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Application of Mobile Health Technologies to Prevent Unintentional Childhood Injuries: Scoping Review
Huan Wang1, Fengjiao Pu1, Dongjun Jing1
1Department of Nursing, Mianyang Central Hospital, School of Medicine, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Mianyang, Sichuan, China.
Insights
Mobile health (mHealth) technologies show promise in preventing childhood injuries by improving caregiver awareness and behaviors. Further research is needed to optimize mHealth for sustained impact on injury reduction.
Area of Science:
- Public Health
- Digital Health
- Child Safety
Background:
- Unintentional childhood injuries are a significant global public health concern.
- Injury risks and types evolve with a child's age and development.
- Real-time, adaptable interventions are crucial for effective injury prevention.
Purpose of the Study:
- To conduct a scoping review on mobile health (mHealth) applications for childhood unintentional injury prevention and emergency management.
- To identify mHealth technologies, intervention strategies, and outcome measures used in this field.
- To provide a reference for future research and development in mHealth for child injury prevention.
Main Methods:
- Systematic search of 5 major databases (PubMed, Web of Science, Embase, Cochrane Library, CINAHL) up to December 31, 2025.
- Data extraction and synthesis from included studies.
- Analysis of study designs, mHealth technologies, intervention functions, and outcome measures.
Main Results:
- 16 studies were included, comprising various designs including randomized controlled trials and qualitative studies.
- mHealth technologies utilized include apps, WeChat, e-learning programs, and VR with wearable devices.
- Interventions focused on health education, communication, monitoring, behavioral training, and emergency response, showing positive effects on injury incidence and caregiver knowledge/behaviors.
Conclusions:
- mHealth technologies demonstrate potential in reducing unintentional childhood injuries and improving caregiver awareness and behaviors.
- Current public availability of mHealth apps for this purpose is limited (2 apps).
- Future research should focus on optimizing mHealth functional design, ensuring sustainability, and conducting large-scale, long-term studies.
Background:
Unintentional childhood injuries represent a major public health issue affecting the lives and health of children worldwide, with the risk and injury type dynamically changing with age and developmental stage. To effectively prevent unintentional injuries, intervention measures must be adjusted based on actual circumstances and kept up to date in real time. Mobile health (mHealth) technologies can meet this need, but their specific functions and intervention methods remain unclear at present.
Objective:
This study aimed to conduct a scoping review of research on the application of mHealth technologies in the prevention and emergency management of unintentional injuries among children, with a focus on identifying the types of mHealth technologies used, intervention contents, and outcome measures, thereby providing a reference for related studies.
Methods:
We systematically searched 5 databases-PubMed, Web of Science, Embase, Cochrane Library, and CINAHL-from their inception to December 31, 2025. Data extraction and synthesis were performed on the included studies.
Results:
Of 1085 articles, 15 (1.3%) met the inclusion criteria, and 1 additional reference was added during full-text review. Thus, 16 studies were included. The included studies comprised 9 (56.2%) randomized controlled trials, 2 (12.5%) quasi-experimental studies, 3 (18.8%) mixed methods studies, 1 (6.2%) qualitative study, and 1 (6.2%) descriptive study. mHealth technologies included apps, WeChat, mobile-based e-learning programs, and virtual reality combined with wearable devices. Their functions included health education, interactive communication, monitoring and reminders, behavioral training, questionnaires and record-keeping, and emergency response. Outcome measures included the incidence of unintentional injuries among children; knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors regarding injuries; other psychological and social indicators; and usability of mHealth technology.
Conclusions:
mHealth technologies have shown some progress in reducing unintentional injuries among children. Content based on this technology has demonstrated positive effects in reducing injury incidence, enhancing caregivers' awareness, and improving related attitudes and behavioral capabilities. However, only 2 mobile apps are currently available to the public. Future research should optimize the functional design of mHealth, strengthen sustainability, explore long-term implementation methods, and conduct large-scale, long-term studies to further evaluate its impact on the incidence of unintentional injuries among children.
Trial Registration:
Open Science Framework 8QPR6; https://osf.io/8qpr6.
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