Effectiveness of a Digital Educational Booklet on Mothers' Colostomy Care Knowledge and Practices

Smart Care for Little Lives: Effectiveness of a Digital Educational Booklet on Mothers' Colostomy Care Knowledge and Practices-

This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of a digital education and simulation-supported training intervention on mothers' knowledge and practices regarding colostomy care for their children. A randomized controlled trial was conducted among 120 mothers of children with colostomy recruited from the pediatric general surgical unit and outpatient clinic at Monufia University. Participants were randomly assigned to either a study group (n = 60) or a control group (n = 60). The intervention consisted of a multi-component educational program including a digital booklet delivered via WhatsApp, voice-over explanations, animated videos, interactive simulations, researcher demonstration using a simulation model, supervised hands-on practice, daily postoperative supervision, and WhatsApp follow-up support. The control group received routine hospital care. Data were collected using a structured knowledge questionnaire and an observational practice checklist at baseline, immediately post-intervention, before discharge, and at 12-week follow-up.

A randomized controlled trial (RCT) design was adopted in the current study to evaluate the effectiveness of a digital educational booklet on mothers' knowledge and reported practices regarding colostomy care for their children. The RCT design is considered the gold standard for intervention research because it minimizes selection bias and enhances the comparability between study groups through random allocation of participants. In the present study, mothers were randomly assigned to either the intervention group, which received the digital educational booklet in addition to routine hospital care, or the control group, which received routine hospital care only

Inclusion Criteria:

A mother and a child with colostomy

Exclusion Criteria:

• None