DEDIKASI-App, increasing awareness and early detection of common skin diseases in Indonesia through a Mobile-phone Health Application: A Research Protocol (Preprint)

Abstract

Various media are used to enhance public understanding about diseases. While mobile health (mHealth) applications are widely used, there is little proof for using such apps to raise awareness of skin diseases.

We intend to develop an app (DEDIKASI-apps) to raise awareness of skin diseases, including leprosy. The study will explore baseline awareness, assess the app’s acceptance among community and healthcare workers, and evaluate its effectiveness in enhancing awareness about skin diseases.

The study will be conducted in 4 phases; (1) development of the DEDIKASI-app; (2) questionnaire development for awareness study; (3) acceptability testing; and (4) effect measurement of the DEDIKASI-app. We’ll adopt Design Thinking Methodology to develop the app, involving systematic-reviews, expert consultations, FGD, and validation process for questionnaire on skin diseases awareness. We’ll recruit 50 members of community for awareness and acceptability study and one healthcare worker per Puskesmas to assess their perception regarding the app. A randomized controlled trial will be conducted to measure the effectiveness of DEDIKASI-app. Result of awareness level will be categorized into low, moderate, and adequate level, each will be presented with proportions of community.

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Innovative approaches are required to enhance awareness in the community. The study will introduce new tools and insights to address the limited knowledge about detecting skin problems.

The ethical clearance of the study has been sought from the Health Research Ethics Committee Faculty of Public Health Universitas Airlangga Surabaya with registration number 160/EA/KEPK/2023. The trial in phase four has been registered to the INA-CRR, the trial study registry of the Ministry of Health, Republic of Indonesia with number INA-O8EX276.