Health behavior and disease self-management indicators in patients with cardiovascular diseases using a health app: Findings from an RCT
BackgroundPrevention of acute cardiovascular events in patients with cardiovascular disease (CVD) requires promoting health-protective behaviors (e.g., physical activity) and reducing health-compromising behaviors (e.g., sitting). Digital interventions addressing health behavior offer great potentia...
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AIMS Press
2025-02-01
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| Series: | AIMS Public Health |
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| Online Access: | https://www.aimspress.com/article/doi/10.3934/publichealth.2025015 |
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| author | Sonia Lippke Luisa Korte Vinayak Anand Kumar Andreas Fach Tiara Ratz |
| author_facet | Sonia Lippke Luisa Korte Vinayak Anand Kumar Andreas Fach Tiara Ratz |
| author_sort | Sonia Lippke |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | BackgroundPrevention of acute cardiovascular events in patients with cardiovascular disease (CVD) requires promoting health-protective behaviors (e.g., physical activity) and reducing health-compromising behaviors (e.g., sitting). Digital interventions addressing health behavior offer great potential. Based on a multiple behavior change theory, an intervention in the form of a digital health application (app) was evaluated in a pilot trial, testing the following hypotheses (H): H1: Health behaviors (physical activity, sitting) and disease self-management (self-care maintenance, self-care confidence) are closely related; H2: changes in health behaviors and disease self-management indicators over time (T0 to T1) are more pronounced in the intervention group (IG, app users) than in the control group (CG); H3: within the IG, changes in systolic and diastolic blood pressure indicate a positive trajectory.MethodsA 12-week randomized controlled trial (RCT) was conducted with two measurement points. The IG received an app addressing self-management and health behavior change. A total of N = 40 CVD patients were randomized equally to the CG (45% women; mean age = 60.6 years) and the IG (35% women; mean age = 61.5 years).ResultsFindings support H1 with correlations between behaviors (r = −0.66–0.79) and disease self-management (r = −0.06–0.70). H2 was also partially supported, with significant improvements over time in self-management indicators, especially self-care maintenance, in the IG (Eta² = 0.35; p < 0.001). H3 could not be confirmed as no significant changes were found.ConclusionsThis study provides evidence that an app addressing different behavior change techniques (BCTs) can help to manage CVD by promoting health-protective behaviors and preventing health-compromising behaviors. Taking different behaviors into account may increase the effectiveness of behavioral intervention, thereby improving individual and public health. Replications with larger samples and more objective measures are needed. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-62d67210e03c4ce4b693fa47e15eb96b |
| institution | OA Journals |
| issn | 2327-8994 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-02-01 |
| publisher | AIMS Press |
| record_format | Article |
| series | AIMS Public Health |
| spelling | doaj-art-62d67210e03c4ce4b693fa47e15eb96b2025-08-20T02:34:12ZengAIMS PressAIMS Public Health2327-89942025-02-0112123325810.3934/publichealth.2025015Health behavior and disease self-management indicators in patients with cardiovascular diseases using a health app: Findings from an RCTSonia Lippke0Luisa Korte1Vinayak Anand Kumar2Andreas Fach3Tiara Ratz4Health Promotion and Prevention Unit, Department of Health Sciences, Hamburg University of Applied Sciences/Hochschule für Angewandte Wissenschaften Hamburg (HAW Hamburg), Hamburg, GermanyApprevent GmbH, Bremen, GermanyHealth Psychology & Behavioral Medicine Lab, School of Business, Social and Decision Sciences, Constructor University, Bremen, GermanyKlinikum Links der Weser, Bremen, GermanyAO Innovation Translation Center, Clinical Operations, AO Foundation, SwitzerlandBackgroundPrevention of acute cardiovascular events in patients with cardiovascular disease (CVD) requires promoting health-protective behaviors (e.g., physical activity) and reducing health-compromising behaviors (e.g., sitting). Digital interventions addressing health behavior offer great potential. Based on a multiple behavior change theory, an intervention in the form of a digital health application (app) was evaluated in a pilot trial, testing the following hypotheses (H): H1: Health behaviors (physical activity, sitting) and disease self-management (self-care maintenance, self-care confidence) are closely related; H2: changes in health behaviors and disease self-management indicators over time (T0 to T1) are more pronounced in the intervention group (IG, app users) than in the control group (CG); H3: within the IG, changes in systolic and diastolic blood pressure indicate a positive trajectory.MethodsA 12-week randomized controlled trial (RCT) was conducted with two measurement points. The IG received an app addressing self-management and health behavior change. A total of N = 40 CVD patients were randomized equally to the CG (45% women; mean age = 60.6 years) and the IG (35% women; mean age = 61.5 years).ResultsFindings support H1 with correlations between behaviors (r = −0.66–0.79) and disease self-management (r = −0.06–0.70). H2 was also partially supported, with significant improvements over time in self-management indicators, especially self-care maintenance, in the IG (Eta² = 0.35; p < 0.001). H3 could not be confirmed as no significant changes were found.ConclusionsThis study provides evidence that an app addressing different behavior change techniques (BCTs) can help to manage CVD by promoting health-protective behaviors and preventing health-compromising behaviors. Taking different behaviors into account may increase the effectiveness of behavioral intervention, thereby improving individual and public health. Replications with larger samples and more objective measures are needed.https://www.aimspress.com/article/doi/10.3934/publichealth.2025015cardiovascular diseases (cvds)non-communicable diseases (ncds)disease self-managementdigital health applicationrandomized controlled trialmultiple behavior change |
| spellingShingle | Sonia Lippke Luisa Korte Vinayak Anand Kumar Andreas Fach Tiara Ratz Health behavior and disease self-management indicators in patients with cardiovascular diseases using a health app: Findings from an RCT AIMS Public Health cardiovascular diseases (cvds) non-communicable diseases (ncds) disease self-management digital health application randomized controlled trial multiple behavior change |
| title | Health behavior and disease self-management indicators in patients with cardiovascular diseases using a health app: Findings from an RCT |
| title_full | Health behavior and disease self-management indicators in patients with cardiovascular diseases using a health app: Findings from an RCT |
| title_fullStr | Health behavior and disease self-management indicators in patients with cardiovascular diseases using a health app: Findings from an RCT |
| title_full_unstemmed | Health behavior and disease self-management indicators in patients with cardiovascular diseases using a health app: Findings from an RCT |
| title_short | Health behavior and disease self-management indicators in patients with cardiovascular diseases using a health app: Findings from an RCT |
| title_sort | health behavior and disease self management indicators in patients with cardiovascular diseases using a health app findings from an rct |
| topic | cardiovascular diseases (cvds) non-communicable diseases (ncds) disease self-management digital health application randomized controlled trial multiple behavior change |
| url | https://www.aimspress.com/article/doi/10.3934/publichealth.2025015 |
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