Development and Pilot Evaluation of SCABIESHEAL©: The World’s First Multilingual Mobile Health Application for Scabies Education and Treatment Support
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.66344/jpad.v36i3.3535Keywords:
Scabies, Digital Dermatology, mHealth Applications, Dermatological Infectious Diseases, Treatment Adherence, Usability TestingAbstract
Background Scabies is a common, highly transmissible dermatological infestation. Inadequate disease knowledge and incorrect treatment practices contribute to treatment failure and reinfestation. Although multilingual and audiovisual digital interventions may support patient education, evidence specific to their use in scabies remains limited.
Objective To develop and pilot-evaluate SCABIESHEAL©, a multilingual mobile health application designed to support scabies education and recommended treatment practices and to assess its usability among patients with clinically diagnosed scabies.
Methods Of 211 individuals screened, 100 were enrolled; 96 completed the two-week follow-up and were analysed. SCABIESHEAL© provided multilingual educational content, audiovisual treatment guidance, and automated reminders. Scabies knowledge and knowledge of recommended treatment practices were assessed using a newly developed structured questionnaire pilot-tested in 30 patients (Cronbach's alpha=0.80). App usability was assessed using the System Usability Scale (SUS). Paired changes were analysed using the Wilcoxon signed-rank test.
Results Of 100 enrolled participants, 96 completed follow-up and four were lost to follow-up. Median age was 35.00 years (IQR 27.00-42.50). Median knowledge scores increased from 20.00% (IQR 0.00-40.00) to 80.00% (IQR 40.00-100.00; Z=-8.06, P<0.001, r=0.82); the mean paired change was 46.88 percentage points (95% bootstrap CI 41.25-52.50). Median treatment-practice knowledge scores increased from 25.00% (IQR 12.50-50.00) to 83.33% (IQR 66.67-100.00; Z=-8.22, P<0.001, r=0.84); the mean paired change was 48.09 percentage points (95% bootstrap CI 42.71-53.47). Median SUS score was 72.50 (IQR 62.50-82.50); 59 participants (61.5%) scored at or above the reference value of 68 and 37 (38.5%) scored below it.
Conclusion In this single-group pilot study, SCABIESHEAL© use was associated with improved short-term scabies knowledge and treatment-practice knowledge scores and with usability above a commonly used SUS reference value. These preliminary findings warrant evaluation in controlled, adequately powered studies incorporating objective medication-use measures, clinical outcomes, and longer follow-up.
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