Developing Stakeholder-Informed Content for a Mobile Application to Prevent Early Childhood Caries Using a Theory-Driven Approach: A Qualitative Study.

BACKGROUND

Early childhood caries (ECC) is a major global oral health issue impacting children under 6 years of age, often resulting in a reduced quality of life.

AIM: To develop content for a mobile application (app) designed to provide sustained anticipatory guidance (SAG) for ECC prevention.

DESIGN

A qualitative study involved parents of children aged 0-3 years, with and without ECC, and healthcare providers (HCPs). Data were collected through 24 semi-structured interviews (SSIs) and two focus group discussions (FGDs) with parents and 15 virtual SSIs with HCPs. Guides were developed using the Fisher-Owens model and the theory of planned behaviour that facilitated data collection. Sessions were recorded with consent, transcribed verbatim and coded using NVivo 1.7.2.

RESULTS

Thematic analysis provided insights for developing app content that comprised the domains of oral development, oral hygiene, dietary/feeding practices and fluoride adequacy. Parents (n = 38) and HCPs (n = 15) emphasised interactive features, video demonstrations, brushing reminders and culturally appropriate educational content.

CONCLUSIONS

The study established a robust framework for a mobile health (mHealth) platform by providing stakeholder-informed content for a mobile app. This foundation might enhance future app development, providing SAG and evaluation.