A Mobile Health Intervention for Self-Management and Lifestyle Change for Persons With Type 2 Diabetes, Part 2: One-Year Results From the Norwegian Randomized Controlled Trial RENEWING HEALTH

Dropout rate in clinical trials of smartphone apps for diabetes management: A meta-analysis

Applicability of smartphone-based digital health in diabetes management still face challenges due tolow user retention or engagement. Thus, this systematic and meta-analysis aimed to estimate the dropout rate from the clinical trials. Search of literature was performedon 4 September 2023 through various databases (PubMed, Scilit, Scopus, Embase, and Web of Science). Those reporting clinical trials of smartphone apps for diabetic controls (either type 1 or type 2 diabetes mellitus) were screened and selected in accordance with PRISMA guideline. Of 5,429 identified records, as many as 36 studies were found eligible with a total of 3,327 patients in the intervention group. The overall dropout rate was 29.6 % (95 %CI: 25 %-34.3 %) with high heterogeneity (p-Het < 0.001;I2 = 84.84 %). Sample size, intervention duration, patients' age and gender, and cultural adaptation on the app appeared to be non-significant moderators (p > 0.05). In sub-group levels, notably high dropout rates were observed in studies performing cultural adaptation (34.6 %) and conducted in high-income countries (31.9 %). Given the high dropout rate, the engagement level toward diabetic management apps in real-world setting is expected to be low. High heterogeneity in this study, however, requires careful interpretation of the foregoing results. PROSPERO: CRD42023460365 (14 September 2023).

Utilizing Telemedicine Applications in Celiac Disease and Other Gluten-Free-Diet-Dependent Conditions: Insights from the COVID-19 Pandemic

BACKGROUND

Globally, approximately 1.4% of people have celiac disease (CD), induced by gluten sensitivity. If left untreated, it causes small intestinal inflammation and villous atrophy, which can result in failure to thrive, anemia, osteoporosis, malabsorption, and even malignancy. The only treatment option available is a gluten-free diet (GFD). Few studies have looked at the role and perception of telehealth in relation to CD and selective nutrition both before and after the COVID-19 pandemic.

AIM

Our goal was to screen and investigate the research conducted both before and after the COVID-19 pandemic concerning the utilization of telehealth applications and solutions in CD and other GFD-dependent circumstances.

METHODS

We employed a narrative review approach to explore articles that were published in scholarly journals or organizations between the years 2000 and 2024. Only English-language publications were included. PubMed and Google Scholar searches were mainly conducted using the following keywords: telemedicine, telehealth, telecare, eHealth, m-health, COVID-19, SARS-CoV-2, celiac disease, and gluten-free diet (GFD). Manual searches of the references in the acquired literature were also carried out, along with the authors' own personal contributions of their knowledge and proficiency in this field.

RESULTS

Only a few studies conducted prior to the COVID-19 outbreak examined the viewpoints and experiences of adult patients with CD with relation to in-person clinic visits, as well as other options such as telehealth. The majority of patients believed that phone consultations were appropriate and beneficial. Video conferencing and telemedicine became more popular during the COVID-19 pandemic, demonstrating the effectiveness of using these technologies for CD on a global basis. In recent years, urine assays for gluten identification have become accessible for use at home. These tests could be helpful for CD monitoring with telemedicine assistance.

CONCLUSIONS

The extended knowledge gathered from the COVID-19 pandemic is expected to complement pre-COVID-19 data supporting the usefulness of telemedicine even after the emergent pandemic, encouraging its wider adoption in standard clinical practice. The monitoring and follow-up of CD patients and other GFD-dependent conditions can greatly benefit from telemedicine.

Which behaviour change techniques work best for diabetes self-management mobile apps? Results from a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials

BACKGROUND

Self-management is pivotal in addressing noncommunicable diseases, such as diabetes. The increased availability of digital behaviour change interventions (DBCIs) delivered through mobile health apps offers unprecedented opportunities to enhance self-management and improve health outcomes. However, little is known about the characteristics of DBCIs for diabetes that significantly impact glycaemic control. Therefore, our systematic review with meta-analysis aimed to summarize characteristics and behaviour change components in DBCIs for diabetes self-management and explore potential associations with metabolic outcomes.

METHODS

A systematic search was conducted in PubMed, Embase, the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, and Scopus to identify randomized controlled trials published until November 2023. The main outcome variable was the change in the mean difference of HbA1c levels between baseline and follow-up across intervention and control groups. Random-effects meta-regression was used to explore variation in glycaemic control as a function of prespecified characteristics of study designs and app interventions.

FINDINGS

A total of 57 studies was included in the analysis, showing a statistically significant percentage point reduction in HbA1c for the intervention group compared to the control arm (-0.36, 95% CI = -0.46 to -0.26, p < 0.001). The inclusion of "self-monitoring of behaviour" as a behaviour change technique (β = -0.22, p = 0.04) and "taking medication" as a target behaviour (β = -0.20, p = 0.05) was associated with improved metabolic outcomes.

INTERPRETATION

Our analyses endorse the use of diabetes self-management apps, highlighting characteristics statistically associated with intervention effectiveness and guiding the design of more effective DBCIs.

FUNDING

This project received funding from the European Union's Horizon 2020 programme.

The Key Digital Tool Features of Complex Telehealth Interventions Used for Type 2 Diabetes Self-Management and Monitoring With Health Professional Involvement: Scoping Review

BACKGROUND

Therapeutic education and patient self-management are crucial in diabetes prevention and treatment. Improving diabetes self-management requires multidisciplinary team intervention, nutrition education that facilitates self-management, informed decision-making, and the organization and delivery of appropriate health care services. The emergence of telehealth services has provided the public with various tools for educating themselves and for evaluating, monitoring, and improving their health and nutrition-related behaviors. Combining health technologies with clinical expertise, social support, and health professional involvement could help persons living with diabetes improve their disease self-management skills and prevent its long-term consequences.

OBJECTIVE

This scoping review's primary objective was to identify the key digital tool features of complex telehealth interventions used for type 2 diabetes or prediabetes self-management and monitoring with health professional involvement that help improve health outcomes. A secondary objective was to identify how these key features are developed and combined.

METHODS

A 5-step scoping review methodology was used to map relevant literature published between January 1, 2010 and March 31, 2022. Electronic searches were performed in the MEDLINE, CINAHL, and Embase databases. The searches were limited to scientific publications in English and French that either described the conceptual development of a complex telehealth intervention that combined self-management and monitoring with health professional involvement or evaluated its effects on the therapeutic management of patients with type 2 diabetes or prediabetes. Three reviewers independently identified the articles and extracted the data.

RESULTS

The results of 42 studies on complex telehealth interventions combining diabetes self-management and monitoring with the involvement of at least 1 health professional were synthesized. The health professionals participating in these studies were physicians, dietitians, nurses, and psychologists. The digital tools involved were smartphone apps or web-based interfaces that could be used with medical devices. We classified the features of these technologies into eight categories, depending on the intervention objective: (1) monitoring of glycemia levels, (2) physical activity monitoring, (3) medication monitoring, (4) diet monitoring, (5) therapeutic education, (6) health professional support, (7) other health data monitoring, and (8) health care management. The patient-logged data revealed behavior patterns that should be modified to improve health outcomes. These technologies, used with health professional involvement, patient self-management, and therapeutic education, translate into better control of glycemia levels and the adoption of healthier lifestyles. Likewise, they seem to improve monitoring by health professionals and foster multidisciplinary collaboration through data sharing and the development of more concise automatically generated reports.

CONCLUSIONS

This scoping review synthesizes multiple studies that describe the development and evaluation of complex telehealth interventions used in combination with health professional support. It suggests that combining different digital tools that incorporate diabetes self-management and monitoring features with a health professional's advice and interaction results in more effective interventions and outcomes.

Effectiveness of technology-based psychosocial interventions on diabetes distress and health-relevant outcomes among type 2 diabetes mellitus: A systematic review and meta-analysis

BACKGROUND

Poor management of type 2 diabetes mellitus may affect individuals' physical and emotional health. Access to ongoing psychosocial interventions through technological platforms may potentially minimise diabetes complications and improve health-related outcomes. However, little is known about the effectiveness of such interventions on diabetes distress and health-related outcomes.

OBJECTIVE

To synthesise the best available evidence concerning the effectiveness of technology-based psychosocial interventions on diabetes distress, self-efficacy, health-related quality of life, and HbA1c level in adults with type 2 diabetes mellitus.

METHODS

A search of eleven databases was conducted to identify randomised controlled trials that examined the effects of technology-based psychosocial interventions on the outcomes. Randomised controlled trials reported in English from 2010 to 2020 were included. Selection of studies, quality appraisal, and data extraction were conducted by two reviewers independently. Meta-analyses, subgroup analyses and sensitivity analysis were performed using Review Manager. Intervention effects was measured using standardise mean difference.

RESULTS

Twenty randomised controlled trials fulfilled the eligibility criteria and 18 randomised controlled trials were included in meta-analysis. technology-based psychosocial interventions improved diabetes distress, self-efficacy and HbA1c levels with significant and small effect sizes. Subgroup analyses revealed greater improvement in health-related quality of life for participants with comorbid depression and lower HbA1c levels for studies with lesser than 100 participants.

