The Impact of a Smartphone App on the Quality of Pediatric Colonoscopy Preparations: Randomized Controlled Trial. JMIR Pediatr Parent 2020 Nov 10;3(2):e18174
Date
11/11/2020Pubmed ID
33170131Pubmed Central ID
PMC7685924DOI
10.2196/18174Scopus ID
2-s2.0-85097455109 (requires institutional sign-in at Scopus site) 7 CitationsAbstract
BACKGROUND: Smartphone apps have been successfully used to help adults prepare for colonoscopies. However, no study to date has investigated the effect of a smartphone app on pediatric colonoscopy preparation.
OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study is to determine if an app (SB Colonoscopy Prep) designed to educate and guide patients through their colonoscopy preparation will yield benefits over paper-based instructions and information.
METHODS: In total, 46 patients aged 5-18 years received either app-based or written material with instructions on how to take their prep medications as well as information about the colonoscopy procedure. Prep quality, the number of calls to the gastroenterology service, and patient arrival time were recorded. After the procedure, a questionnaire was given to each patient through which they graded their knowledge of the procedure both before and after receiving the app or written material.
RESULTS: App users had higher mean Boston scores versus control subjects receiving written instructions (7.2 vs 5.9, P=.02), indicating better colonoscopy preps. In total, 75% (15/20) of app users and 41% (9/22) of written instruction users had preps categorized as "excellent" on the Boston scale. We found no significant differences in knowledge about the procedure (app users: 10/20 [50%], written instruction users 8/22 [36%]; P=.37), phone calls to the gastroenterology clinic (n=6 vs n=2; P=.27), or arrival times at the endoscopy suite (44 min vs 46 min before the scheduled procedure time; P=.56).
CONCLUSIONS: Smartphone app use was associated with an increased number of colonoscopy preps classified as "excellent" on the Boston scale. There was no significant difference between app users and the control group regarding the number of calls to the gastroenterology clinic, patient arrival time, or patient knowledge about the procedure.
TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov NCT04590105; https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT04590105.
Author List
Brief J, Chawla A, Lerner D, Vitola B, Woroniecki R, Morganstern JAuthors
Diana Lerner MD Professor in the Pediatrics department at Medical College of WisconsinBernadette Vitola MPH, MD Professor in the Pediatrics department at Medical College of Wisconsin
