Evaluation of the quality of oral hygiene mobile apps for children using the mobile app rating scale.
Int J Med Inform
; 192: 105612, 2024 Dec.
Article
en En
| MEDLINE
| ID: mdl-39236585
ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND:
With the increased use of smartphones, mobile applications (apps) aimed at promoting healthy behaviors have experienced exponential growth.OBJECTIVES:
This study aimed to provide an overview of mobile apps that use gamification to motivate children to maintain optimal oral hygiene and to evaluate the quality of the oral hygiene apps for children (OHACs) available in the Turkish Google Play Store and the Apple Store.METHODS:
Between January 20 and February 2, 2024, OHACs were searched in the Turkish Google Play Store and the Apple Store. Seven apps were assessed using the Mobile Application Rating Scale (MARS) and evidence-based dentistry criteria (EBD). We used Microsoft Office Professional 2016 (Microsoft Excel 2016; Microsoft Corp, Redmond, WA, USA) and IBM SPSS Statistics version 29 for Windows (IBM Corp, Armonk, NY, USA) for all the data analyses and visualizations.RESULTS:
The best overall MARS scores were obtained for Dis Doktoru Dentist (3.53 ± 0.15) and Dis Hekimi Oyunlari Dentist Game (3.72 ± 0.33). The worst overall MARS scores were obtained for Truthbrush (2.76 ± 0.06) and Mimizaur (2.85 ± 0.09). Hayvan Dis Hekimi Animal Dentist, Dis Hekimi Oyunlari, and the Brush Teeth Game Kids Dentist included the most evidence-based content.CONCLUSION:
Most OHACs achieved moderate MARS scores for promoting oral hygiene habits among children. Improving the quality and educational content of OHACs could increase personal oral care motivation in children. More research is required to determine the long-term effects of the apps and whether they align with oral hygiene guidance.Palabras clave
Texto completo:
1
Colección:
01-internacional
Base de datos:
MEDLINE
Asunto principal:
Higiene Bucal
/
Aplicaciones Móviles
Límite:
Child
/
Humans
País/Región como asunto:
Asia
Idioma:
En
Revista:
Int J Med Inform
Asunto de la revista:
INFORMATICA MEDICA
Año:
2024
Tipo del documento:
Article
Pais de publicación:
Irlanda