CONCLUSION

The findings of this review increase knowledge on the effectiveness of technology-based psychosocial interventions on diabetes distress and self-efficacy. However, evidence to support the effects of technology-based psychosocial interventions on HbA1c and health-related quality of life was not strong. More research is needed to examine the effectiveness of the psychosocial interventions delivered through mobile applications or virtual reality.

Effect of self-help interventions on psychological, glycemic, and behavioral outcomes in patients with diabetes: A meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials

BACKGROUND

Self-help interventions are beneficial for patients with diabetes; however, related studies have reported conflicting results. To date, no review has examined the effect of self-help interventions on diabetes outcomes.

OBJECTIVES

To systematically evaluate the effects of self-help interventions on psychological, glycemic, and behavioral outcomes in patients with diabetes.

DESIGN

A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.

METHODS

Five databases-PubMed, CINAHL, Embase, PsycINFO, and ClinicalTrials.gov-were searched from 1996, 1937, 1947, 1887, and 2000, respectively, to 2 June 2023. Studies that employed a randomized controlled trial design, enrolled adults with diabetes, implemented a self-help intervention as the main or an additional intervention, and reported the outcomes of interest were included. Studies providing self-help interventions to patients with gestational diabetes or pregnant women were excluded. The primary outcomes were diabetes distress, depression, and anxiety, and the secondary outcomes were glycemic and behavioral outcomes (self-management behavior, self-efficacy, and quality of life). Hedges' g and the associated 95 % confidence interval (CI) were calculated using a random-effects model to obtain the pooled estimates of short-, mid-, and long-term effects of self-help interventions. Heterogeneity was explored using I2 and Q statistics, and moderator analysis was performed to identify the sources of heterogeneity.

RESULTS

Of 17 eligible studies, 16 provided data for meta-analysis. We included 3083 patients with diabetes; the majority were women (61.95 %), and their average age was 55.13 years. Self-help interventions exerted significant short-term effects on diabetes distress (g = -0.363; 95 % CI = -0.554, -0.173), depression (g = -0.465; 95 % CI = -0.773, -0.156), anxiety (g = -0.295; 95 % CI = -0.523, -0.068), glycosylated hemoglobin level (g = -0.497; 95 % CI = -0.791, -0.167), self-efficacy (g = 0.629; 95 % CI = 0.060, 1.197), and quality of life (g = 0.413; 95 % CI = 0.104, 0.721; g = 0.182; 95 % CI = 0.031, 0.333; and g = 0.469; 95 % CI = 0.156, 0.783 for overall, physical, and mental domains, respectively). We also noted significant mid-term effects of self-help interventions on diabetes distress (g = -0.195; 95 % CI = -0.374, -0.016), self-management behavior (g = 0.305; 95 % CI = 0.155, 0.454), and overall quality of life (g = 0.562; 95 % CI = 0.315, 0.810). The certainty of evidence ranged from high to very low certainty for the measured outcomes.

CONCLUSIONS

Self-help interventions may have some positive effects on diabetes distress, anxiety, self-management behavior, and quality of life.

REGISTRATION

This review was registered in PROSPERO (CRD42022329905).

TWEETABLE ABSTRACT

This meta-analysis demonstrated that self-help interventions might improve psychological and behavioral outcomes in patients with diabetes.

The effects of motivational self-care promotion on depressive symptoms among adults with type 2 diabetes: A systematic review and meta-analysis

In individuals with type 2 diabetes (T2D), comorbid depression leads to increased health care costs and unsatisfactory treatment outcomes. Supporting healthy behaviors and self-efficacy might provide means to prevent depressive symptoms. We assessed the effects of motivational interviewing (MI) - based self-care promotion that specifically targets health behaviors, on depressive symptoms in adults with T2D. We followed PRISMA guidelines and searched Pubmed, Scopus, PsycINFO, Cinahl, and Cochrane Library to find randomized controlled trials (RCTs) published up to February 2023. Eligible RCTs had to target the T2D adult population, examine MI-based interventions that focus on multiple health behaviors, and measure depressive symptoms on a validated scale. Standardized mean differences (SMD) with 95% confidence intervals were calculated using a random-effects model. We used the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation (GRADE) approach to assess the certainty of the evidence. After the screening, eleven studies with 2,682 individuals were eligible for the narrative synthesis. A meta-analysis of nine studies favored interventions with a pooled SMD of -0.19 (95% Cl = -0.34 to -0.05, p = 0.008, I2 = 52%). Due to the indirectness and imprecision of the evidence, we assessed the certainty of evidence based on GRADE as low. MI-based self-care promotion with a focus on health behaviors and implemented by a well MI-trained person had a preventive effect on depressive symptoms among adults with T2D. However, the certainty of evidence remained low. In future trials, the effect of MI-based self-care promotion on depression should be studied in clinically depressed populations.

Clinical impact of an integrated e-health system for diabetes self-management support and shared decision making (POWER2DM): a randomised controlled trial

AIMS/HYPOTHESIS

There is a lack of e-health systems that integrate the complex variety of aspects relevant for diabetes self-management. We developed and field-tested an e-health system (POWER2DM) that integrates medical, psychological and behavioural aspects and connected wearables to support patients and healthcare professionals in shared decision making and diabetes self-management.

METHODS

Participants with type 1 or type 2 diabetes (aged >18 years) from hospital outpatient diabetes clinics in the Netherlands and Spain were randomised using randomisation software to POWER2DM or usual care for 37 weeks. This RCT assessed the change in HbA1c between the POWER2DM and usual care groups at the end of the study (37 weeks) as a primary outcome measure. Participants and clinicians were not blinded to the intervention. Changes in quality of life (QoL) (WHO-5 Well-Being Index [WHO-5]), diabetes self-management (Diabetes Self-Management Questionnaire - Revised [DSMQ-R]), glycaemic profiles from continuous glucose monitoring devices, awareness of hypoglycaemia (Clarke hypoglycaemia unawareness instrument), incidence of hypoglycaemic episodes and technology acceptance were secondary outcome measures. Additionally, sub-analyses were performed for participants with type 1 and type 2 diabetes separately.

RESULTS

A total of 226 participants participated in the trial (108 with type 1 diabetes; 118 with type 2 diabetes). In the POWER2DM group (n=111), HbA1c decreased from 60.6±14.7 mmol/mol (7.7±1.3%) to 56.7±12.1 mmol/mol (7.3±1.1%) (means ± SD, p<0.001), compared with no change in the usual care group (n=115) (baseline: 61.7±13.7 mmol/mol, 7.8±1.3%; end of study: 61.0±12.4 mmol/mol, 7.7±1.1%; p=0.19) (between-group difference 0.24%, p=0.008). In the sub-analyses in the POWER2DM group, HbA1c in participants with type 2 diabetes decreased from 62.3±17.3 mmol/mol (7.9±1.6%) to 54.3±11.1 mmol/mol (7.1±1.0%) (p<0.001) compared with no change in HbA1c in participants with type 1 diabetes (baseline: 58.8±11.2 mmol/mol [7.5±1.0%]; end of study: 59.2±12.7 mmol/mol [7.6±1.2%]; p=0.84). There was an increase in the time during which interstitial glucose levels were between 3.0 and 3.9 mmol/l in the POWER2DM group, but no increase in clinically relevant hypoglycaemia (interstitial glucose level below 3.0 mmol/l). QoL improved in participants with type 1 diabetes in the POWER2DM group compared with the usual care group (baseline: 15.7±3.8; end of study: 16.3±3.5; p=0.047 for between-group difference). Diabetes self-management improved in both participants with type 1 diabetes (from 7.3±1.2 to 7.7±1.2; p=0.002) and those with type 2 diabetes (from 6.5±1.3 to 6.7±1.3; p=0.003) within the POWER2DM group. The POWER2DM integrated e-health support was well accepted in daily life and no important adverse (or unexpected) effects or side effects were observed.

CONCLUSIONS/INTERPRETATION

POWER2DM improves HbA1c levels compared with usual care in those with type 2 diabetes, improves QoL in those with type 1 diabetes, improves diabetes self-management in those with type 1 and type 2 diabetes, and is well accepted in daily life.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

ClinicalTrials.gov NCT03588104.

FUNDING

This study was funded by the European Union's Horizon 2020 Research and Innovation Programme (grant agreement number 689444).

Efficacy of a smartphone application for helping individuals with type 2 diabetes mellitus manage their blood glucose: a protocol for factorial design trial

BACKGROUND

China has the largest number of individuals with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) in the world, and most lack knowledge about glycemic control and health management. This trial will examine whether a smartphone application can improve blood glucose management among individuals with T2DM.

METHODS

This will be a 2-center, factorial design, equal proportional distribution, superiority trial conducted in outpatient endocrinology clinics at two tertiary hospitals in Chengdu, China. The trial will enroll smartphone-literature individuals at least 18 years old who have been diagnosed with T2DM based on glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1c) of at least 7.0%. Individuals will be randomly assigned to receive routine care with standard education about T2DM and glycemic control (Control), routine care as well as weekly telephone reminders to self-monitor blood glucose (Reminder), routine care and a smartphone application providing information about glycemic control and health management with T2DM (App), or the combination of routine care, the smartphone application, and weekly telephone reminders (App + Reminder). After 6 months of these interventions, participants will be analyzed for the primary outcome of HbA1c as well as the secondary outcomes of blood glucose monitoring frequency, body mass index, blood pressure, knowledge about diabetes, health beliefs related to diabetes, diabetes self-management behavior, and satisfaction with the smartphone application.

