The Effect of an Avatar-Based Education Program on Shunt Complications and Parents' Knowledge and Care Skills

Hydrocephalus is a common childhood neurosurgical disease. Ventriculoperitoneal (VP) shunt is usually used in the treatment of hydrocephalus. However, VP shunt may have some complications. In developed countries, the incidence of hydrocephalus is 1 per 1000 live births. In developing countries, it is 3-4 per 1000 live births. A multidisciplinary approach is important in the treatment and care of hydrocephalus. Parents need guidance and training for hydrocephalus treatment and care. Nurses should help parents solve all care-related problems. Technology-based nursing interventions have become popular in recent years because they make life easier for children with chronic diseases and their parents who should avoid non-emergency hospital visits during the COVID-19 pandemic. Investigators need innovative and interactive technology-based interventions to provide patients and their parents with the knowledge and skills necessary to manage chronic diseases. This study also focused on an avatar-based education program because avatars are interactive icons that provide intrinsic and extrinsic motivation for parents. Therefore Investigators develop an Avatar-based education program in Hydrocephalus (ABEP-H) and prove its effectiveness in reducing shunt complications and helping parents acquire the knowledge and develop the skills necessary for the care of their children with hydrocephalus.

Ventriculoperitoneal (VP) shunt is usually used in the treatment of hydrocephalus. However, VP shunt may have some complications. Children with shunts need good primary care.

There have been significant advances in science and technology in recent years. Therefore, education programs for patients and their parents also involve technology. The new face of technology in patient education is avatar-based education programs used to manage chronic diseases (cancer, diabetes, depression, etc.). However, this technology is underutilized in the training of pediatric patients. Therefore, this study will present a randomized controlled trial protocol to develop an avatar-based education program and determine its effect on shunt complications and parents' knowledge and care skills (ABEP-H).

The ABEP-H protocol adopted a single-blind, pretest-posttest, parallel-group (1:1 ratio), follow-up, multicenter randomized controlled experimental design. The intervention group will attend the ABEP-H for six months. Each intervention group participant will be phoned once every two weeks as a reminder. Data will be collected in the first, third, and sixth months.

The ABEP-H protocol will be based on the template for intervention description and replication (TIDieR) guideline and checklist. The protocol is designed according to the Standard Protocol Items: Recommendations for Interventional Trials (SPIRIT). Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) are reported based on the Consolidated Standards of Reporting Trials (CONSORT).

Eligibility Criteria:
Inclusion Criteria:

* Having a child with a VP shunt in the past six months
* No shunt infection
* Having a smartphone and mobile Internet access
* Speaking Turkish
* Understanding what is read and said
* Executing commands

Exclusion Criteria:

* Not using the ABEP-H actively