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

Purpose: Self-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 methods: We 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.

Results: This 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.

Conclusion: The current study demonstrated the potential effectiveness of this self-management program in children with SB.

Practice implications: When 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.