DISCUSSION

This trial will determine whether a smartphone application can improve glycemic management among Chinese with T2DM. The findings may help guide the development of effective applications in China and elsewhere.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

Registration in the Chinese Clinical Trial Registry (ChiCTR) under registration number ChiCTR2100042297: https://www.chictr.org.cn/bin/userProject . 17 January 2021.

Effect of Artificial Intelligence-based Health Education Accurately Linking System (AI-HEALS) for Type 2 diabetes self-management: protocol for a mixed-methods study

BACKGROUND

Patients with type 2 diabetes (T2DM) have an increasing need for personalized and Precise management as medical technology advances. Artificial intelligence (AI) technologies on mobile devices are being developed gradually in a variety of healthcare fields. As an AI field, knowledge graph (KG) is being developed to extract and store structured knowledge from massive data sets. It has great prospects for T2DM medical information retrieval, clinical decision-making, and individual intelligent question and answering (QA), but has yet to be thoroughly researched in T2DM intervention. Therefore, we designed an artificial intelligence-based health education accurately linking system (AI-HEALS) to evaluate if the AI-HEALS-based intervention could help patients with T2DM improve their self-management abilities and blood glucose control in primary healthcare.

METHODS

This is a nested mixed-method study that includes a community-based cluster-randomized control trial and personal in-depth interviews. Individuals with T2DM between the ages of 18 and 75 will be recruited from 40-45 community health centers in Beijing, China. Participants will either receive standard diabetes primary care (SDPC) (control, 3 months) or SDPC plus AI-HEALS online health education program (intervention, 3 months). The AI-HEALS runs in the WeChat service platform, which includes a KBQA, a system of physiological indicators and lifestyle recording and monitoring, medication and blood glucose monitoring reminders, and automated, personalized message sending. Data on sociodemography, medical examination, blood glucose, and self-management behavior will be collected at baseline, as well as 1,3,6,12, and 18 months later. The primary outcome is to reduce HbA1c levels. Secondary outcomes include changes in self-management behavior, social cognition, psychology, T2DM skills, and health literacy. Furthermore, the cost-effectiveness of the AI-HEALS-based intervention will be evaluated.

DISCUSSION

KBQA system is an innovative and cost-effective technology for health education and promotion for T2DM patients, but it is not yet widely used in the T2DM interventions. This trial will provide evidence on the efficacy of AI and mHealth-based personalized interventions in primary care for improving T2DM outcomes and self-management behaviors.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

Biomedical Ethics Committee of Peking University: IRB00001052-22,058, 2022/06/06; Clinical Trials: ChiCTR2300068952, 02/03/2023.

Benefits and Harms of Digital Health Interventions Promoting Physical Activity in People With Chronic Conditions: Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

BACKGROUND

Digital health interventions for managing chronic conditions have great potential. However, the benefits and harms are still unclear.

OBJECTIVE

This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to investigate the benefits and harms of digital health interventions in promoting physical activity in people with chronic conditions.

METHODS

We searched the MEDLINE, Embase, CINAHL, and Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials databases from inception to October 2022. Eligible randomized controlled trials were included if they used a digital component in physical activity promotion in adults with ≥1 of the following conditions: depression or anxiety, ischemic heart disease or heart failure, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, knee or hip osteoarthritis, hypertension, or type 2 diabetes. The primary outcomes were objectively measured physical activity and physical function (eg, walk or step tests). We used a random effects model (restricted maximum likelihood) for meta-analyses and meta-regression analyses to assess the impact of study-level covariates. The risk of bias was assessed using the Cochrane Risk of Bias 2 tool, and the certainty of the evidence was assessed using the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development, and Evaluation.

RESULTS

Of 14,078 hits, 130 randomized controlled trials were included. Compared with usual care or minimal intervention, digital health interventions increased objectively measured physical activity (end of intervention: standardized mean difference [SMD] 0.29, 95% CI 0.21-0.37; follow-up: SMD 0.17, 95% CI 0.04-0.31) and physical function (end of intervention: SMD 0.36, 95% CI 0.12-0.59; follow-up: SMD 0.29, 95% CI 0.01-0.57). The secondary outcomes also favored the digital health interventions for subjectively measured physical activity and physical function, depression, anxiety, and health-related quality of life at the end of the intervention but only subjectively measured physical activity at follow-up. The risk of nonserious adverse events, but not serious adverse events, was higher in the digital health interventions at the end of the intervention, but no difference was seen at follow-up.

CONCLUSIONS

Digital health interventions improved physical activity and physical function across various chronic conditions. Effects on depression, anxiety, and health-related quality of life were only observed at the end of the intervention. The risk of nonserious adverse events is present during the intervention, which should be addressed. Future studies should focus on better reporting, comparing the effects of different digital health solutions, and investigating how intervention effects are sustained beyond the end of the intervention.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

PROSPERO CRD42020189028; https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/prospero/display_record.php?RecordID=189028.

Persuasive features for patient engagement through mHealth applications in managing chronic conditions: A systematic literature review and meta-analysis

Patient engagement is currently considered the cornerstone of a revolution in healthcare for its positive impact on health outcomes, health behaviors and healthcare costs. Patient engagement is focused on personalized care to consumers through providing knowledge, skills and confidence. Mobile health (mHealth) applications are an innovative means to facilitate patient engagement. Nevertheless, the extent to which the current mHealth applications are designed to engage patients in managing their chronic diseases is unclear. This paper aims to identify the Persuasive System Design (PSD) features present in current mHealth applications that increased the engagement of patients with chronic diseases. This review also aims to identify patient engagement-related outcomes of these features. This paper conducted a systematic literature review and meta-analysis to find relevant studies published from all years up to 2020 through six databases: PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, Cinahl plus with full text, MEDLINE with full text, and Cochrane Library (Central register of controlled trials). The database search returned 4939 articles; after applying the inclusion and exclusion criteria, the number of included articles for the final review was 13. A qualitative content analysis was performed to identify PSD model features and their patient engagement-related outcomes. The quality assessment has been done through the Cochrane Risk of Bias tool for RCTs. The systematic literature review and meta-analysis identified eleven PSD features that can increase patient engagement through using mHealth applications. The identified PSD features have been shown to have various patient engagement-related outcomes. Behavior Change Techniques (BCTs) were combined with the identified PSD features. This paper identified persuasive features of mHealth application design that influence the engagement of patients with chronic diseases toward changing their behavior. The impact of these features is also analyzed in this review. The results show that an mHealth technology-mediated patient engagement model is needed.

Frequent Monitoring of Blood Glucose Levels via a Remote Patient Monitoring System Helps Improve Glycemic Control

OBJECTIVE

This study aims to evaluate the effectiveness of the Vivovitals diabetes platform on improving glycemic control and reducing A1C in patients with uncontrolled type II diabetes mellitus by providing more accessible and direct patient care under the monitoring and oversight of their physician.

METHODS

This 12-week, prospective, pragmatic, single-center, double-arm study assessed the impact of the Vivovitals diabetes platform on glycemic control among 78 adults ≥ 18 years of age, with A1C ≥ 7.5% (58 mmol/mol) at baseline. The participants were randomized into two groups. The control group received usual clinic care, while the intervention group was provided with a smartphone linked telehealth application, a pre-configured glucometer, and access to the glycemic readings diary. Blood glucose levels of the intervention group were transmitted to the providers daily. Patients whose blood glucose levels were <70 mg/dL or >180mg/dL were contacted, and modifications were made to diet and medication. The two groups were compared at baseline and 12 weeks using nonparametric tests with p<0.05 considered statistically significant.

RESULTS

Over 12 weeks, the average A1C in the control group reduced by 0.474% (p=0.533; 95% CI: -0.425, -0.523) whereas the average A1C in the intervention group reduced 1.70% (p=0.002; 95% CI: -1.02, -2.39). The estimated treatment difference was expressed via Cohen's d which yielded 0.62. After 12 weeks, A1C values between the control and intervention groups were statistically significant (p = 0.001).

CONCLUSION

Use of the Vivovitals platform may help to improve glycemic control among individuals with type 2 diabetes mellitus.

Behavioural Change Techniques in Health Coaching-Based Interventions for Type 2 Diabetes: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

BACKGROUND

Given the high rates globally of Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus (T2DM), there is a clear need to target health behaviours through person-centred interventions. Health coaching is one strategy that has been widely recognised as a tool to foster positive behaviour change. However, it has been used inconsistently and has produced mixed results. This systematic review sought to explore the use of behaviour change techniques (BCTs) in health coaching interventions and identify which BCTs are linked with increased effectiveness in relation to HbA1C reductions.

