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Parent Education is Changing: A Review of Smartphone Apps
Deborah Winders Davis1, M Cynthia Logsdon, Krista Vogt
1Deborah Winders Davis is a Professor, Department of Pediatrics, Child & Adolescent Research Design & Support (CAHRDS) Unit, University of Louisville School of Medicine, Louisville, KY. The author can be reached via e-mail at deborah.davis@louisville.edu M. Cynthia Logsdon is an Associate Chief of Nursing for Research, University of Louisville Hospital/James Brown Cancer Center, and Professor, School of Nursing, University of Louisville, Louisville, KY. Krista Vogt is a Research Assistant, School of Nursing, University of Louisville, Louisville, KY. Jeff Rushton is the Director of Digital Media, University of Louisville, Louisville, KY. John Myers is a Professor, Department of Pediatrics, Child & Adolescent Research Design & Support (CAHRDS) Unit, University of Louisville School of Medicine, Louisville, KY. Adrian Lauf is an Assistant Professor, J.B. Speed School of Engineering, University of Louisville, Louisville, KY. Felicia Hogan is a Staff Nurse, University of Louisville Hospital, Louisville, KY.
Purpose:
The purpose was to critique existing parenting apps using established criteria and health literacy guidelines.
Study Design:
Descriptive methodology was used.
Methods:
The Apple App Store was searched using the terms parenting, child health, and infant health. To be included, the apps had to have relevant content (parenting, child health, or infant health), be in English, and contain parent education. After eliminating apps that failed to meet inclusion criteria from the original 203 apps, 46 apps were reviewed. The Patient Education Materials Assessment Tool was used to evaluate the health literacy subscales called Understandability and Actionability. Content analysis included Authority, Objectivity, Accuracy, Timeliness, and Usability.
Results:
The majority of the apps (70%) were in English only. The price ranged from free to $4.99. The purpose, target audience, and topics varied. Although all included apps were for parents, some were for more targeted groups of parents. The source of the information was not presented in 26% of the apps. Most apps took the user to a Web site or an article to read. Functionality of the apps was limited, with none of them providing a customized experience.
Clinical Implications:
Much development and research is needed before mobile health (mHealth) solutions can be recommended by nurses caring for new parents. It is critical that consumers and interdisciplinary professionals be involved in the early design phase of the product to ensure that the end product is acceptable and usable and that it will lead to healthy behaviors.
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00:55Parental Care
01:27Parenting Styles
Authoritarian Parenting
This style is strict and controlling, with little room for open dialogue. Authoritarian parents demand obedience and often enforce rules with minimal warmth. Children raised this way may lack social skills and initiative, usually comparing themselves to others unfavorably.
Authoritative...