The Perception, Behaviour, and Preferred Features of Mobile Applications Screening Tools for Pediatric Feeding Disorders Among Caregivers and Speech Therapists
Abstract
Objective: To explore the perception, behaviour, and preferred features of caregivers and speech therapists in the design of a mobile application for the screening of Pediatric Feeding Disorders (PFD).
Material and Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted using a Perception, Behaviour and Preferred Features of Mobile Applications Screening (PBF-MAS) questionnaire. The participants included 30 caregivers and 30 speech therapists recruited from Malaysian public healthcare facilities. Sociodemographic profiles were obtained, and the PBF-MAS questionnaire consisted of domains related to the perception, behaviour, importance of early screening for PFD, and the preferred features of mobile applications. Data were analysed using Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) version 29.0.
Results: Most caregivers were female (90%), aged between 19 and 49 years, while speech therapists were predominantly female (93.3%), aged between 25 and 44 years. A majority of respondents expressed a high interest in mobile applications, particularly in features such as screening questionnaires (83.3%), educational resources (75%), meal planning (63.3%), and feeding progress tracking (66.7%). Statistically significant differences were observed between caregivers and speech therapists in preferred features such as educational resources (p-value<0.001), progress tracking (p-value=0.028), customizable profiles (p-value<0.001), meal tracking (p-value<0.001), and feeding schedule reminders (p-value<0.001). Despite the interest, actual usage remained low, with only 10% of caregivers and 6.7% of speech therapists having downloaded feeding-related apps, indicating a gap between interest and practical use.
Conclusion: Digital health tools can facilitate early intervention and alleviate the burdens on caregivers and speech therapists of PFD. Healthcare providers must offer training to caregivers on using these digital tools effectively. Application developers should focus on creating user-friendly, culturally relevant applications. Future research should examine the long-term impacts of these tools on feeding issues and quality of life.
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