METHODS

In line with the PICO framework, the review focused on people with T2DM, who received health coaching and were compared with a usual care or active control group on HbA1c levels. Studies were systematically identified through different databases including Medline, Web of science, and PsycINFO searches for relevant randomised controlled trials (RCTs) in papers published between January 1950 and April 2022. The Cochrane collaboration tool was used to evaluate the quality of the studies. Included papers were screened on the reported use of BCTs based on the BCT taxonomy. The effect sizes obtained in included interventions were assessed by using Cohen's d and meta-analysis was used to estimate sample-weighted average effect sizes (Hedges' g).

RESULTS

Twenty RCTs with a total sample size of 3222 were identified. Random effects meta-analysis estimated a small-sized statistically significant effect of health coaching interventions on HbA1c reduction (g₊ = 0.29, 95% CI: 0.18 to 0.40). A clinically significant HbA1c decrease of ≥5 mmol/mol was seen in eight studies. Twenty-three unique BCTs were identified in the reported interventions, with a mean of 4.5 (SD = 2.4) BCTs used in each study. Of these, Goal setting (behaviour) and Problem solving were the most frequently identified BCTs. The number of BCTs used was not related to intervention effectiveness. In addition, there was little evidence to link the use of specific BCTs to larger reductions in HbA1c across the studies included in the review; instead, the use of Credible source and Social reward in interventions were associated with smaller reductions in HbA1c.

CONCLUSION

A relatively small number of BCTs have been used in RCTs of health coaching interventions for T2DM. Inadequate, imprecise descriptions of interventions and the lack of theory were the main limitations of the studies included in this review. Moreover, other possible BCTs directly related to the theoretical underpinnings of health coaching were absent. It is recommended that key BCTs are identified at an early stage of intervention development, although further research is needed to examine the most effective BCTs to use in health coaching interventions.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/prospero/display_record.php?ID=CRD42021228567 .

The effect of the smartphone app DiaCert on health related quality of life in patients with type 2 diabetes: results from a randomized controlled trial

BACKGROUND

Type 2 diabetes mellitus is associated with an increased risk of impaired quality of life. Improving health related quality of life (HRQoL) is therefore an important goal in the multimodal management of diabetes. The aim of this study was to evaluate whether the use of the smartphone app DiaCert, that encourage physical activity by promoting daily steps, also impacts HRQoL in patients with type 2 diabetes.

METHODS

In this randomized controlled trial, a total of 181 participants with type 2 diabetes were recruited from six health care centers in Stockholm, Sweden. At baseline, participants were randomized 1:1 to the use of the smartphone app DiaCert for a 3 month physical activity intervention in addition to routine care, or to a control group with routine care only. HRQoL was measured using the RAND-36 questionnaire at baseline and at follow-up after 3 months and 6 months. We analysed the HRQoL scores within the intervention and the control groups, respectively, using the Wilcoxon signed-rank test. Between group differences including intervention effect after the 3 month long intervention and after 6 months of follow-up, were assessed using generalized estimating equation models.

RESULTS

In total, 166 participants, 108 men and 58 women, with complete baseline data on RAND-36 were included in analysis. The mean age was 60.2 (SD 11.4) years and the mean Body Mass Index 30.3 (SD 5.4) kg/m². The intervention effect, expressed in terms of the difference in change in HRQoL from baseline to follow-up after 3 months of intervention, showed improvement in the health concept role limitations due to physical health problems (- 16.9; 95% CI - 28.5 to - 5.4), role limitations due to emotional problems (- 13.9; 95% CI - 25.8 to - 2.1), and emotional well-being (- 5.7; 95% CI - 10.4 to - 1.0), in the intervention group compared to the control group. No intervention effect was seen at follow-up after 6 months.

CONCLUSIONS

Being randomized to use the smartphone app DiaCert promoting physical activity for 3 months, improved aspects of both physical and emotional HRQoL in patients with type 2 diabetes compared to routine care, but the effect did not last 3 months after the intervention ended. Trial Registration ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT03053336.

A review of the effectiveness of telemedicine in glycemic control in diabetes mellitus patients

This review aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of telemedicine as an intervention for patients with diabetes mellitus, considering blood glucose levels as the primary outcome. A comprehensive literature search was performed using the PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, and EBSCO databases. This narrative review covered randomized controlled trials published in English. The process of selecting studies adhered to the preferred reporting items for systematic reviews and meta-analyses guidelines. Nine studies were selected, and their data were analyzed and summarized. Five of the nine reviewed studies found that telemedicine counseling was effective in decreasing glycated hemoglobin A (HbA1c) levels in the blood. Due to methodological limitations, one study could not report HbA1c results, and two studies reported that telemedicine counseling did not lead to any significant changes in HbA1c levels. One study found that while HbA1c levels did not show a marked decrease, patients' treatment adherence and quality of life improved when telemedicine was combined with health counseling. Moreover, six studies found that telemedicine counseling was more effective than traditional counseling regarding secondary outcomes. The overall findings of this review suggest that telemedicine counseling is more effective than conventional counseling in achieving decreased blood glucose levels in patients with diabetes mellitus while increasing their treatment adherence and improving their quality of life.

Mobile Health Interventions and RCTs: Structured Taxonomy and Research Framework

Mobile Health Interventions (MHIs) have addressed a range of healthcare challenges and have been evaluated using Randomized Controlled Trials (RCTs) to establish clinical effectiveness. Using PRISMA we conducted a systematic literature review of RCTs for MHIs and identified 70 studies which were analyzed and classified using Nickerson-Varshney-Muntermann (NVM) taxonomy. From the resultant iterations of the taxonomy, we extracted insights from the categorized studies. RCTs cover a wide range of health conditions including chronic diseases, general wellness, unhealthy practices, family planning, end-of-life, and post-transplant care. The MHIs that were utilized by the RCTs were varied as well, although most studies did not find significant differences between MHIs and usual care. The challenges for MHI-based RCTs include the use of technologies, delayed outcomes, patient recruitment, patient retention, and complex regulatory requirements. These variances can lead to a higher rate of Type I/Type II errors. Further considerations are the impact of infrastructure, contextual and cultural factors, and reductions in the technological relevancy of the intervention itself. Finally, due to the delayed effect of most outcomes, RCTs of insufficient duration are unable to measure significant, lasting improvements. Using the insights from seventy identified studies, we developed a classification of existing RCTs along with guidelines for MHI-based RCTs and a research framework for future RCTs. The framework offers opportunities for (a) personalization of MHIs, (b) use of richer technologies, and (c) emerging areas for RCTs.

Measures of Engagement With mHealth Interventions in Patients With Heart Failure: Scoping Review

Background

Despite the potential of mobile health (mHealth) interventions to facilitate the early detection of signs of heart failure (HF) decompensation and provide personalized management of symptoms, the outcomes of such interventions in patients with HF have been inconsistent. As engagement with mHealth is required for interventions to be effective, poor patient engagement with mHealth interventions may be associated with mixed evidence. It is crucial to understand how engagement with mHealth interventions is measured in patients with HF, and the effects of engagement on HF outcomes.

Objective

In this review, we aimed to describe measures of patient engagement with mHealth interventions and the effects of engagement on HF outcomes.

Methods

We conducted a systematic literature search in 7 databases for relevant studies published in the English language from 2009 to September 2021 and reported the descriptive characteristics of the studies. We used content analysis to identify themes that described patient engagement with mHealth interventions in the qualitative studies included in the review.

Results

We synthesized 32 studies that operationalized engagement with mHealth interventions in 4771 patients with HF (3239/4771, 67.88%, male), ranging from a sample of 7 to 1571 (median 53.3) patients, followed for a median duration of 90 (IQR 45-180) days. Patient engagement with mHealth interventions was measured only quantitatively based on system usage data in 72% (23/32) of the studies, only qualitatively based on data from semistructured interviews and focus groups in 6% (2/32) of studies, and by a combination of both quantitative and qualitative data in 22% (7/32) of studies. System usage data were evaluated using 6 metrics of engagement: number of physiological parameters transmitted (19/30, 63% studies), number of HF questionnaires completed (2/30, 7% studies), number of log-ins (4/30, 13% studies), number of SMS text message responses (1/30, 3% studies), time spent (5/30, 17% studies), and the number of features accessed and screen viewed (4/30, 13% studies). There was a lack of consistency in how the system usage metrics were reported across studies. In total, 80% of the studies reported only descriptive characteristics of system usage data. The emotional, cognitive, and behavioral domains of patient engagement were identified through qualitative studies. Patient engagement levels ranged from 45% to 100% and decreased over time. The effects of engagement on HF knowledge, self-care, exercise adherence, and HF hospitalization were inconclusive.

Conclusions

The measures of patient engagement with mHealth interventions in patients with HF are underreported and lack consistency. The application of inferential analytical methods to engagement data is extremely limited. There is a need for a working group on mHealth that may consolidate the previous operational definitions of patient engagement into an optimal and standardized measure.

Technology-Delivered Motivational Interviewing to Improve Health Outcomes in Patients with Chronic Conditions. A Systematic Review of the Literature

AIM

Provide an overview of remote Motivational Interviewing (MI) interventions for chronically-ill patients, and understand their degree of effectiveness on different health outcomes.

