Poisoning accidents in young children-Theory-based evaluation of an mHealth app

Unintentional childhood injuries such as poisonings are prevalent among young children and can have severe or even fatal consequences. As most of these injuries happen in and around the home, parents and other caregivers need to be prepared to prevent and deal with them. mHealth apps are promising for this, since regular smartphone use is widespread. This study evaluated the German app "Vergiftungsunfälle bei Kindern" (Poisoning Accidents in Children).

Parents (n = 21) and temporary caregivers (n = 21) of children under the age of seven were recruited for a mixed-methods study, comprising a remote usability test (thinking aloud, observation data and click protocols), focused interviews and the System Usability Scale (SUS).

The mean usability score was 77.6 ± 15.7 out of 100. Most participants reported they trust the app and would use it in specific situations. The general app structure was perceived as clear. Perceived usefulness was facilitated by education on childhood injuries and contact to the poison control center, whereas it was impaired by the perception that the app impedes learning and rapid action in critical situations. Major obstacles included a reduced comprehensibility in terms of text design, visualizations, and complex language, all causing high time expenditure. Moreover, while some participants wished for condensed information, others expressed the need for more detailed explanations.

The results indicate that the intention to use the app was high, but its perceived ease of use and usefulness could be further enhanced by a better tailoring to different needs of caregivers.