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Blogshots Boost Parental Health Knowledge Short-Term but Gains Fade by Three Months
Parents who received image-based digital health tools called blogshots scored significantly higher on knowledge questionnaires at five weeks compared to those who had not yet received them on that topic, representing a small but statistically reliable effect (p<0.001, Cohen’s d=0.30). However, this knowledge advantage was not maintained at the three- or six-month follow-up assessments, indicating that the benefit was real but transient.
What Was Studied
The trial examined whether blogshots — visually designed, image-based digital tools developed to communicate evidence-based paediatric recommendations from Choosing Wisely Canada — could improve parental knowledge about six common childhood conditions including pharyngitis, the common cold, asthma, bronchiolitis, and otitis media. The primary outcome was change in knowledge scores among parents of young children, with secondary outcomes covering shifts in expectations, intentions, and actions related to managing their child’s health.
How It Was Studied
This was a non-pharmacological randomised controlled trial combined with a qualitative interview component, conducted entirely online across Canada. Parents or legal guardians of children under five years of age were enrolled (N=167) and randomly assigned to one of two groups: Group A received blogshots on pharyngitis diagnosis, the common cold, and asthma; Group B received blogshots on pharyngitis treatment, bronchiolitis, and otitis media. Each group served as the active comparator for topics received by the other, with one blogshot delivered per week over three weeks. Study investigators were blinded to group allocation. Knowledge questionnaires were administered at baseline and at three follow-up time points: week five, month three, and month six. Thirteen qualitative semi-structured interviews were also conducted to provide contextual insight into participants’ experience with the intervention.
What Was Observed
- Short-term knowledge gains were statistically significant but modest in size. At the week-five follow-up, participants who had received a blogshot on a given topic scored meaningfully higher on the corresponding knowledge questionnaire than those who had not yet received it — a small-to-moderate effect by conventional standards (p<0.001, Cohen’s d=0.30). This indicates the blogshots produced a reliable, if not large, immediate improvement in knowledge.
- Knowledge gains were not sustained at later time points. No statistically significant differences in knowledge scores between groups were detected at either the three-month or six-month follow-ups, suggesting that a single exposure to the blogshot content was insufficient to produce durable learning over the medium to long term.
- Participants reported intentions and actions consistent with the guidance provided. Qualitative and survey data indicated that parents planned to share blogshots with friends and clinicians, and some reported adopting a wait-and-watch approach rather than immediately seeking healthcare — an approach aligned with several of the Choosing Wisely Canada recommendations.
- Usability and acceptability were rated positively. Qualitative interviews with 13 participants indicated that blogshots were perceived as visually appealing and that the health information they contained was easy to read and understand, supporting their feasibility as a dissemination format.
Why This Matters
The findings suggest that image-based digital tools can serve as an accessible and scalable channel for distributing evidence-based child health information to parents. Because the intervention was delivered entirely online, the authors note it could be adapted and deployed at a broader international level and applied to health topics relevant beyond Canada. The study also provides early evidence that such tools may influence not only knowledge but also parental intentions and self-reported health-seeking behaviour.
How to Read This Result
While the positive short-term effect is encouraging, the small sample size, predominantly maternal respondent pool, and absence of sustained knowledge retention beyond five weeks temper confidence in the durability and generalisability of these findings.
Limitations
Knowledge score improvements were present at week five but had dissipated by the three-month and six-month assessments, raising unresolved questions about whether repeated exposures or booster content would be needed to maintain learning. The sample was composed predominantly of mothers (80%), which may limit how broadly the findings apply to all parenting populations. Additionally, the study was conducted exclusively through online platforms within Canada, constraining the generalisability of both recruitment and delivery contexts to other settings or populations.