METHODS AND RESULTS

A systematic review with meta-analysis was conducted using the following databases: PubMed, CINAHL, PsychInfo, and Web of Science. Eligibility criteria included studies that administered remote MI alone or in combination with other remote approaches. A narrative synthesis and two meta-analyses were performed. Fifteen studies met the inclusion criteria. MI administration almost exclusively occurred by telephone and individual sessions. Eight studies reported treatment fidelity aspects, and four declared adopting a theoretical framework. Most targeted outcomes were therapeutic adherence, physical activity, depression, quality of life, and mortality. Risk of bias varied markedly, with the largest source resulting from selection process and intervention performance. The two meta-analyses indicated a significant effect of MI on depression (Standardized Mean Difference = -0.20, 95%CI: -0.34, -0.05, Z = 2.73, p = 0.006, I2 = 0%), and no effect of MI on glycosylated hemoglobin (Mean Difference = -0.02, 95%CI: -0.48, 0.45), p = 0.94, I2 = 84%).

CONCLUSION

Remote MI can be a promising approach for improving depression in chronic disease patients. However, studies are inconclusive due to risks of bias, heterogeneity, and lack of reporting of interventionist's training, treatment fidelity, and theoretical frameworks' use. More studies with solid designs are needed to inform clinical decision-making and research.

Efficacy of Personalized Diabetes Self-care Using an Electronic Medical Record-Integrated Mobile App in Patients With Type 2 Diabetes: 6-Month Randomized Controlled Trial

Background

A system that combines technology and web-based coaching can help treat chronic conditions such as diabetes. However, the effectiveness of apps in mobile health (mHealth) interventions is inconclusive and unclear due to heterogeneous interventions and varying follow-up durations. In addition, randomized controlled trial data are limited, and long-term follow-up is lacking, especially for apps integrated into electronic medical records.

Objective

We aimed to assess the effect of an electronic medical record–integrated mobile app for personalized diabetes self-care, focusing on the self-monitoring of blood glucose and lifestyle modifications, on glycemic control in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus.

Methods

In a 26-week, 3-arm, randomized, controlled, open-label, parallel group trial, patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus and a hemoglobin A_1c (HbA_1c) level of ≥7.5% were recruited. The mHealth intervention consisted of self-monitoring of blood glucose with the automatic transfer of glucose, diet, and physical activity counseling data (iCareD system). Participants were randomly assigned to the following three groups: usual care (UC), mobile diabetes self-care (MC), and MC with personalized, bidirectional feedback from physicians (MPC). The primary outcome was the change in HbA_1c levels at 26 weeks. In addition, diabetes-related self-efficacy, self-care activities, and satisfaction with the iCareD system were assessed after the intervention.

Results

A total of 269 participants were enrolled, and 234 patients (86.9%) remained in the study at 26 weeks. At 12 weeks after the intervention, the mean decline in HbA_1c levels was significantly different among the 3 groups (UC vs MC vs MPC: −0.49% vs −0.86% vs −1.04%; P=.02). The HbA_1c level decreased in all groups; however, it did not differ among groups after 26 weeks. In a subgroup analysis, HbA_1c levels showed a statistically significant decrease after the intervention in the MPC group compared with the change in the UC or MC group, especially in patients aged <65 years (P=.02), patients with a diabetes duration of ≥10 years (P=.02), patients with a BMI of ≥25.0 kg/m² (P=.004), patients with a C-peptide level of ≥0.6 ng/mL (P=.008), and patients who did not undergo treatment with insulin (P=.004) at 12 weeks. A total of 87.2% (137/157) of the participants were satisfied with the iCareD system.

Conclusions

The mHealth intervention for diabetes self-care showed short-term efficacy in glycemic control, and the effect decreased over time. The participants were comfortable with using the iCareD system and exhibited high adherence.

Trial Registration

Clinical Research Information Service, Republic of Korea KCT0004128; https://tinyurl.com/bdd6pa9m

Smartphone Application for Celiac Patients: Assessing Its Effect on Gastrointestinal Symptoms in a Randomized Controlled Clinical Trial

Introduction

Considering the lack of inclusive Persian application for celiac patients that covers all aspects of the GFD, we developed a Persian-language application for patients with CD and assessed the effectiveness of a three-month educational intervention delivered via smartphone application compared with standard care on gastrointestinal symptom rating scale (GSRS) score in patients with celiac disease.

Methods

In the present parallel randomized controlled clinical trial, 60 patients with CD were assigned randomly to receive education through a smartphone application (n = 30) or conventional clinical education (n = 30). The patients were asked to use it for getting the required information for three months. We assessed the gastrointestinal symptoms using the gastrointestinal symptom rating scale (GSRS) questionnaire at baseline and three months after interventions. The GSRS total score, celiac disease GSRS (CD-GSRS) score, abdominal pain, reflux, diarrhea, constipation, and indigestion scores were calculated.

Results

Out of 60 randomized patients, 58 patients completed the study. In comparison to baseline, the mean score of CD-GSRS score (p = 0.001), and indigestion subscore (p < 0.001) were significantly decreased in the intervention group. The results of the between-group comparisons showed that there was a significant difference between the two groups only in the mean score of indigestion (p = 0.002).

Conclusion

According to the results, using a smartphone application for providing information to patients with celiac disease had a significant positive effect on indigestion symptoms compared with routine clinic education. Trial Registration. This trial is registered with the Iranian registry of clinical trials (IRCT code: IRCT20170117032004N2; trial registry date: 2019.6.26).

Patient and Clinician Decision Support to Increase Genetic Counseling for Hereditary Breast and Ovarian Cancer Syndrome in Primary Care: A Cluster Randomized Clinical Trial

IMPORTANCE

To promote the identification of women carrying BRCA1/2 variants, the US Preventive Services Task Force recommends that primary care clinicians screen asymptomatic women for an increased risk of carrying a BRCA1/2 variant risk.

OBJECTIVE

To examine the effects of patient and clinician decision support about BRCA1/2 genetic testing compared with standard education alone.

DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS

This clustered randomized clinical trial was conducted at an academic medical center including 67 clinicians (unit of randomization) and 187 patients. Patient eligibility criteria included women aged 21 to 75 years with no history of breast or ovarian cancer, no prior genetic counseling or testing for hereditary breast and ovarian cancer syndrome (HBOC), and meeting family history criteria for BRCA1/2 genetic testing.

INTERVENTIONS

RealRisks decision aid for patients and the Breast Cancer Risk Navigation Tool decision support for clinicians. Patients scheduled a visit with their clinician within 6 months of enrollment.

MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES

The primary end point was genetic counseling uptake at 6 months. Secondary outcomes were genetic testing uptake at 6 and 24 months, decision-making measures (perceived breast cancer risk, breast cancer worry, genetic testing knowledge, decision conflict) based upon patient surveys administered at baseline, 1 month, postclinic visit, and 6 months.

RESULTS

From December 2018 to February 2020, 187 evaluable patients (101 in the intervention group, 86 in the control group) were enrolled (mean [SD] age: 40.7 [13.2] years; 88 Hispanic patients [46.6%]; 15 non-Hispanic Black patients [8.1%]; 72 non-Hispanic White patients [38.9%]; 35 patients [18.9%] with high school education or less) and 164 (87.8%) completed the trial. There was no significant difference in genetic counseling uptake at 6 months between the intervention group (20 patients [19.8%]) and control group (10 patients [11.6%]; difference, 8.2 percentage points; OR, 1.88 [95% CI, 0.82-4.30]; P = .14). Genetic testing uptake within 6 months was also statistically nonsignificant (13 patients [12.9%] in the intervention group vs 7 patients [8.1%] in the control group; P = .31). At 24 months, genetic testing uptake was 31 patients (30.7%) in intervention vs 18 patients (20.9%) in control (P = .14). Comparing decision-making measures between groups at baseline to 6 months, there were significant decreases in perceived breast cancer risk and in breast cancer worry (standard mean differences = -0.48 and -0.40, respectively).

CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE

This randomized clinical trial did not find a significant increase in genetic counseling uptake among patients who received patient and clinician decision support vs those who received standard education, although more than one-third of the ethnically diverse women enrolled in the intervention underwent genetic counseling. These findings suggest that the main advantage for these high-risk women is the ability to opt for screening and preventive services to decrease their cancer risk.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT03470402.

Improving outcomes for care partners of persons with traumatic brain injury: Protocol for a randomized control trial of a just-in-time-adaptive self-management intervention

Informal family care partners of persons with traumatic brain injury (TBI) often experience intense stress resulting from their caregiver role. As such, there is a need for low burden, and easy to engage in interventions to improve health-related quality of life (HRQOL) for these care partners. This study is designed to evaluate the effectiveness of a personalized just-in-time adaptive intervention (JITAI) aimed at improving the HRQOL of care partners. Participants are randomized either to a control group, where they wear the Fitbit® and provide daily reports of HRQOL over a six-month (180 day) period (without the personalized feedback), or the JITAI group, where they wear the Fitbit®, provide daily reports of HRQOL and receive personalized self-management pushes for 6 months. 240 participants will be enrolled (n = 120 control group; n = 120 JITAI group). Outcomes are collected at baseline, 1-, 2-, 3-, 4-, 5- & 6-months, as well as 3- and 6-months post intervention. We hypothesize that the care partners who receive the intervention (JITAI group) will show improvements in caregiver strain (primary outcome) and mental health (depression and anxiety) after the 6-month (180 day) home monitoring period. Participant recruitment for this study started in November 2020. Data collection efforts should be completed by spring 2025; results are expected by winter 2025. At the conclusion of this randomized control trial, we will be able to identify care partners at greatest risk for negative physical and mental health outcomes, and will have demonstrated the efficacy of this JITAI intervention to improve HRQOL for these care partners. Trial registration: ClinicalTrial.gov NCT04570930; https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT04570930.

