TY  - JOUR
AU  - Cooray, Nipuna
AU  - Ho, Catherine
AU  - Bestman, Amy
AU  - Adams, Susan
AU  - Nassar, Natasha
AU  - Keay, Lisa
AU  - Brown, Julie
PY  - 2024
DA  - 2024/1/3
TI  - Exploring the Potential of a Behavior Theory–Informed Digital Intervention for Infant Fall Prevention: Mixed Methods Longitudinal Study
JO  - JMIR Pediatr Parent
SP  - e47361
VL  - 7
KW  - child injury
KW  - digital behavior change interventions
KW  - user experience
KW  - falls
KW  - infant fall
KW  - injury
KW  - mobile app
KW  - digital intervention
KW  - users
KW  - mixed methods longitudinal study
KW  - behavior
KW  - development
KW  - fall risk
KW  - fall prevention
KW  - acceptability
KW  - app
KW  - children
KW  - internet
KW  - parents
KW  - maternal, paternal
KW  - accidents
KW  - infancy
KW  - infant
KW  - accidental fall
KW  - accidental falls
KW  - infant behavior
KW  - longitudinal design
KW  - mixed methods
KW  - parent
KW  - mobile phone
AB  - Background: Falls are the most common hospitalized injury mechanism in children aged ≤1 years, and currently, there are no targeted prevention interventions. The prevention of falls in children of this age requires changes in the behavior of their caregivers, and theoretically informed digital behavior change interventions (DBCIs) may provide a unique mechanism for achieving effective intervention. However, user acceptance and the ability of DBCIs to effect the required changes in behavior are critical to their likelihood of success. Objective: This study aims to evaluate a behavior theory–informed digital intervention developed following a user-centered approach for user experience, the potential for this intervention to prevent infant falls, and its impact on behavioral drivers underpinning fall risk in young children. Methods: Parents of infants aged <1 year were recruited and asked to use the intervention for 3 months. A pre-post longitudinal design was used to examine the change in the potential to reduce the risk of falls after a 3-month exposure to the intervention. Postintervention data on behavioral drivers for fall prevention, user acceptability, and engagement with the app were also collected. Interviews were conducted to explore user experiences and identify areas for further improvement of the intervention. Results: A total of 62 parents participated in the study. A statistically significant effect on the potential to reduce falls was observed after the intervention. This effect was higher for new parents. Parents agreed that the intervention targeted most of the target behavior drivers. The impact of behavior drivers and intervention on the potential for fall prevention had a positive correlation. The intervention demonstrated good levels of acceptability. Feedback from participants was mostly positive, and the primary area identified for further improvement was widening the scope of the intervention. Conclusions: This study demonstrated the promise of a newly developed digital intervention to reduce the risk of infant falls, particularly among new parents. It also showed a positive influence of the DBCI on the drivers of parental behaviors that are important for fall reduction among infants. The acceptability of the app was high, and important insights were gained from users about how to further improve the app. 
SN  - 2561-6722
UR  - https://pediatrics.jmir.org/2024/1/e47361
UR  - https://doi.org/10.2196/47361
UR  - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/38170580
DO  - 10.2196/47361
ID  - info:doi/10.2196/47361
ER  -