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Applying the Participatory Slow Design Approach to a mHealth Application for Family Caregivers in Pediatric Ear,
Raffaella Dobrina1, Anja Starec2, Laura Brunelli3
1Healthcare Professions Directorate, Institute for Maternal and Child Health-IRCCS "Burlo Garofolo", 34137 Trieste, Italy.
Insights
A new mobile health app was developed to educate families on pediatric ear, nose, and throat (ENT) surgery. This mHealth tool supports caregivers through the perioperative process, enhancing care for children.
Area of Science:
- Digital Health
- Pediatric Surgery
- Health Informatics
Background:
- Pediatric ear, nose, and throat (ENT) surgery is common.
- Family education can improve surgical outcomes.
- Mobile health (mHealth) applications offer potential healthcare benefits.
Purpose of the Study:
- To outline the user-centered design and development of a mHealth app.
- To support family caregivers during the perioperative period of pediatric ENT surgery.
- To provide evidence-based information and guidance.
Main Methods:
- A participatory design method based on the Information System Research (ISR) framework was used.
- The study was conducted over two years in an Italian hospital.
- Expert committees, family caregivers, and healthcare providers contributed to the design.
Main Results:
- A mHealth app was developed with content focused on five key educational moments.
- The app provides information on surgical procedures, preparation, pain management, and post-discharge care.
- Customized notifications guide caregivers through perioperative stages.
Conclusions:
- Rigorous, participatory, and Slow design processes can create effective mHealth apps.
- This approach fosters accessible, family-centered information and care in maternal and child health.
- mHealth apps can significantly support perioperative care for pediatric ENT surgery.
Abstract:
Pediatric ear, nose, and throat (ENT) surgery is very common, and its outcomes may improve with family education. In this regard, mobile health (mHealth) applications (apps), which are on the rise due to digital transformation, can be beneficial in healthcare. This study outlines the user-centered design and development of a mHealth app (version 5.15.0) to support family caregivers during the perioperative process of pediatric ENT surgery. Conducted over two years in an Italian maternal and child health hospital (January 2020-May 2022), the study employed a participatory design method based on the Information System Research (ISR) framework and guided by the principles of Slow Medicine. Utilizing the Relevance, Rigor, and Design cycles of the ISR framework, the mHealth app's content, functionalities, and technical features were defined and developed. A committee of fifteen experts guided the process with input from 25 family caregivers and 24 healthcare providers enrolled in the study. The mHealth app content was structured around five crucial educational moments characterizing the ENT perioperative period, providing evidence-based information on surgical procedures, strategies for preparing children for hospitalization and surgery, pain management, and post-discharge care. The mHealth app featured a function that sends customized notifications to guide caregivers at specific perioperative stages. The development of mHealth apps by implementing a rigorous, participatory, and Slow design process can foster accessible and family-centered information and care in the field of maternal and child health and beyond.