Smartphone-based application for self-management of patients with colorectal cancer: development and usability evaluation

PURPOSE

Self-management is considered essential for improving the treatment and management of colorectal cancer patients. This study was conducted to develop and evaluate the usability of a smartphone-based application for the self-management of patients with colorectal cancer.

METHODS

We developed an Android-based application called "Colorectal Cancer Along (ColorectAlong)" for the self-management of colorectal cancer. Seventeen patients, from the Cancer Institute of Iran, evaluated the usability of this application for 2 weeks using a standard questionnaire for user interaction satisfaction (QUIS) version 5.5. The obtained data was analyzed using SPSS software version 26.

RESULTS

The ColorectAlong application was developed with features covering several areas of colorectal cancer self-management. The areas available for evaluation in the app are patient profile; medication management; nutrition and diet management; pain management; mental health; smoking cessation and alcohol reduction; educational content; and adding reminders, questions, and notes. Our results indicate that the usability of this application is good with an average QUIS score of 8.03 out of 9.

CONCLUSION

The ColorectAlong application can improve self-management, assist patients, and facilitate access to required information without the need for internet access.

A Meta-Analysis of the Effectiveness of Telemedicine in Glycemic Management among Patients with Type 2 Diabetes in Primary Care

Introduction: Telemedicine interventions are gradually being used in primary health care to help patients with type 2 diabetes receive ongoing medical guidance. The purpose of this study was to analyze the effectiveness of using telemedicine in primary health care for the management of patients with type 2 diabetes. Methods: A systematic search was conducted from database inception to August 2021 in nine databases, including PubMed, Web of Science, Cochrane Library, EMBASE, EBSCO, CNKI, Wanfang Data, VIP, and CBM. Data extraction and quality assessment were performed for studies that met the inclusion criteria. The meta-analysis was performed using Review Manager 5.4 (Cochrane) and Stata v.16.0SE (College Station, TX, USA). Results: A total of 32 articles were included in this study. Analysis showed a reduction in glycated hemoglobin, fasting glucose, and postprandial glucose after the telemedicine intervention. Systolic blood pressure and self-efficacy improved significantly, but there was no significant improvement in weight, lipid metabolism, or diabetes awareness. Subgroup analysis based on the duration of intervention showed significant improvement in glycated hemoglobin at 6 months of intervention. Conclusions: Telemedicine interventions may help patients with type 2 diabetes to effectively control blood glucose and improve self-management in primary health care. There is only moderate benefit, and the benefit may not be sustained beyond 6 months. However, the evidence for the improvement in lipid metabolism is insufficient and further studies are needed.

Social Media-Delivered Patient Education to Enhance Self-management and Attitudes of Patients with Type 2 Diabetes During the COVID-19 Pandemic: Randomized Controlled Trial

Background

The use of mobile health technologies has been necessary to deliver patient education to patients with diabetes during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Objective

This open-label randomized controlled trial evaluated the effects of a diabetes educational platform—Taipei Medical University–LINE Oriented Video Education—delivered through a social media app.

Methods

Patients with type 2 diabetes were recruited from a clinic through physician referral. The social media–based program included 51 videos: 10 about understanding diabetes, 10 about daily care, 6 about nutrition care, 21 about diabetes drugs, and 4 containing quizzes. The intervention group received two or three videos every week and care messages every 2 weeks through the social media platform for 3 months, in addition to usual care. The control group only received usual care. Outcomes were measured at clinical visits through self-reported face-to-face questionnaires at baseline and at 3 months after the intervention, including the Simplified Diabetes Knowledge Scale (true/false version), the Diabetes Care Profile–Attitudes Toward Diabetes Scales, the Summary of Diabetes Self-Care Activities, and glycated hemoglobin (HbA_1c) levels. Health literacy was measured at baseline using the Newest Vital Sign tool. Differences in HbA_1c levels and questionnaire scores before and after the intervention were compared between groups. The associations of knowledge, attitudes, and self-care activities with health literacy were assessed.

Results

Patients with type 2 diabetes completed the 3-month study, with 91 out of 181 (50.3%) patients in the intervention group and 90 (49.7%) in the control group. The change in HbA_1c did not significantly differ between groups (intervention group: mean 6.9%, SD 0.8% to mean 7.0%, SD 0.9%, P=.34; control group: mean 6.7%, SD 0.6% to mean 6.7%, SD 0.7%, P=.91). Both groups showed increased mean knowledge scores at 12 weeks, increasing from 68.3% (SD 16.4%) to 76.7% (SD 11.7%; P<.001) in the intervention group and from 64.8% (SD 18.2%) to 73.2% (SD 12.6%; P<.001) in the control group. Positive improvements in attitudes and self-care activities were only observed in the intervention group (attitudes: mean difference 0.2, SD 0.5, P=.001; self-care activities: mean difference 0.3, SD 1.2, P=.03). A 100% utility rate was achieved for 8 out of 21 (38%) medication-related videos. Low health literacy was a significant risk factor for baseline knowledge scores in the intervention group, with an odds ratio of 2.80 (95% CI 1.28-6.12; P=.01); this became insignificant after 3 months.

Conclusions

The social media–based program was effective at enhancing the knowledge, attitudes, and self-care activities of patients with diabetes. This intervention was also helpful for patients with low health literacy in diabetes knowledge. The program represents a potentially useful tool for delivering diabetes education to patients through social media, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Trial Registration

ClinicalTrials.gov NCT04876274; https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/results/NCT04876274

Clinical Outcomes Among Working Adults Using the Health Integrator Smartphone App: Analyses of Prespecified Secondary Outcomes in a Randomized Controlled Trial

Background

There is a need to find new methods that can enhance the individuals’ engagement in self-care and increase compliance to a healthy lifestyle for the prevention of noncommunicable diseases and improved quality of life. Mobile health (mHealth) apps could provide large-scale, cost-efficient digital solutions to implement lifestyle change, which as a corollary may enhance quality of life.

Objective

Here we evaluate if the use of a smartphone-based self-management system, the Health Integrator app, with or without telephone counseling by a health coach, had an effect on clinical variables (secondary outcomes) of importance for noncommunicable diseases.

Methods

The study was a 3-armed parallel randomized controlled trial. Participants were randomized to a control group or to 1 of 2 intervention groups using the Health Integrator app with or without additional telephone counseling for 3 months. Clinical variables were assessed before the start of the intervention (baseline) and after 3 months. Due to the nature of the intervention, targeting lifestyle changes, participants were not blinded to their allocation. Robust linear regression with complete case analysis was performed to study the intervention effect among the intervention groups, both in the entire sample and stratifying by type of work (office worker vs bus driver) and sex.

Results

Complete data at baseline and follow-up were obtained from 205 and 191 participants, respectively. The mean age of participants was 48.3 (SD 10) years; 61.5% (126/205) were men and 52.2% (107/205) were bus drivers. Improvements were observed at follow-up among participants in the intervention arms. There was a small statistically significant effect on waist circumference (β=–0.97, 95% CI –1.84 to –0.10) in the group receiving the app and additional coach support compared to the control group, but no other statistically significant differences were seen. However, participants receiving only the app had statistically significantly lower BMI (β=–0.35, 95% CI –0.61 to –0.09), body weight (β=–1.08, 95% CI –1.92 to –0.26), waist circumference (β=–1.35, 95% CI –2.24 to –0.45), and body fat percentage (β=–0.83, 95% CI –1.65 to –0.02) at follow-up compared to the controls. There was a statistically significant difference in systolic blood pressure between the two intervention groups at follow-up (β=–3.74, 95% CI –7.32 to –0.16); no other statistically significant differences in outcome variables were seen.

Conclusions

Participants randomized to use the Health Integrator smartphone app showed small but statistically significant differences in body weight, BMI, waist circumference, and body fat percentage compared to controls after a 3-month intervention. The effect of additional coaching together with use of the app is unclear.

Trial Registration

ClinicalTrials.gov NCT03579342; https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT03579342

International Registered Report Identifier (IRRID)

RR2-10.1186/s12889-019-6595-6

Managing Diabetes Using Mobiab: Long Term Case Study of the Impact of a Mobile App on Self-Management (Preprint)

Background

This paper describes the development of a mobile app for diabetes mellitus (DM) control and self-management and presents the results of long-term usage of this system in the Czech Republic. DM is a chronic disease affecting large numbers of people worldwide, and this number is continuously increasing. There is massive potential to increase adherence to self-management of DM with the use of smartphones and digital therapeutics interventions.

Objective

This study aims to describe the process of development of a mobile app, called Mobiab, for DM management and to investigate how individual features are used and how the whole system benefits its long-term users. Using at least 1 year of daily records from users, we analyzed the impact of the app on self-management of DM.

