CarieCheck: An mHealth App for Caries-Risk Self-Assessment-User-Perceived Usability and Quality in a Pilot Study

Area of Science:

• Digital Health
• Oral Health
• Preventive Care

Background:

• Mobile health (mHealth) technologies are vital for preventive oral care and patient self-management.
• The CarieCheck app aims to enhance oral health literacy and self-assessment of caries risk.
• A pilot study evaluated user-perceived quality and usability of the CarieCheck app.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess the perceived quality and usability of the CarieCheck mobile health application.
• To evaluate user engagement, functionality, aesthetics, information quality, and perceived impact.
• To determine the app's potential as a digital tool for preventive oral health education.

Main Methods:

• A prospective pilot study involving 30 participants from the academic community.
• Participants used the CarieCheck app for 30 days.
• User-perceived quality and usability were assessed using the Portuguese version of the Mobile Application Rating Scale (uMARS-PT).

Main Results:

• The CarieCheck app achieved an excellent overall mean uMARS-PT score of 4.22.
• High scores were observed for Functionality (4.51), Aesthetics (4.45), and Information Quality (4.22).
• Perceived Impact (3.85) indicated increased user awareness and motivation for oral health behaviors.

Conclusions:

• The CarieCheck app demonstrates high ratings in usability, aesthetics, and information quality.
• Findings suggest CarieCheck is a valuable digital tool for preventive oral health education and caries-risk self-assessment.
• Further research with diverse populations and objective outcomes is recommended.