Understanding Pediatric Patient Experiences with Urotherapy Tools: Qualitative Focus Group Study

Area of Science:

• Pediatric urology
• Human-computer interaction
• Child psychology

Background:

• Standard urotherapy for childhood incontinence relies on traditional tools like paper bladder diaries and alarms.
• There is limited understanding of how digitally native children perceive these conventional urotherapy tools.

Purpose of the Study:

• To explore children's perceptions and experiences with standard urotherapy tools.
• To inform the design of more engaging and child-centered urotherapy interventions.

Main Methods:

• Qualitative focus group design with 19 children (aged 9-13) undergoing urotherapy.
• Creative, child-friendly toolkit used for discussions; sessions recorded and analyzed using inductive content analysis.

Main Results:

• Children expressed varied attitudes towards urotherapy tools, from willingness to resistance.
• Social acceptance, peer perception, and stigma were significant factors.
• Contextual influences like school toilets and doctor involvement impacted experiences.
• Children viewed traditional tools as outdated, advocating for gamified, smart alternatives.

Conclusions:

• Child involvement in research and design is crucial for effective interventions.
• Key design priorities include personalization, stigma-free approaches, adaptability, and digital innovation.