Presentation
Usability of PeaceOfMind: A Mobile App for Enhancing Pediatric Preoperative Preparation
DescriptionSurgical procedures are a significant cause of anxiety in many children, where up to 60% of children suffer anxiety in the presurgical period of a surgery involving anaesthesia [1]. In a study conducted by Kain et al. involving general anaesthesia and elective surgery, it was observed that 54% of children exhibited symptoms of anxiety including nightmares, separation anxiety, eating problems, and fear of physicians [2].
Elevated anxiety levels in pediatric patients can significantly hinder post-operative recovery, resulting in prolonged healing times, diminished pain management, and adverse effects on the child's ability to cope with future medical encounters [3]. However, evidence suggests that effective preoperative preparation programs can substantially alleviate anxiety in children. Importantly, comprehensive education provided by both healthcare professionals and parents plays a crucial role in preparing children for elective procedures, ensuring they are well-informed and emotionally supported throughout the surgical process [4].
Currently, the most effective preoperative preparation interventions for children focus on developing coping skills, with role-playing or modeling (e.g., videos showing a child preparing for surgery) being particularly impactful. Other helpful approaches include play therapy and guided tours of the operating room. On the other hand, printed materials such as information booklets tend to be the least effective. Despite this, most hospital preparation programs still rely heavily on printed materials, which are considered the simplest and most cost-effective method [5]. In addition to formal resources provided by healthcare providers, many parents turn to online resources and written information from the hospital to educate themselves prior to educating and informing their child on the upcoming procedure. However, this approach carries the risk of misinformation, making it essential to ensure that children receive accurate, age-appropriate preoperative information in their homes [4]. Much of the existing literature on preoperative preparation for pediatric patients dates to the late 1980s, with minimal progress in the last twenty years. Recent studies primarily examined written materials and modelling techniques. One proposed solution to address the gap involves Internet-based interventions, such as mobile applications or websites, which may be capable of providing cost-efficient, accessible, and effective solutions tailored to individual needs [1][5].
The researcher has previously designed a mobile application called PeaceOfMind which offers an interactive, child-friendly platform aimed at educating and preparing children for surgical procedures. To ensure the effectiveness, efficiency, and satisfaction of the application for the target users, it is important to conduct usability testing on the prototype [6].
The objectives of this study include the following: 1) Refine the PeaceOfMind mobile application through interviews with healthcare professionals specializing in pediatric care and 2) Evaluate the usability of the PeaceOfMind mobile application with children who are in the age range of the target users
The presentation will begin by defining the start and end points of the preoperative procedure, followed by highlighting existing approaches in preoperative preparation including printed materials, lectures, role-playing, and others. Then, the researcher will state the adverse consequences of inadequate preoperative preparation on pediatric patients. By comparing these traditional methods with newer, child-friendly, and technology-driven solutions, the presentation will emphasize the need for a more accessible and engaging preoperative interventions. Provided the shortcomings of existing interventions and the lack of innovation in this field over the past two decades, PeaceOfMind will be introduced to bridge the gap by offering personalized, effective education that better prepares children for surgery. Specifically, PeaceOfMind will be presented as a mobile application designed to reduce preoperative anxiety in children undergoing elective surgery and anesthesia. The presentation will include a prototype of the application used to outline the key features of the application and its design.
To support the refinement and validation of the application’s development, the researcher will delve into findings from expert interviews with healthcare professionals specializing in pediatric care, such as user pain points, existing interventions, and comments on the application itself including usability and age-appropriateness. Similarly, the researcher will share usability insights on how children interact with the application and its implication of the application’s effectiveness in educating children about their upcoming surgery. Both the child’s and the parent/guardian’s preferences and behaviours and feedback will be discussed.
Then the team will present how the expert interviews and usability sessions enhanced the application prototype, and their implications at-large. At last, the team will assess the usability of PeaceOfMind, and provide recommendations on the design of mobile health (mHealth) applications on preoperative preparation for children undergoing elective surgery involving anesthesia. This study could inform future developments of internet-based preoperative preparatory interventions for children.
References
[1] M. A. Fortier and Z. N. Kain, “Treating perioperative anxiety and pain in children: a tailored and innovative approach,” Pediatric Anesthesia, vol. 25, no. 1, pp. 27–35, Sep. 2014, doi: https://doi.org/10.1111/pan.12546.
[2] Z. N. Kain, “Preoperative Anxiety in Children,” Archives of Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine, vol. 150, no. 12, p. 1238, Dec. 1996, doi: https://doi.org/10.1001/archpedi.1996.02170370016002.
[3] N. Al-Yateem, M. Brenner, A. A. Shorrab, and C. Docherty, “Play distraction versus pharmacological treatment to reduce anxiety levels in children undergoing day surgery: a randomized controlled non-inferiority trial,” Child: Care, Health and Development, vol. 42, no. 4, pp. 572–581, Apr. 2016, doi: https://doi.org/10.1111/cch.12343.
[4] M. Kennedy and F. Howlin, “Preparation of children for elective surgery and hospitalisation: A parental perspective,” Journal of Child Health Care, vol. 26, no. 4, p. 136749352110328, Jul. 2021, doi: https://doi.org/10.1177/13674935211032804.
[5] Muhammad Saqlain Mustafa et al., “Preoperative anxiety management in pediatric patients: a systemic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials on the efficacy of distraction techniques,” Frontiers in Pediatrics, vol. 12, Feb. 2024, doi: https://doi.org/10.3389/fped.2024.1353508.
