Designing a user-centered mobile health application to empower older adults in managing oral health lifestyle

Objectives: This study aimed to develop an age-friendly oral health lifestyle service application to enhance older adults' self-management and promote a prevention-oriented approach to oral health.The application integrates user-centered design principles and the Capability, Opportunity, Motivation, and Behavior (COM-B) behavioral change theory to mitigate oral function decline and the digital divide.Methods: The application was developed based on three principles: (1) user-centered design, reflecting the physical and cognitive characteristics of older adults with large fonts, high-contrast colors, intuitive icons, and simplified navigation; (2) behavioral change theory (COM-B model), enhancing capability, opportunity, and motivation through educational content, mobile accessibility, and feedback using self-monitoring and goal setting; and (3) a prevention-oriented approach, aligned with the WHO Global Oral Health Action Plan.The system included four modules: (1) a 16item self-assessment across five oral health domains, (2) a three-level risk classification with visual feedback (green/yellow/red), (3) a personalized education module with multimedia content, and (4) a habit-formation tool that supported self-monitoring and reminders.Results: An Android-based prototype was developed with four menus: self-assessment, feedback, education, and habit formation.The self-assessment tool classified users into low-, moderate-, and high-risk groups and provided motivational feedback.Based on the results, stage-specific educational videos and motivational cues were delivered as alerts.Senior-friendly UI/UX features such as large text, high contrast, intuitive icons, and tactile feedback enhanced accessibility and usability.Overall, the prototype integrated oral frailty assessment with theory-based interventions, fostering self-efficacy and engagement in preventive oral healthcare. Conclusions:The application provides an accessible theory-based digital solution that empowers older adults to manage their oral health and prevent frailty.This presents a promising model for shifting oral health care to self-care and prevention.Future studies will use surveys and log data to examine the relationships among usage, usefulness, usability, acceptance, and behavior change.A randomized controlled trial is required to verify the effectiveness of this application.