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Increasing Awareness and Early Detection of Common Skin Diseases in Indonesia Through an mHealth App: Protocol for an
Ulfah Abqari1,2, Muhammad Atoillah Isfandiari3, Jan Hendrik Richardus1
1Department of Public Health, Erasmus MC University Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands.
Background:
Various media are used to enhance public understanding about diseases. While mobile health apps are widely used, there is little proof for using such apps to raise awareness of skin diseases.
Objective:
We intend to develop an app, called DEDIKASI-app, to raise awareness of skin diseases, including leprosy. The study will explore baseline awareness, assess the app's acceptance by community members and health care workers, and evaluate its effectiveness in enhancing awareness about skin diseases.
Methods:
The study will be conducted in four phases: (1) development of DEDIKASI-app, (2) questionnaire development for an awareness study, (3) acceptability testing, and (4) effect measurement of DEDIKASI-app. We will adopt design thinking methodology to develop the app, involving systematic reviews, expert consultations, focus group discussions, and validation of the questionnaire on skin disease awareness. We will recruit 50 members of the community for the awareness and acceptability study and 1 health care worker per community health center to assess their perception of the app. A pilot study will assess the acceptability of DEDIKASI-app among community members and health care workers based on various constructs, with responses categorized as positive, negative, or undecided. The validity and reliability of a newly developed questionnaire on skin disease awareness will be tested, with validity results analyzed qualitatively and reliability measured using Cronbach α. The effectiveness of DEDIKASI-app in improving community awareness will be evaluated through a randomized controlled trial, using total scores, means, and SDs for control and intervention groups. Statistical significance of awareness level changes will be determined by delta change (P value), with P<.01 considered significant.
Results:
This study received ethical approval from the Ethics Review Board of the Faculty of Public Health, Universitas Airlangga (160/EA/KEPK/2023) and was registered in the Indonesia Clinical Research Registry (INA-O8EX278). Funding for the field research was secured in the period of May 2022-December 2024 from NLR Indonesia and Erasmus University Medical Center. As of manuscript submission, phase 1 (app development) and phase 2 (questionnaire development) have been completed. Data collection for the randomized controlled trial has just finished and data analysis is ongoing, with publication of the study results expected in late 2025.
Conclusions:
Innovative approaches are required to enhance awareness in the community. This study will introduce new tools and insights to address the limited knowledge about detecting skin problems.
Trial Registration:
INA-CRR Indonesia Clinical Research Registry INA-O8EX278; https://tinyurl.com/ms3k5yvn.
International Registered Report Identifier (Irrid):
DERR1-10.2196/64057.
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