Assessing the Public-Health Impact and Scalability of Mhealth Interventions for Early Childhood Development: A Systematic Review Protocol

Tavassoli, Ghanbar; Samimi, Tahereh; Lotfnezhad Afshar, Hadi; Farrokh Eslamlou, Hamidreza; Rahimi , Bahlol

doi:https://doi.org/10.61186/hsm.5.1.4

Volume 5, Issue 1 (February 2026) Health Science Monitor 2026, 5(1): 4-9 | Back to browse issues page

‎ https://doi.org/10.61186/hsm.5.1.4

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Tavassoli G, Samimi T, Lotfnezhad Afshar H, Farrokh Eslamlou H, Rahimi B. Assessing the Public-Health Impact and Scalability of Mhealth Interventions for Early Childhood Development: A Systematic Review Protocol. Health Science Monitor 2026; 5 (1) :4-9
URL: http://hsm.umsu.ac.ir/article-1-274-en.html

Assessing the Public-Health Impact and Scalability of Mhealth Interventions for Early Childhood Development: A Systematic Review Protocol

Ghanbar Tavassoli

, Tahereh Samimi

, Hadi Lotfnezhad Afshar

, Hamidreza Farrokh Eslamlou

, Bahlol Rahimi ^*

Health and Biomedical Informatics Research Center, Urmia University of Medical Sciences, Urmia, Iran & Department of Medical Informatics, School of Allied Medical Sciences, Urmia University of Medical Sciences, Urmia, Iran

Abstract: (30 Views)

Background Enhancing children's development is essential for both individual well-being and societal progress. From a public health perspective, Mobile Health (mHealth) interventions offer scalable and accessible approaches that can support child development and strengthen health system delivery. Despite the growing adoption of mHealth tools, a comprehensive synthesis of their specific impact on developmental indicator in early childhood remains limited. This protocol presents the methodology for a systematic review assessing the effectiveness of mHealth interventions on developmental indicators in children under five years of age.
Methods A systematic review will be conducted using PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science to identify English-language articles published from January 2000 to December 2024. The search strategy will employ Medical Subject Headings (MeSH) and relevant keywords. Study selection will follow the Participants, Interventions, Comparators, and Outcomes (PICO) framework. Two independent reviewers will perform study selection, data extraction, quality assessment, and risk of bias evaluation. Eligible studies will include those investigating mHealth interventions for children under five years old. Data will be synthesized narratively. The primary outcome will be the impact of mHealth interventions on children’s developmental indicators, including cognitive, motor, language, and socio-emotional domains. Secondary outcomes will include: (i) the influence of mHealth on parental knowledge, attitudes, and practices; and (ii) a comparison of mHealth interventions with alternative developmental approaches.
Conclusion This review will provide evidence on the effectiveness of mHealth interventions in early childhood development and their potential influence on parents. It will also address the comparative benefits and limitations of mHealth strategies relative to other developmental methods. The protocol has been registered with PROSPERO and follows the PRISMA-P guidelines.
Systematic review registration: PROSPERO CRD42022339264.

Keywords: Child development, Early childhood intervention, mHealth, Systematic review

Full-Text [PDF 304 kb] (10 Downloads)

Type of Study: Review Article | Subject: Advanced Sciences and Technologies in Public Health
Received: 2025/10/19 | Accepted: 2026/01/12 | Published: 2026/02/11

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