Two-Step Integrative Education Program and mHealth for Korean Children with Spina Bifida: A Quasi-Experimental Pre-Post Study

Abstract

PurposeSelf-management of the daily tasks associated with condition management is an important goal for children with spina bifida (SB)to achieve for adolescence. This study investigated the effects of a two-step self-management improvement program including an onsite, integrative education program and mHealth on children with SB based on the Individual and Family Self-Management Theory. Design and methodsWe used a pretest-posttest, quasi-experimental design with a nonequivalent control group. Open-ended questions were administered to obtain the opinions of the participants and their parents on the intervention program. The intervention effectiveness was evaluated by repeated-measures ANOVA using factors such as school adjustment, self-management knowledge, self-efficacy, self-management behavior, and quality of life measurement in 35 children with SB aged 7–12 years and their parents from July 2018 to October 2018. ResultsThis intervention program did not result in a significant difference in quantitative outcomes between the experimental and control groups, but qualitatively, the children participating in this study and their parents responded positively to the self-management program. ConclusionThe current study demonstrated the potential effectiveness of this self-management program in children with SB. Practice implicationsWhen healthcare providers develop an intervention for school-going children who are the digital native generation, up-to-date technological interventions, level of motivation of children, and intervention dosage should be taken into consideration.