Predictors of sustained use of mobile health applications: Content analysis of user perspectives from a fever management app.

Objectives: Mobile health applications could be means of educating and changing behaviours of their users. Their features and qualities determine the sustainability of use. The FeverApp with two main features of information and documentation is a research-based app. In this observational cohort study, to evaluate the influential predictors of use, users' feedback on the FeverApp, were analyzed. Methods: Feedback is given using a structured questionnaire, four Likert items and two open questions regarding positive and negative impressions, available via app menu. Conventional content analysis (inductive approach) on the two open questions was performed. Comments were grouped into 12 codes. These codes were grouped hierarchically in an iterative process into nine subcategories and lastly into two main categories 'format' and 'content'. Descriptive and quantitative analysis were performed. Results: Out of 8243 users, 1804 of them answered the feedback questionnaire. The features of the app (N = 344), followed by the information aspect (N = 330) were most frequently mentioned. Documentation process (N = 226), request for new features or improvement of the current ones (N = 193), and functioning (N = 132) were also highlighted in users' feedback. App's ease of use, design and being informative were important for the users. The first impression of the app seems important as the majority of feedback were given during the first month of using the app. Conclusion: In-app feedback function could highlight shortcomings and strengths of mobile health apps. Taking users' feedback into consideration could increase the chance of sustained use. Besides ease of use and clear, likeable designs, users want apps that serve their needs while saving time.

Children's Symptoms with a Febrile Illness and a Positive or Negative Test of SARS-CoV-2 during the Omicron Wave.

Febrile infections are common in childhood. Children can be infected with SARS-CoV-2, but their course is milder than in adults. So far, a comparison between febrile infections with a positive or negative Corona test with the Omicron variant is missing. The data used are from the FeverApp registry, which collects parent-reported data on febrile infections in children and informs about fever management. A comparison of symptomatic differences between episodes with a positive or negative Corona test was performed using Χ2-tests. During the Omicron wave, reported tests doubled and positive test results nearly 12-folded. In episodes with positive Corona saliva tests, more cough, fatigue, disturbed smell/taste, limb pain, sore throat, signs of serious sickness, and touch sensitivity were reported. Children with a negative Corona test show more tonsillitis, teething, any pain symptoms, earaches, and rashes. Thus, there are some significant differences between febrile infections with a positive or negative Corona test, but symptoms are present on both sides. The omicron variant seems to be more infectious than the alpha or delta variants in children, but the symptoms remain mild and do not differ much from other febrile infections.

Reliability of Data Collected via Ecological Momentary Assessment on the Example of FeverApp Registry.

The FeverApp registry is an ambulant ecological momentary assessment (EMA) model registry focusing on research of fever in children. Verification of EMA reliability is a challenge, due to absence of other source data. To ensure the reliability of EMA data, 973 families were invited to reassess their documentation in a survey. The survey contained questions (a) regarding the number of children, (b) genuineness of entries, (c) completeness of submitted fever episodes, (d) medication, (e) usefulness and further usage of the app. Of those invited, 438 families (45% response rate) participated in the survey. Of these, 363 (83%) families have registered all their children, 208 families have one child. The majority (n = 325, 74.2%) of families stated that they only made genuine entries in the app. Agreement between survey and app for fever episodes is 90% (Cohen's κ = 0.75 [0.66, 0.82]). Medication shows 73.7% agreement, κ = 0.49 [0.42; 0.54]. The majority (n = 245, 55.9%) consider the app as an additional benefit and 87.3% would like to use it further. Email surveys are a possible approach to evaluate EMA based registry data. The possible observation units (children and fever episodes) show an adequate reliability. With this approach, surveys of further samples and variables could help to improve the quality of EMA based registries.

Parental Confidence in Relation to Antipyretic Use, Warning Signs, Symptoms and Well-Being in Fever Management-Results from an App-Based Registry.

Parents' confidence regarding their children's fever is a key factor in its management and there is still unnecessary anxiety and associated antipyretic overuse. The FeverApp application collects naturalistic real-time data on febrile infections and educates parents on fever management. Logistic regression examined the associations between (1) parental confidence and (2) antipyretics use with fever relevant parameters. First entry data of 3721 children (mean age 21 months; SD 22.97) was assessed. A total of 58.0% of parents felt confident upon first fever documentation. Warning signs [OR = 0.49, 95% CI: 0.40-0.61], dehydration [OR = 0.65, 95% CI: 0.52-0.81], fever [OR = 0.67, 95% CI: 0.57-0.80] and having a female child [OR = 0.77, 95% CI: 0.66-0.90] had the highest negative association with parental confidence. Antipyretics were used initially in 14.7% of children. Fever had the highest positive [OR = 2.58, 95% CI: 1.89-3.50] and well-being the highest negative association with antipyretic use [OR = 0.37, 95% CI: 0.22-0.63). In the first entry data, parental confidence was related to children's health condition in a reasonable medical manner. The use of antipyretics was mostly associated with febrile temperature, but also low well-being. Thus, associations were partly in accordance with recent guidelines.

Data Completeness and Concordance in the FeverApp Registry: Comparative Study.

