Preparing Children for Hearing Examination in a Playful Way-Co-Creation and Evaluation of an App.

Background/Objectives: Providing children with information about their treatment can help reduce uncertainty and anxiety associated with hospital procedures. The aim of this study was to develop and evaluate an app designed to prepare young children and their parents for a hearing examination in a playful and engaging way. Methods: This exploratory study adopted a participatory design approach. Children, parents, and clinicians co-created the app, and evaluations were conducted through focus group meetings, dialogue meetings, and surveys. Results: Children, parents, and clinicians evaluated the app positively. Findings indicated that children who used the app before their hearing examination met audiologists' expectations to a greater extent than those who did not. However, no significant differences were found between the two groups regarding satisfaction with the examination, the children's sense of safety, or parents' prior knowledge of the procedure. The study also revealed implementation challenges: only 20% of children visiting the department had used the app beforehand, and funding for ongoing maintenance was not adequately addressed. Conclusions: Preparing children for hearing examinations with an app appears promising. However, to ensure the quality, accessibility, and sustainability of digital healthcare solutions, challenges related to implementation and maintenance must be considered in future studies.