Evaluating mHealth Apps for Child Growth Monitoring in Indonesia Using the Mobile Application Rating Scale (MARS)

This study evaluated the quality of pediatric-related mobile health (mHealth) applications available in Indonesia, focusing on their ability to support child growth monitoring and provide educational resources for parents and caregivers. A cross-sectional design was employed, with five healthcare professionals assessing selected apps using the Mobile App Rating Scale (MARS). The apps were identified from the Indonesian Google Play Store and Apple App Store using specific search terms related to pediatric care. Inclusion criteria required apps to be available in Bahasa Indonesia, focus on child health, and in-clude growth tracking or stunting prevention features. MARS was used to assess apps across domains such as engagement, functionality, aesthetics, and information quality. Inter-rater reliability was ensured using the Intraclass Correlation Coefficient (ICC). De-scriptive statistics, Pearson’s correlation, and T-tests were used for data analysis. The study found significant variability in the quality of the apps, highlighting strengths in some but also gaps in interactive features like feedback mechanisms and social support. This research underscores the need for higher-quality, evidence-based mHealth apps for pediatric care in Indonesia, particularly in improving user engagement and accessibility.