Academic Pediatrics
Volume 12, Issue 5, 2012, Pages 412-419

Nutrition education via a touchscreen: A randomized controlled trial in Latino immigrant parents of infants and toddlers (Article)

Thompson D.A.* , Joshi A. , Hernandez R.G. , Bair-Merritt M.H. , Arora M. , Luna R. , Ellen J.M.
  • a Department of Pediatrics, Johns Hopkins Bayview Campus, Mason F. Lord Center Tower, 5200 Eastern Avenue, Baltimore, MD 21224, United States
  • b Department of Health Services Research Administration, College of Public Health, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE, United States, Center for Public Health Informatics, Bhubaneswar, India
  • c Department of Pediatrics, University of South Florida School of Medicine, Tampa, FL, United States
  • d Department of Pediatrics, Johns Hopkins Bayview Campus, Mason F. Lord Center Tower, 5200 Eastern Avenue, Baltimore, MD 21224, United States
  • e Center for Public Health Informatics, Bhubaneswar, India
  • f Department of Pediatrics, Johns Hopkins Bayview Campus, Mason F. Lord Center Tower, 5200 Eastern Avenue, Baltimore, MD 21224, United States
  • g Department of Pediatrics, Johns Hopkins Bayview Campus, Mason F. Lord Center Tower, 5200 Eastern Avenue, Baltimore, MD 21224, United States

Abstract

Objective: To investigate whether educational modules presented on a touchscreen computer increase immediate nutrition and feeding knowledge in low-income, Spanish-speaking Latino immigrant parents. Methods: This was a randomized controlled trial conducted in an urban pediatric clinic with a sample of low-income, Spanish-speaking Latino parents of children <3 years randomly assigned to the intervention (n = 80) and control groups (n = 80). Intervention group members viewed 5 modules on nutrition and feeding presented on an interactive platform using a touchscreen computer. Modules contained text, pictures, and audio. Content was drawn from Bright Futures Guidelines. The primary outcome was a parental total summed knowledge score based on correct responses to 19 questions related to module content. Domain-specific scores were also analyzed. Results: Intervention and control groups did not differ on demographic characteristics. Participants were of varied Latino origins, mean age was 27.5 years, 41% reported a <7th grade education, and 65% reported that they rarely/never use a computer. Compared with the control group, the intervention group had a superior mean total summed knowledge score (72.3% vs 90.8%, P <.001). Mean domain-specific summed knowledge scores were also greater in the intervention arm compared with the control for all 5 domains. These results did not differ on the basis of participant education level. 71% (n = 57) of intervention arm participants planned to change something based on what they learned from the computer program, and 80% reported that they will (n = 49) or may (n = 15) talk to their child's doctor about what they learned in the modules. Conclusions: Results of this pilot study add to the growing literature on the use of this technology for health education in low-income Latino immigrants. Despite low education levels and computer experience, findings suggest that immediate parental knowledge was enhanced supporting the need for a more rigorous evaluation of this technology and its impact on health behaviors.© Copyright 2012 by Academic Pediatric Association.

Author Keywords

Latino Health education touchscreen computer nutrition infant/toddler

Index Keywords

Parents educational status immigrant nutritional requirement health promotion fruit juice poverty human child nutrition computer infant feeding controlled study randomized controlled trial nutrition education milk Hispanic Americans knowledge Breast Feeding Humans Hispanic male Emigrants and Immigrants female cognition Infant Child, Preschool Behavior artificial milk Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice User-Computer Interface Article touchscreen computer Child Nutrition Sciences adult health education outcome assessment baby food Pilot Projects parent
Link
https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-84866595063&doi=10.1016%2fj.acap.2012.03.020&partnerID=40&md5=f01fa127f58b998c350923d789efa696
DOI: 10.1016/j.acap.2012.03.020
ISSN: 18762859
Cited by: 6
Original Language: English