BACKGROUND: The FeverApp registry uses ecological momentary assessment (EMA) to collect parental data on pediatric fever for scientific research. The mobile app FeverApp educates parents on safe fever management and serves as a fever diary. OBJECTIVE: The focus of this study was to evaluate the completeness and concordance of the EMA-based FeverApp registry with regard to its data quality from a multilevel perspective. METHODS: Structured descriptions of fever episodes by health care professionals from an office were used as reference. The number of children, their sociodemographic data, and agreement of fever episodes, with maximum temperature, intake of antipyretics and antibiotics, and physician visits, were compared with the entries in the corresponding physician's reference records. The data quality indicators for completeness, meaning the extent to which the necessary data for the registry has actually been submitted, and concordance, which is the correspondence of the value of a data element with a reference source, were chosen to analyze whether EMA may be a suitable method for this kind of registry. RESULTS: In both data sources, 1012 children were available for comparison over 16 months. The completeness of gender (1012/1012, 100%) and date of birth (1004/1012, 99.2%) information was high, and the mismatches were 0.69% (7/1012) and 1.19% (12/1012), respectively, between the sources. Of these 1012 children, 668 (66%) registered fever episodes in FeverApp. They relate to 534 families with 953 fever episodes in the reference records and 1452 episodes in the FeverApp registry. Of the 534 families, 183 (34.3%) refrained from visiting the office during fever episodes but nevertheless documented them in FeverApp. Largest part (766/1452, 52.75%) episodes were recorded exclusively in the FeverApp registry by 371 (371/534, 69.5%) families. The remaining 686 (47.2%) episodes of 391 (58.5%) children from 351 (65.7%) families were comparable with the reference data source in terms of physician visits, medication, and temperature. The completeness ranged, depending on the kind of variable, from 11.5% to 65% in the registry and from 7.6% to 42.6% in the office. The 953 fever episodes reported by the reference office consisted of 681 (71.5%) acute and 272 (28.5%) past episodes. In FeverApp, most past (262/272, 96.3%) but less acute (424/681, 62.3%) episodes have been entered. The concordance rates were varied: 90.2% for antibiotic use, 66.6% for antipyretic use, 61.7% for physician visits, and 16% for the highest temperature during the fever episode. CONCLUSIONS: Both sources delivered only partial data, and the rates of completeness and concordance depended on the kind of variable. However, the FeverApp registry showed higher documentation and precision rates than professional records for all considered variables. Therefore, EMA may play a unique supplement for research in ambulatory care. FeverApp could support pediatric offices, especially during the pandemic.

Changing knowledge and attitudes about childhood fever: testing a video instruction before its application in a health app.

Background: Although infantile fever is harmless in most cases, many parents feel insecure when having to deal with it because important information is often missing. For educational purposes, an information video on fever in children was developed, which is also intended to serve as an onboarding element of a health app. The aim of the present work was to record the attitude of parents and adults on the topic of fever before and after the presentation of the information video, as well as its evaluation. Methods: Between May and November 2020, a total of 123 adults from three groups with different backgrounds (students, parents and educators) were interviewed using a questionnaire that was completed before and after the one-time presentation of an educational information video clip. Results: Several significant outcomes were recorded in attitude change toward managing fever, with no significant difference between groups. After viewing the informational video clip, 74% of participants would take body temperature rectally more often. In the after-questionnaire, 83% of participants agreed that they would now be more cautious about using fever-reducing medications. Before the video clip, 75% of the participants thought fever was "rather useful"; after, 93%. The level of temperature played a minor role as a reason for fever reduction. The information content and quality of the video were rated positively. Discussion: This study shows that a short information video is capable of bringing about a subjectively perceived intentional change in the attitude to dealing with fever, motivating a change in behavior, and reducing uncertainty in dealing with fever. Since the change in attitude was measured immediately after viewing the video clip, no statement can be made about the medium to long-term effect. Conclusion: The information video clip can be classified as a short-term fever education tool for which at least short-term effective is demonstrated. Long-term and possible synergistic effects when integrated into a health app with further information still needs to be investigated.

[The FeverApp Registry - A Way to Empower Parents through their Own Documentation to a Graduated Decision]. / Das FieberApp Register ­ ein Weg, um Eltern durch eigene Dokumentation zu einer abgestuften Entscheidung zu führen.

AIM OF THE STUDY: To demonstrate the feasibility and exemplarity of an app-based parent registry. METHODS: The app as an elaborated interactive electronic case report form and the underlying data structure of the registry are presented. The initial recruitment efforts are illustrated and the temperature distribution, as well as the distribution of fever events in 2020, are analyzed. RESULTS: The FeverApp successfully collects data into a central registry. Like every study, it also provides information on the current knowledge. The ecological momentary assessment can represent the illness situation at several levels (measurement, fever episode, individual, family, practice, country). Methods for data collection needed to be developed in a flexible manner due to pandemic conditions. The initial recruitment goal of 2400 fever phases in the first two years was met, with nationwide dissemination pending. It is shown that body temperature does not rise indefinitely; fevers reach an average of 39 degrees without antipyretics, although in rare cases temperatures beyond 41 degrees are reached without harm. Furthermore, a comparison with a reference practice shows that fever episodes can be recorded more comprehensively in the app, including infections that do not come to the presentation in a pediatrician's office. Thus, the FeverApp fulfills in a model-like fashion the use of registers in persons basically healthy and maps a multi-level diagnostics. CONCLUSION: The FeverApp could basically establish itself as a supporting tool, the registry can reliably collect data with the method used and maps the current infection situation. In researching the question of how infections develop in the post-Covid period, the app could perform an important task.