背景:在评估新生儿和婴儿时,准确的头围(HC)测量至关重要。卷尺HC测量容易出错,特别是由父母/监护人执行时,由于头部形状的个体差异,发型和质地,主题合作,和考官技术,包括卷尺的放置和拉紧。有,因此,需要更可靠的方法。
目的:本研究的主要目的是评估有效性,可靠性,与目前的实践标准相比,HC应用测量的一致性,作为医疗保健专业人员使用的概念验证。
方法:我们招募了神经外科诊所的婴儿,与父母/监护人接触并同意参与研究.随着标准头围测量,测量是用内部开发的头围应用程序(HC应用程序)进行的,我们还收集了基线病史和特征.对于统计分析,我们使用RStudio(版本4.1.1)。总之,我们分析了协方差和组内相关系数(ICC),以比较测量的评分者内和评分者间的可靠性。F检验用于分析测量值与Bland-Altman协议之间的方差,t测试,和相关系数用于将卷尺测量与HC应用程序采取的措施进行比较。我们还使用了未经验证的问卷来探索父母或监护人的经历,评估他们对应用程序实用程序的看法,并收集反馈。
结果:招募的患者总数为37。app测量值与卷尺测量值之间的比较显示出可靠性差(ICC=0.177)和app内差异大(ICC=0.341)。父母/监护人进行的测量与研究人员进行的卷尺测量之间的一致性很好(ICC=0.901)。家长/监护人的反馈总体上非常积极,大多数父母/监护人报告说,该应用程序很容易使用(n=31,84%),他们很乐意在无人监督的情况下使用该应用程序,保证测量质量。
结论:我们开发了这个项目作为概念验证研究,因此,该应用程序已显示出巨大的潜力,无论是在临床设置和父母/监护人在自己的家里使用。
BACKGROUND: Accurate head circumference (HC) measurement is essential when assessing neonates and infants. Tape measure HC measurements are prone to errors, particularly when performed by parents/guardians, due to individual differences in head shape, hair style and texture, subject cooperation, and examiner techniques, including tape measure placement and tautness. There is, therefore, the need for a more reliable method.
OBJECTIVE: The primary objective of this
study was to evaluate the validity, reliability, and consistency of HC app measurement compared to the current standard of practice, serving as a proof-of-concept for use by health care professionals.
METHODS: We recruited infants attending the neurosurgery clinic, and parents/guardians were approached and consented to participate in the
study. Along with the standard head circumference measurement, measurements were taken with the head circumference app (HC app) developed in-house, and we also collected baseline medical history and characteristics. For the statistical analysis, we used RStudio (version 4.1.1). In summary, we analyzed covariance and intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) to compare the measurement\'s within-rater and interrater reliability. The F test was used to analyze the variance between measurements and the Bland-Altman agreement, t test, and correlation coefficients were used to compare the tape measurement to the measures taken by the HC app. We also used nonvalidated questionnaires to explore parental or guardians\' experiences, assess their views on app utility, and collect feedback.
RESULTS: The total number of recruited patients was 37. Comparison between the app measurements and the measurements with a tape measure showed poor reliability (ICC=0.177) and wide within-app variations (ICC=0.341). The agreement between the measurements done by parents/guardians and the tape measurements done by the researcher was good (ICC=0.901). Parental/guardian feedback was overall very positive, with most of the parents/guardians reporting that the app was easy to use (n=31, 84%) and that they are happy to use the app in an unsupervised setting, provided that they are assured of the measurement quality.
CONCLUSIONS: We developed this project as a proof-of-concept
study, and as such, the app has shown great potential to be used both in a clinical setting and by parents/guardians in their own homes.