R33TW012359
Project Grant
Overview
Grant Description
INNOVATIVE MHEALTH INTERVENTION PROVIDING SUSTAINED ANTICIPATORY GUIDANCE (ZERO CAVITY): DESIGN, VALIDATION, USER PERCEPTION, AND EFFECTIVENESS - PROJECT SUMMARY EARLY CHILDHOOD CARIES (ECC), THOUGH PREVENTABLE IS THE SECOND MOST COMMON CHRONIC DISEASE OF CHILDHOOD. RECENTLY, DIGITAL HEALTH HAS ATTRACTED SUBSTANTIAL INTEREST FROM THE GOVERNMENT PARTICULARLY IN LOW-MIDDLE-INCOME COUNTRIES (LMIC) WHERE MOBILE COMMUNICATION AND TELEHEALTH HAS OPENED NEW POSSIBILITIES FOR OVERCOMING THE GEOGRAPHICAL INACCESSIBILITY OF HEALTH CARE. OUR PRELIMINARY WORK AT THE CENTRE FOR EARLY CHILDHOOD CARIES RESEARCH (CECCRE) USING TELEPHONE CALLS, TEXT MESSAGES, AND PROVIDING AGE-APPROPRIATE INFANT ORAL CARE AIDS COLLECTIVELY CALLED SUSTAINED ANTICIPATORY GUIDANCE (SAG) HAS SHOWN PROMISING RESULTS IN INFANTS WITH CLEFT LIP AND PALATE RECRUITED AT PRE DENTATE STAGE IN PREVENTING ECC. THE FEASIBILITY AND SUCCESS OF SAG HAVE LED TO ECC PREVENTION UP TO 94%. WE, THEREFORE, PROPOSE TO DEVELOP, VALIDATE, AND TEST A NOVEL APPROACH OF USING A MOBILE APP TO PROVIDE AGE-APPROPRIATE SAG TO THE PARENTS. THIS APPROACH IS FUNDAMENTALLY DIFFERENT FROM THE TRADITIONAL METHOD OF PROVIDING ANTICIPATORY GUIDANCE (AG) AT THE 6-MONTHLY RECALL VISITS. IN THE R21 PHASE, WE WILL DEVELOP AND TEST AN INTERACTIVE MOBILE APP (ZERO CAVITY), GROUNDED IN FISHER OWEN'S MODEL OF CHILDREN'S ORAL HEALTH DETERMINANTS AND THE THEORY OF PLANNED BEHAVIOR. SEMI-STRUCTURED INTERVIEWS AND FOCUS GROUP DISCUSSION TO EXPLORE AWARENESS AND PRACTICES AND PERCEPTIONS OF ORAL HEALTH WITH RELEVANT STAKEHOLDER GROUPS OF PARENTS, PEDIATRICIANS AND DENTISTS AND DEVELOP TAILORED GUIDANCE TO THE INFANT!S AGE AND SPECIFIC STATE OF ORAL DEVELOPMENT. WE WILL USE DESIGN THINKING, 5DE APPROACH, AND NIELSEN NORMAN GUIDELINES TO DEVELOP THE ZERO CAVITY APP PROTOTYPE. IN AIM 2, WE WILL PILOT TEST THE ANDROID AND IOS VERSIONS OF THE APP AND EVALUATE USER PERCEPTION USING UMARS, CALO-RE SCALES. THE R33 PHASE WILL BE UNDERTAKEN AFTER THE SUCCESSFUL COMPLETION OF THE R21 MILESTONES. IN AIM 3, WE WILL ESTABLISH 540 MOTHER-CHILD DYADS AND USING AN INTENT-TO- TREAT ANALYSIS TO DETERMINE THE EFFECT OF MOBILE APP-ASSISTED SAG PROTOCOL DELIVERED THROUGH THE ZERO CAVITY APP. BOTH INTERVENTION AND CONTROL GROUPS WILL RECEIVE BASELINE AG AT THE INITIAL VISIT AND AT IN-PERSON 6-MONTHLY RECALLS. IN ADDITION, INTERVENTION GROUP WILL RECEIVE SAG THROUGH THE ZERO CAVITY APP BETWEEN THE IN-PERSON VISITS. THE TRIAL WILL BE CARRIED OUT AFTER REGISTRATION IN CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRY-INDIA (CTRI) AND ADHERING TO CONSORT GUIDELINES. THE R33 PHASE WILL CULMINATE WITH AN EVALUATION OF EFFECTIVENESS OF THE ZERO CAVITY APP IN DELIVERING SAG TO MOTHERS/FATHERS, THEREBY, PREVENTING ECC. THE SECONDARY OUTCOME (OCCURRENCE OF ECC) WILL BE MEASURED USING INTERNATIONAL CARIES DETECTION AND ASSESSMENT SYSTEM (ICDAS) BY CALIBRATED EXAMINERS AT 6 MONTHLY INTERVALS. THE OVERALL GOAL OF THIS STUDY IS TO DEVELOP, VALIDATE AND TEST AN INTERACTIVE MOBILE APP (ZERO CAVITY) TO DELIVER SAG TO PARENTS LEADING TO A SCALABLE COST-EFFECTIVE INTERVENTION PREVENTING ECC IN LMIC COUNTRIES.
Funding Goals
THE JOHN E. FOGARTY INTERNATIONAL CENTER (FIC) SUPPORTS RESEARCH AND RESEARCH TRAINING TO REDUCE DISPARITIES IN GLOBAL HEALTH AND TO FOSTER PARTNERSHIPS BETWEEN U.S. SCIENTISTS AND THEIR COUNTERPARTS ABROAD. FIC SUPPORTS BASIC BIOLOGICAL, BEHAVIORAL, AND SOCIAL SCIENCE RESEARCH, AS WELL AS RELATED RESEARCH TRAINING AND CAREER DEVELOPMENT. THE RESEARCH PORTFOLIO IS DIVIDED INTO SEVERAL PROGRAMS THAT SUPPORT A WIDE VARIETY OF FUNDING MECHANISMS TO MEET PROGRAMMATIC OBJECTIVES.
Grant Program (CFDA)
Awarding / Funding Agency
Place of Performance
India
Geographic Scope
Foreign
SRI Ramachandra Institute Of Higher Education And Research Trust was awarded
Zero Cavity App: Preventing ECC in LMICs
Project Grant R33TW012359
worth $213,343
from Fogarty International Center in September 2023 with work to be completed primarily in India.
The grant
has a duration of 4 years 8 months and
was awarded through assistance program 93.989 International Research and Research Training.
The Project Grant was awarded through grant opportunity Mobile Health: Technology and Outcomes in Low and Middle Income Countries (R21/R33 - Clinical Trial Optional).
Status
(Ongoing)
Last Modified 8/20/25
Period of Performance
9/15/23
Start Date
5/31/28
End Date
Funding Split
$213.3K
Federal Obligation
$0.0
Non-Federal Obligation
$213.3K
Total Obligated
Activity Timeline
Additional Detail
Award ID FAIN
R33TW012359
SAI Number
R33TW012359-2114001112
Award ID URI
SAI UNAVAILABLE
Awardee Classifications
Private Institution Of Higher Education
Awarding Office
75NF00 NIH Fogarty International Center
Funding Office
75NF00 NIH Fogarty International Center
Awardee UEI
CAN8D5LFTNV7
Awardee CAGE
2151Y
Performance District
Not Applicable
Modified: 8/20/25