Methods

We have developed a mobile app that serves as an alternative form to the classic paper-based protocol or diary. The development was based on cooperation with both clinicians and people with DM. The app consists of independent individual modules. Therefore, the user has the possibility to use only selected features that they find useful. Mobiab was available free of charge on Google Play Store from mid-2014 until 2019. No targeted recruitment was performed to attract users.

Results

More than 500 users from the Czech Republic downloaded and signed up for the mobile app. Approximately 80% of the users used Mobiab for less than 1 week. The rest of the users used it for a longer time and 8 of the users produced data that were suitable for long-term analysis. Additionally, one of the 8 users provided their medical records, which were compared with the gathered data, and the improvements in their glucose levels and overall metabolic stability were consistent with the way in which the mobile app was used.

Conclusions

The results of this study showed that the usability of a DM-centered self-management smartphone mobile app and server-based systems could be satisfactory and promising. Nonetheless, some better ways of motivating people with diabetes toward participation in self-management are needed. Further studies involving a larger number of participants are warranted to assess the effect on long-term diabetes management.

The effectiveness of automated digital health solutions at successfully managing obesity and obesity-associated disorders: A PICO-structured investigation

Most adults in the UK and USA are classified as overweight or obese. Recent studies suggest that the prevalence of obesity has further increased during the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic and associated lockdowns. Digital technologies may be effective at managing obesity and related comorbidities, a potential further justified by social isolation and distancing circumstances.

This review of published literature employed a Patient-Intervention-Comparison-Outcome structured approach on the use of digital solutions to determine the effectiveness of their use in the management and treatment of obesity, hypertension, and type 2 diabetes and included commercially available, automated devices and applications that did not require intervention from a clinician. Our search covered studies published between January 2004 and February 2019, and 18 papers were included in the final analysis. The digital solutions reviewed were smartphone applications, wearable activity trackers, and ‘digital medicine offerings’ (DMO), including ingestible sensors and wearable patches.

This study found that not all interventions were effective at encouraging the lifestyle changes required for the management of obesity. Smartphone applications requiring interaction from the patient appeared to be more effective at encouraging engagement with treatment interventions than more passive wearable activity trackers. Automated feedback from smartphone applications was effective at managing type 2 diabetes, while DMO were effective at reducing blood pressure.

With the advancement of new technologies alongside a rapid increase in the prevalence of obesity and associated disorders, further studies comparing the various technologies available in larger sample populations for longer periods would help determine the most cost-effective preventive and therapeutic strategies.

The Effectiveness of Telemedicine Solutions for the Management of Type 2 Diabetes: A Systematic Review, Meta-Analysis, and Meta-Regression

BACKGROUND

Previous systematic reviews have aimed to clarify the effect of telemedicine on diabetes. However, such reviews often have a narrow focus, which calls for a more comprehensive systematic review within the field. Hence, the objective of the present systematic review, meta-analysis, and meta-regression is to evaluate the effectiveness of telemedicine solutions versus any comparator without the use of telemedicine on diabetes-related outcomes among adult patients with type 2 diabetes (T2D).

METHODS

This review was conducted in accordance with the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. We considered telemedicine randomized controlled trials (RCT) including adults (≥18 years) diagnosed with T2D. Change in glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c, %) was the primary outcome. PubMed, EMBASE, and the Cochrane Library Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL) were searched on October 14, 2020. An overall treatment effect was estimated using a meta-analysis performed on the pool of included studies based on the mean difference (MD). The revised Cochrane risk-of-bias tool was applied and the certainty of evidence was graded using the Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development and Evaluations (GRADE) approach.

RESULTS

The final sample of papers included a total of 246, of which 168 had sufficient information to calculate the effect of HbA1c%. The results favored telemedicine, with an MD of -0.415% (95% confidence interval [CI] = -0.482% to -0.348%). The heterogeneity was great (I² = 93.05%). A monitoring component gave rise to the higher effects of telemedicine.

CONCLUSIONS

In conclusion, telemedicine may serve as a valuable supplement to usual care for patients with T2D. The inclusion of a telemonitoring component seems to increase the effect of telemedicine.

Impact of Telehealth Care among Adults Living with Type 2 Diabetes in Primary Care: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Randomised Controlled Trials

Primary health care physicians are increasingly offering telehealth services to patients not only for its cost and time saving advantages but for the additional benefits telehealth can provide for patients with type 2 diabetes (T2D) such as improved self-management behaviours. To support the development of telehealth based T2D clinical care models in primary health care settings, a narrative synthesis and meta-analysis of randomised controlled trial studies was completed for 29 studies that evaluated the effect of one or more types of telehealth interventions on HbA1c levels compared to usual care alone. Results from the random effects meta-analysis demonstrated that telehealth interventions had a stronger influence on HbA1c compared to usual care with a mean difference in HbA1c \% -0.18 (CI -0.35, -0.01), p = 0.04. Results from the subgroup meta-analysis demonstrated that telehealth interventions, when grouped by type of telemonitoring (mHealth and telephone communication), all have a stronger effect on lowering HbA1c levels; however, none of these findings were significant. Key findings from this review demonstrate that telehealth interventions that address T2D self-management behaviours and have higher levels of health care provider engagement, have greater effects on lowering HbA1c levels compared to usual care alone.

Analysis of Use and Outcomes of the Balance Digital Disease Management Tool for Patients with Type 2 Diabetes

Management of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is a serious medical need for millions of patients and clinicians worldwide. Numerous smartphone apps for T2DM management are available. Due to their global accessibility, computing power and cellular connectivity, the pervasiveness of mobile phones now provide an opportunity for non-invasive Digital Therapeutics that have the potential to manage disease by modifying patient behavior as new modality for disease management and intervention. However, this novel approach has yet to be tested in large clinical studies. The BALANCE clinical study was designed to evaluate mobile phone App usage in a large multi-center clinical trial and its impact on T2DM outcomes. It included a digital aid for the management of, blood glucose, diet, physical activity, and medication adherence. Overall, patient use of the BALANCE-App was low (21% of significant patients users), and it diminished over time. BALANCE showed no effect on HbA1c or weight, what is consistent with other smartphone apps for T2DM which were tested on large clinical trials. Nevertheless, post-hoc subgroup analysis showed women using the App significantly achieved a significant reduction in HbA1c and weight.Clinical relevance Suitability of Digital Therapeutics, at least in the form of smartphone apps, for T2DM is under question. The low use indicates need for a strong focus in patient acceptability and patient engagement in the design process.

Adults with type 2 diabetes benefit from self-management support intervention regardless of depressive symptoms

AIMS

Elevated depressive symptoms are common among adults with type 2 diabetes (T2D). In a secondary analysis from an RCT of a diabetes self-management support intervention that did not target depressive symptoms, we sought to determine if depressive symptoms were reduced by the intervention (i.e., depressive symptoms an outcome) or, alternatively, if intervention effects on hemoglobin A1c were lesser among persons with clinically elevated depressive symptoms (i.e., depressive symptoms an effect modifier).

METHODS

We evaluated a text messaging intervention, REACH, in a diverse (half non-white, half underinsured) sample of N = 506 adults with T2D. Participants completed the Patient Health Questionnaire-8 (PHQ) and A1c tests at baseline and 6 months. We conducted a factor analysis to identify somatic- and cognitive-affective symptoms on the PHQ. We tested our hypotheses with regression models, using interaction terms and subgroup analyses.

RESULTS

REACH improved depressive symptoms among participants with lower baseline A1c (<8.5%; β = -0.133, p = .007; cognitive β = -0.107, p = .038; somatic β = -0.131, p = .014) but not among participants with higher baseline A1c (≥8.5%; β = 0.040, p = .468). Baseline depressive symptoms did not modify the effect on A1c.

CONCLUSIONS

We found support for the hypothesis that depressive symptoms - both somatic- and cognitive-affective - may be an outcome, rather than an effect modifier, of effective diabetes self-management support interventions.

Behavior Change Techniques and the Effects Associated With Digital Behavior Change Interventions in Sedentary Behavior in the Clinical Population: A Systematic Review

Background: Sedentary behavior (SB) negatively impact health and is highly prevalent in the population. Digital behavior change interventions (DBCIs) have been developed to modify behaviors such as SB by technologies. However, it is unknown which behavior change techniques (BCTs) are most frequently employed in SB as well as the effect associated with DBCIs in this field. The aim of this systematic review was: (a) to evaluate the BCT most frequently employed in digital health including all technologies available and interventions aimed at increasing physical activity (PA), reducing sedentary time, and improving adherence to exercise in the clinical population, and (b) to review the effect associated with DBCIs in this field. Methods: The database used was Medline, as well as Scopus, Scielo, and Google Scholar. For the search strategy, we considered versions of behavior/behavioral, mHealth/eHealth/telemedicine/serious game/gamification. The terms related to PA and SB were included, the criteria for inclusion were randomized clinical trials (RCTs), adults, intervention based on digital media, and outcome variable lifestyle modification; a last 5 years filter was included. Michie's Taxonomy was used to identify BCTs. The study was registered under the number PROSPERO CRD42019138681. Results: Eighteen RCTs were included in the present systematic review, 5 of them healthy adults, and 13 of them with some illness. Studies included 2298 sedentary individuals who were followed up for 5 weeks-3 years. The most used BCTs were goal setting, problem solving, review outcomes/goals, feedback on behavior and outcomes of behavior, self-monitoring of behavior, social support, information about health consequences, and behavior practice/rehearsal. The effect associated with DBCIs showed improvements, among several related to PA and physiologic self-reported and anthropometric outcomes. Conclusion: The BCTs most used in digital health to change outcomes related to SB were goals and planning, feedback and monitoring, social support, natural consequences, repetition, and substitution. Besides these findings, DBCIs are influenced by several factors like the type of intervention, patients' preferences and values, or the number of BCTs employed. More research is needed to determine with precision which DBCIs or BCTs are the most effective to reduce SB in the clinical population.

