Enhancing parental health knowledge through digital knowledge mobilisation tools: a randomised controlled trial and qualitative study.

OBJECTIVE

To assess the effectiveness of blogshots (ie, image-based digital knowledge mobilisation tools) to increase knowledge and manage expectations with respect to six Choosing Wisely Canada (CWC) recommendations about common childhood conditions.

DESIGN

Multimethod study including a non-pharmacological randomised controlled trial and qualitative interviews.

SETTING

Online questionnaires and semistructured interviews across Canada.

PARTICIPANTS

Parents or legal guardians of children under 5 years.

INTERVENTION: Participants were randomly allocated to receive one of two sets of blogshots whereby a blogshot on a new CWC topic was delivered weekly over 3 weeks (Group A: pharyngitis (diagnosis), common cold, asthma; Group B: pharyngitis (treatment), bronchiolitis, otitis media). Study investigators were blinded to participant allocation. Baseline and follow-up (week 5, month 3, month 6) questionnaires were administered. Qualitative interviews contextualised intervention data.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: The primary outcome was change in knowledge. Secondary outcomes were change in expectations, intentions, actions over time and usability of the blogshots.

RESULTS

167 participants (n=133 (80%) mothers) were included in the final analysis (group A, n=85; group B, n=82). Baseline knowledge scores did not differ between groups. At follow-up 1, those who received the blogshot for a given topic scored significantly higher (p<0.001, d=0.30) on knowledge questionnaires, compared with those that did not. No differences were observed in knowledge scores between groups at follow-up 2 and 3. Participants expressed intentions to use the blogshots (eg, share with friends, physicians), as well as actions (eg, wait/watch approach vs seek healthcare) to manage their child's condition. Qualitative data (n=13 interviews) showed that blogshots are aesthetically pleasing and contain easy to read and understandable information.

CONCLUSIONS

Blogshots can be an effective tool to disseminate child health information to parents. Due to the online dissemination, this approach could be scaled to a broader international level and applied to different health topics that are relevant across the world.

TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER: NCT06005337.