The FeverApp registry – ecological momentary assessment (EMA) of fever management in families regarding conformity to up-to-date recommendations

Abstract

Background Fever is one of the most common symptoms of pediatric consultations and its mismanagement is a health care burden. Guidelines on fever management are incoherent and data on fever management are still missing. This study protocol describes an app-based registry to evaluate the fever management of parents. Objective The primary objectives are to assess guideline adherence (primary outcome) and parental confidence in managing fever, and thus to reduce overuse of antipyretics, antibiotics and healthcare providers. Secondary objectives include creating a “FeverApp” that will enable parents to handle fever safely and to use the FeverApp registry as symptom and fever management diary. Further objectives include developing and testing a symptom-led registry model by app-based acquisition of parental entries of febrile illness cycle data and developing and testing models of how an interactive app-based registry can enable nationwide EMA information to inform science, guideline and policy makers, and the public. Methods A FeverApp, guiding parents and carers in handling and documenting fever, will be developed with family pediatricians according to current guidelines and recommended for all parents in Germany. A registry will anonymously document features, management and outcomes of febrile episodes: basic sociodemographic and medical information, initial symptoms, course of fever, pharmacological and non-pharmacological interventions, consultations with doctors, outcomes, fever-associated fears, and app satisfaction. Results This app may improve communication quality and health, e.g. asthma and antimicrobial resistance. Results will be published via website www.feverapp.de. Trial registration This app-based registry protocol is registered in the German Clinical Trials Register (DRKS) with registration number: DRKS00016591.

Cross-sectional study of parental knowledge, behaviour and anxiety in management of paediatric fever among German parents

“…Additionally, larger sample size would enhance further analyses. Therefore, there is a strong need for representative, longitudinal and ecological momentary assessment studies 49 that could help to achieve more understanding of parental behaviour and anxiety in treating paediatric fever. Furthermore, the influence of cultural differences needs to be precisely considered, especially in countries such as Germany, where the immigration rates are noteworthy.…”

Sociodemographic Characteristics and Interests of FeverApp Users

“…The FeverApp enables a parent to document their child’s febrile illnesses in real time (Ecological Momentary Assessment), to learn about fevers, and how to safely treat it [ 20 ].…”

“…One of them, the FeverApp registry, aims to advance knowledge on fevers. The multiple objectives are: To achieve ecological momentary assessment (EMA) of data on febrile illnesses, to “assess guideline adherence”, to increase the knowledge about parental fever management, to improve parental skill, knowledge, and confidence in fever management, and consequently, to reduce use of medication and overuse of healthcare visits [ 20 ]. For this purpose and as a means of data collection for the registry, a smartphone application, FeverApp, was developed.…”

Das FieberApp Register – ein Weg, um Eltern durch eigene Dokumentation zu einer abgestuften Entscheidung zu führen

“…Das Register-Protokoll [15] wurde veröffentlicht und beim Deutschen Register für Klinische Studien registriert (DRKS-ID: DRKS00016591). Weiterhin wurden erste App-basierte Nutzeranalysen veröffentlicht [16].…”

“…Die Entwicklung qualitativer Register ist eine komplexe Aufgabe, deshalb ist die Förderung durch das Bundesministerium für Bildung und Forschung [10] wertvoll, um diese wissenschaftliche Erkenntnismethode qualitativ hochwertig und innovativ in der Gesellschaft zu etablieren. Insbesondere der Einsatz moderner statistischer [23] und informationstechnischer [15] Verfahren sollte weiter etabliert werden. Das FieberApp Register bereitet deshalb aktuell die Veröffentlichung von solchen Validierungsdaten vor, wie dies auch von entsprechenden Fachpublikationen zur Datenqualität von Registern [24] gefordert wird.…”