The world of mobile health (mHealth) applications has tremendous potential in promoting healthy nutrition and behavior among adolescent girls. To tap into this potential, a tailored app called Teen 'n Fit was developed to support adolescent girls in Indonesia in assessing their nutritional status, physical activity, and eating habits; as a nutrition education media; and as a reminder of iron folic acid consumption. However, it is crucial to measure the app's usability prior to its release.
Background
Adolescence is a critical period characterized by rapid physical, emotional, and behavioral changes. Due to these changes and higher nutritional needs, adolescent girls frequently suffer from thinness, chronic undernutrition, and micronutrient deficiency. The pooled prevalence of anemia in adolescent girls varies from about 20% to almost 40%, while the prevalence of thinness falls between 10% and 25%. In Indonesia, 23% of adolescent girls suffer from anemia, and 46.6% are at risk of chronic energy deficiency.
Objective
This study aimed to measure the usability of Teen 'n Fit by modifying the mHealth App Usability Questionnaire (MAUQ). The app's primary goal is to promote healthy behavior among adolescent girls, making it essential to ensure its user experience is optimal and engaging.
Methods
A cross-sectional usability study was conducted on 64 adolescent girls aged 15-18 from a public high school in Depok, Indonesia. Participants completed app-based tasks and filled out a post-task usability questionnaire. The exploratory factor analysis was conducted to determine the items constituting each component in the modified MAUQ. Mann-Whitney analysis was employed to analyze the difference in usability score means based on participants' characteristics.
Results
The modified MAUQ demonstrated strong reliability (Cronbach's alpha = 0.945). The app achieved a strong usability score, 6.0 ± 0.8 out of 7, with 79.7% of participants reporting no prior mHealth experience. The score among participants who occasionally used mHealth applications was higher (p = 0.046) than those who had never made prior use.
Conclusion
In conclusion, this study demonstrates the importance of measuring app user experience in promoting healthy behavior among adolescent girls. By evaluating Teen 'n Fit's usability, we can inform its refinement and support its potential role in adolescent health promotion.