Journal article
App-based prevention of preschooler unintentional injury in rural China: a cluster randomized controlled trial
NPJ digital medicine, Vol.8(1), 760
12/15/2025
DOI: 10.1038/s41746-025-02134-8
PMCID: PMC12706037
PMID: 41398035
Abstract
The effectiveness of mHealth interventions to reduce child unintentional injuries in resource-limited areas like rural areas remains poorly understood. This study aims to assess the effectiveness of a theory-driven and culturally-adapted app intervention to reduce unintentional injury incidence among rural preschoolers. A 12-month single-blinded cluster randomized controlled trial (Chinese Clinical Trial Registry, ChiCTR2000037606, registered on August 29, 2020) was conducted among 3836 preschoolers and their caregivers from 24 preschools in rural China. Participating preschools were randomly allocated using a 1:1 ratio to the intervention or control group to receive app-based education including or excluding child injury prevention. Primary outcome was the 12-month preschooler unintentional injury incidence. Secondary outcomes included caregiver's safety-related attitudes, supervision behaviors, and home environment scores. Of the 3836 enrolled participants, 3338 (87.0%) completed the study. Results demonstrated the intervention significantly reduced preschooler unintentional injury incidence (aRR = 0.93, 95% CI: 0.86, 0.98) and improved caregivers' safety-related attitudes (b = 0.51, 95% CI: 0.32, 0.73), supervision behaviors (b = 3.83, 95% CI: 3.15, 4.46), and home environment (b = 3.38, 95% CI: 2.51, 4.16). This trial suggests the app-based intervention effectively enhances child safety among rural preschoolers, and could be disseminated broadly in China and tailored to other resource-limited settings.
Details
- Title: Subtitle
- App-based prevention of preschooler unintentional injury in rural China: a cluster randomized controlled trial
- Creators
- Jieyi He - Affiliated Hospital of Guizhou Medical UniversityMin Zhao - Central South UniversityJie Li - Central South UniversityDavid C Schwebel - University of Alabama at BirminghamYanhong Fu - Central South UniversityWanhui Wang - Central South UniversityWeiqiang Li - Central South UniversityHao Huang - Central South UniversityShuying Zhao - Central South UniversityRuisha Peng - Central South UniversityPeishan Ning - Central South UniversityGuoqing Hu - Central South University
- Resource Type
- Journal article
- Publication Details
- NPJ digital medicine, Vol.8(1), 760
- DOI
- 10.1038/s41746-025-02134-8
- PMID
- 41398035
- PMCID
- PMC12706037
- NLM abbreviation
- NPJ Digit Med
- ISSN
- 2398-6352
- eISSN
- 2398-6352
- Publisher
- Springer Nature
- Language
- English
- Date published
- 12/15/2025
- Academic Unit
- Research Administration; Psychological and Brain Sciences
- Record Identifier
- 9985090600702771
Metrics
9 Record Views