JMIR Publications

ABSTRACT

Background:

Neglected tropical diseases (NTDs) affect over 1.5 billion people worldwide, the majority among impoverished populations in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). Skin NTDs are a subgroup of NTDs that manifest primarily as skin lesions. The diagnosis and treatment of skin NTDs entail considerable resources, including trained personnel and financial backing. Many interventions are being launched and evaluated, particularly mobile health (mHealth) interventions, such as the SkinNTDs App, a training and decision support tool for Frontline Health Workers (FHWs) created by the World Health Organization (WHO). As most digital health guidelines prioritize the thorough evaluation of mHealth interventions it is essential to conduct a rigorous and validated assessment of SkinNTDs App.

Objective:

We aim to assess the quality of version 3 of SkinNTDs App, developed for WHO by Universal Doctor and Netherlands Leprosy Relief (NLR) as a training and decision support tool for FHWs.

Methods:

A cross-sectional study will be conducted in 2 LMICs: Ghana and Kenya. We will use snowball sampling recruitment to select 48 participants from the target population of all FHWs dealing with skin NTDs. The sample group of FHWs will be asked to download and use SkinNTDs App for at least 5 days before answering an online survey containing demographic variables and the user Mobile App Rating Scale (uMARS) questionnaire. A semi-structured interview will then be conducted. Quantitative and qualitative data will be analyzed using SPSS, with statistical significance for all tests set at a confidence interval of 95% and p≤0.05 to consider significance difference. Data derived from the semi-structured interviews will be clustered in themes and coded to enable analysis of various dimensions using AtlasTi.

Results:

The estimated completion date of the study is during the third quarter of 2022. The results are expected to show that SkinNTDs App version 3 has a good reported user experience assessed by the uMARS scale. No differences are expected to be found, except for those related to experience in dermatology and the use of mobile technology that could influence the final score. Semi-structured interviews are expected to complete the results obtained on the uMARS scale. Moreover, they will be the previous step before assessing other aspects of the App, such as the efficiency, how it should be disseminated or implemented.

Conclusions:

This study is the first step in a qualitative and quantitative assessment of the SkinNTDs App as a training and support tool for FHWs diagnosing and managing skin NTDs. Our results will serve to improve future versions of the App.