Smartphone program to help caregivers support infant development in Guatemala
Mobile Health Intervention to Promote Positive Infant Health Outcomes in Guatemala
This project uses an Android app to help parents and caregivers in Guatemala track babies' development and get tailored tips to promote nurturing care.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Children's Hospital of Los Angeles NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Los Angeles, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11177834 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
You and your child would use an Android smartphone app that guides caregivers through simple activities and tracks infant development milestones. The team will build the app with input from caregivers and health workers using an agile design process to make it easy and relevant. The app provides tailored feedback, reminders, and prompts to connect with local health workers if concerns arise. Researchers will also study how usable, acceptable, and sustainable the app is for families and frontline health staff.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Primary caregivers of infants in Guatemala who have access to an Android smartphone and are willing to use an app to monitor and support their child's development.
Not a fit: Families without Android phones or reliable phone service, or those with older children outside the infant age range targeted by the program, may not benefit from this project.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the app could help caregivers notice and respond to developmental needs earlier and support better infant growth and learning with practical, on-phone guidance.
How similar studies have performed: Similar mHealth programs in low-resource settings have shown promise for supporting caregiver practices, but this app is being specifically adapted and tested for infants and health systems in Guatemala.
Where this research is happening
Los Angeles, United States
- Children's Hospital of Los Angeles — Los Angeles, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Smith, Beth a — Children's Hospital of Los Angeles
- Study coordinator: Smith, Beth a
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.