle cell self-management. The study collected feedback to guide revisions; it did not test symptoms, adherence, communication, or health outcomes, and the authors note the approach did not include pilot or randomized testing.