Educational Material Based on Augmented Reality for the Prevention of Diabetic Foot: A Validation Study

IntroductionHealth education faces obstacles for people suffering chronic diseases. The World Health Organization promotes the adoption of digital technologies like mobile and electronic health for wider coverage, even in areas of difficult access. The aim of the study was to validate instructional content from a hybrid educational system for diabetic foot prevention, in digital format and with a mobile application using augmented reality.MethodsA descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted. Foot care and self-care activities were included in a printed and digital media developed instructional manual. The topics included in the manual were Diabetic foot concepts, A prevention guide, Augmented reality (AR) as health support, and "Start on the right foot!". All the material was assessed by a validated instrument that covers six dimensions. All the evaluators received a link to access the instructional material and the evaluation instrument for a three-months period.ResultsThe instructional material was evaluated by 38 evaluators with expertise in the medical field, aged 34 years in average, with postgraduate studies and median clinical experience of eight years IQR (2-15). Out of them, 97.4% graded the material with a high score, 2.6% with an intermediate, and none scored it as low.ConclusionsAn instructional material to prevent diabetic foot enhanced with augmented reality received a high score when evaluated by healthcare professionals, supporting the use of information and communication technologies in health education.