[6] P. A. Grassi, M. E. Garcia, and J. L. Fenton, “Digital identity guidelines: revision 3,” NIST Special Publication 800-63-3, Jun. 2017, doi: https://doi.org/10.6028/nist.sp.800-63-3.
Elevated anxiety levels in pediatric patients can significantly hinder post-operative recovery, resulting in prolonged healing times, diminished pain management, and adverse effects on the child's ability to cope with future medical encounters [3]. However, evidence suggests that effective preoperative preparation programs can substantially alleviate anxiety in children. Importantly, comprehensive education provided by both healthcare professionals and parents plays a crucial role in preparing children for elective procedures, ensuring they are well-informed and emotionally supported throughout the surgical process [4].
Currently, the most effective preoperative preparation interventions for children focus on developing coping skills, with role-playing or modeling (e.g., videos showing a child preparing for surgery) being particularly impactful. Other helpful approaches include play therapy and guided tours of the operating room. On the other hand, printed materials such as information booklets tend to be the least effective. Despite this, most hospital preparation programs still rely heavily on printed materials, which are considered the simplest and most cost-effective method [5]. In addition to formal resources provided by healthcare providers, many parents turn to online resources and written information from the hospital to educate themselves prior to educating and informing their child on the upcoming procedure. However, this approach carries the risk of misinformation, making it essential to ensure that children receive accurate, age-appropriate preoperative information in their homes [4]. Much of the existing literature on preoperative preparation for pediatric patients dates to the late 1980s, with minimal progress in the last twenty years. Recent studies primarily examined written materials and modelling techniques. One proposed solution to address the gap involves Internet-based interventions, such as mobile applications or websites, which may be capable of providing cost-efficient, accessible, and effective solutions tailored to individual needs [1][5].
The researcher has previously designed a mobile application called PeaceOfMind which offers an interactive, child-friendly platform aimed at educating and preparing children for surgical procedures. To ensure the effectiveness, efficiency, and satisfaction of the application for the target users, it is important to conduct usability testing on the prototype [6].
The objectives of this study include the following: 1) Refine the PeaceOfMind mobile application through interviews with healthcare professionals specializing in pediatric care and 2) Evaluate the usability of the PeaceOfMind mobile application with children who are in the age range of the target users
The presentation will begin by defining the start and end points of the preoperative procedure, followed by highlighting existing approaches in preoperative preparation including printed materials, lectures, role-playing, and others. Then, the researcher will state the adverse consequences of inadequate preoperative preparation on pediatric patients. By comparing these traditional methods with newer, child-friendly, and technology-driven solutions, the presentation will emphasize the need for a more accessible and engaging preoperative interventions. Provided the shortcomings of existing interventions and the lack of innovation in this field over the past two decades, PeaceOfMind will be introduced to bridge the gap by offering personalized, effective education that better prepares children for surgery. Specifically, PeaceOfMind will be presented as a mobile application designed to reduce preoperative anxiety in children undergoing elective surgery and anesthesia. The presentation will include a prototype of the application used to outline the key features of the application and its design.
To support the refinement and validation of the application’s development, the researcher will delve into findings from expert interviews with healthcare professionals specializing in pediatric care, such as user pain points, existing interventions, and comments on the application itself including usability and age-appropriateness. Similarly, the researcher will share usability insights on how children interact with the application and its implication of the application’s effectiveness in educating children about their upcoming surgery. Both the child’s and the parent/guardian’s preferences and behaviours and feedback will be discussed.
Then the team will present how the expert interviews and usability sessions enhanced the application prototype, and their implications at-large. At last, the team will assess the usability of PeaceOfMind, and provide recommendations on the design of mobile health (mHealth) applications on preoperative preparation for children undergoing elective surgery involving anesthesia. This study could inform future developments of internet-based preoperative preparatory interventions for children.
References
[1] M. A. Fortier and Z. N. Kain, “Treating perioperative anxiety and pain in children: a tailored and innovative approach,” Pediatric Anesthesia, vol. 25, no. 1, pp. 27–35, Sep. 2014, doi: https://doi.org/10.1111/pan.12546.
[2] Z. N. Kain, “Preoperative Anxiety in Children,” Archives of Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine, vol. 150, no. 12, p. 1238, Dec. 1996, doi: https://doi.org/10.1001/archpedi.1996.02170370016002.
[3] N. Al-Yateem, M. Brenner, A. A. Shorrab, and C. Docherty, “Play distraction versus pharmacological treatment to reduce anxiety levels in children undergoing day surgery: a randomized controlled non-inferiority trial,” Child: Care, Health and Development, vol. 42, no. 4, pp. 572–581, Apr. 2016, doi: https://doi.org/10.1111/cch.12343.
[4] M. Kennedy and F. Howlin, “Preparation of children for elective surgery and hospitalisation: A parental perspective,” Journal of Child Health Care, vol. 26, no. 4, p. 136749352110328, Jul. 2021, doi: https://doi.org/10.1177/13674935211032804.
[5] Muhammad Saqlain Mustafa et al., “Preoperative anxiety management in pediatric patients: a systemic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials on the efficacy of distraction techniques,” Frontiers in Pediatrics, vol. 12, Feb. 2024, doi: https://doi.org/10.3389/fped.2024.1353508.
[6] P. A. Grassi, M. E. Garcia, and J. L. Fenton, “Digital identity guidelines: revision 3,” NIST Special Publication 800-63-3, Jun. 2017, doi: https://doi.org/10.6028/nist.sp.800-63-3.
Event Type
Oral Presentations
TimeWednesday, April 210:30am - 11:00am EDT
LocationPier 2/3
Digital Health (DH)