A Mobile Application for Child-Focused Tonsillectomy Education: Development and User-Testing

Area of Science:

• Pediatric surgery
• Health informatics
• Patient education

Background:

• Enhanced Recovery After Surgery (ERAS) protocols emphasize patient education.
• Existing educational materials for pediatric tonsillectomy are limited.
• Accessible, interactive tools are needed for child patients and caregivers.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and pilot a mobile application for pediatric tonsillectomy education.
• To assess the feasibility, fidelity, and patient-centered outcomes of the application.
• To provide an engaging and informative resource for pre- and post-operative care.

Main Methods:

• A web-based prototype was user-tested with 30 children (ages 5-12), their caregivers, and six otolaryngologists.
• Feasibility, fidelity, and patient-centered outcomes were measured.
• Usability and likeability were rated using the mHealth App Usability Questionnaire; quality was rated using the Mobile App Rating Scale.

Main Results:

• High enrollment (88.2%), retention (90.0%), and usage (96.3%) were observed.
• Patients and caregivers reported high usability and likeability (mean scores ~6.4/7).
• Caregivers found the app informative and helpful for pain management (92.3%); providers rated it highly and would recommend it.

Conclusions:

• The mobile application demonstrated high feasibility and fidelity.
• Families and otolaryngologists endorsed the app as an engaging, informative tool.
• The application offers a scalable, patient-centered solution for pediatric surgical education.