Development features and study characteristics of mobile health apps in the management of chronic conditions: a systematic review of randomised trials

COVID-19 pandemic challenges have accelerated the reliance on digital health fuelling the expanded incorporation of mobile apps into healthcare services, particularly for the management of long-term conditions such as chronic diseases (CDs). However, the impact of health apps on outcomes for CD remains unclear, potentially owing to both the poor adoption of formal development standards in the design process and the methodological quality of studies. A systematic search of randomised trials was performed on Medline, ScienceDirect, the Cochrane Library and Scopus to provide a comprehensive outlook and review the impact of health apps on CD. We identified 69 studies on diabetes (n = 29), cardiovascular diseases (n = 13), chronic respiratory diseases (n = 13), cancer (n = 10) or their combinations (n = 4). The apps rarely adopted developmental factors in the design stage, with only around one-third of studies reporting user or healthcare professional engagement. Apps differed significantly in content, with a median of eight behaviour change techniques adopted, most frequently pertaining to the ‘Feedback and monitoring’ (91%) and ‘Shaping knowledge’ (72%) categories. As for the study methodologies, all studies adopted a traditional randomised control trial (RCT) design, with relatively short follow-ups and limited sample sizes. Findings were not significant for the majority of studies across all CD, with most RCTs revealing a high risk of bias. To support the adoption of apps for CD management, this review reinforces the need for more robust development and appropriate study characteristics to sustain evidence generation and elucidate whether study results reflect the true benefits of apps or a biased estimate due to unsuitable designs.

Clinical Utility of 24-h Ambulatory Blood Pressure Monitoring in Hospitalized Patients with Chronic Kidney Disease

Introduction:

Hypertension leads to rapid progression of kidney disease. Hypertension (HTN) is the second most common cause for CKD after diabetes. Ambulatory blood pressure monitoring (ABPM) helps in accurate and early diagnosis of HTN along with measurements of other variables, namely nondippers, reverse dippers, hyperbaric index (HBI), percentage time elevation (PTE), and early morning surge.

Methodology:

After obtaining the institution ethics committee approval total 192 cases, of 12–80 years age group, who were diagnosed with CKD were included in the study. ABPM was done for patients using Meditech ABPM-05 machine.

Results:

Study showed male predominance. Maximum patients were in the age group of 41–60 years. Prevalence of Hypertension in patients with CKD was 88.02%. The systolic BP, diastolic BP, and mean arterial pressure (MAP) were significantly higher by clinic BP measurement than ABPM in all stages of patients with CKD especially in stage IV than stage V CKD. Systolic, diastolic, MAP, HBI and PTE at nighttime were significantly higher than daytime in all patients with CKD, especially in patients with resistant hypertension. Prevalence of whitecoat HTN (4.1%), whitecoat effect (16.1%), resistant hypertension (39.6%), masked HTN (1%), and masked uncontrolled HTN (10.4%) was noted. Systolic and diastolic HBI was lower in patients on hemodialysis as compared to those not on hemodialysis. Non-dippers were more than dippers.

Conclusion:

Apart from mean systolic and diastolic BP, ABPM gives the extent of end-organ damage and insights into the need for control of 24 h BP in patients of CKD.

The Association of Mobile Health Applications with Self-Management Behaviors among Adults with Chronic Conditions in the United States

Background: Mobile applications related to health and wellness (mHealth apps) are widely used to self-manage chronic conditions. However, research on whether mHealth apps facilitate self-management behaviors of individuals with chronic conditions is sparse. We aimed to evaluate the association of mHealth apps with different types of self-management behaviors among patients with chronic diseases in the United States. Methods: This is a cross-sectional observational study. We used data from adult participants (unweighted n = 2340) of the Health Information National Trends Survey in 2018 and 2019. We identified three self-management behaviors: (1) resource utilization using electronic personal health records; (2) treatment discussions with healthcare providers; and (3) making healthcare decisions. We analyzed the association of mHealth apps to self-management behaviors with multivariable logistic and ordinal regressions. Results: Overall, 59.8% of adults (unweighted number = 1327) used mHealth apps. Adults using mHealth apps were more likely to use personal health records (AOR = 3.11, 95% CI 2.26–4.28), contact healthcare providers using technology (AOR = 2.70, 95% CI 1.93–3.78), and make decisions on chronic disease management (AOR = 2.59, 95% CI 1.93–3.49). The mHealth apps were associated with higher levels of self-management involvement (AOR = 3.53, 95% CI 2.63–4.72). Conclusion: Among individuals with chronic conditions, having mHealth apps was associated with positive self-management behaviors.

A Digital Lifestyle Program in Outpatient Treatment of Type 2 Diabetes: A Randomized Controlled Study

BACKGROUND

Lifestyle is important in type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). This study's aim was to investigate whether a healthy-lifestyle-supporting smartphone application could affect treatment outcomes at an endocrinology outpatient clinic.

METHODS

Consecutively invited patients were randomly assigned to an intervention or control group after age and gender stratification. In addition to standard care, intervention group participants used a smartphone application to access a lifestyle program (SidekickHealth) through which they received personalized recommendations and education about healthy lifestyles. Tests at baseline and every other month for six months included body weight and blood tests for glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) and blood lipids, as well as questionnaires about distress related to diabetes, health-related quality of life, depression, and anxiety. Statistics included comparisons both within and between groups.

RESULTS

A total of 37 patients (23 women) were included, whereof 30 finished, 15 in each group (19% dropout); the average age was 51.2 ± 10.6 (25-70) years. No significant differences emerged between groups, but within the intervention group, there was a significant decrease in HbA1c from 61 ± 21.4 to 52.7 ± 15.2 mmol/mol, in disease-specific distress from 19.5 ± 16.5 to 11.7 ± 13.4, and in anxiety symptoms from 5.4 ± 4.0 to 4.1 ± 3.8. No significant changes occurred within the control group. The application usage was most frequent during the first months and differed interpersonally.

CONCLUSIONS

Our results indicate that the SidekickHealth digital lifestyle program could potentially enhance outpatient treatment in T2DM, in terms of both glycemic control and psychological well-being but larger confirmative studies are needed.

Effectiveness of smartphone application-based self-management interventions in patients with type 2 diabetes: A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials

AIMS

To synthesize evidences on smartphone application-based intervention and determine its effectiveness on glycaemic control, self-management behaviours, psychological well-being, quality of life and cardiometabolic risk factors.

DESIGN

A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials (RCTs).

DATA SOURCES

Major English and Chinese electronic databases were searched from January 2008 to January 2021, including PubMed, Web of Science, Embase, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, Google Scholar, China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI), Wanfang and Sinomed.

REVIEW METHODS

RCTs were screened and selected if they used smartphone applications to support patients in the self-management of diabetes. Data extraction and methodological assessment were performed by two reviewers independently. Meta-analysis was performed to pool the intervention effect on outcomes of interest using RevMan 5.3.

RESULTS

Across 19 included trials involving 2585 participants, smartphone application-based interventions were associated with a clinically and statistically significant reduction of glycated haemoglobin (HbA1c). Beneficial effects were also observed in participants' behavioural performance, especially in medication adherence. Intervention effects on psychological status, quality of life and cardiometabolic risk factors were nonsignificant. Subgroup analysis showed interactive approach with medium frequency or flexible facilitator-patient interaction induced a larger effect on HbA1c reduction. Besides, patients with baseline HbA1c ≥9% benefited more than those with HbA1c <9% from the use of smartphone applications.

CONCLUSIONS

Smartphone application-based diabetes self-management intervention could optimize patients' glycaemic control and enhance participants' self-management performance. Further endeavour is required to examine the long-term effects and cost-effectiveness of smartphone application-based intervention before promoting the adoption and dissemination of such intervention.

IMPACT

This review supports the potential of smartphone application-based intervention as effective approach to optimize glycaemic control and promote self-management engagement among patients with type 2 diabetes. Suggestions for future research and practice are provided and discussed.

Web-based support for individuals with type 2 diabetes - a feasibility study

BACKGROUND

Self-care is one of the cornerstones in the treatment of type 2 diabetes. Patients with type 2 diabetes struggle to maintain acceptable levels of blood sugar, blood pressure and lipids, the fundamental for the prevention of macro- and microvascular as well as neuropathic complications. The primary aim of the study was to evaluate the feasibility and describe patients' and caregivers' experiences of using the web- and smartphone-based system Triabetes. The secondary aim was to investigate if the use of the system could improve patients' clinical outcomes.

METHODS

Feasibility was assessed with describing recruitment rate and the participant´s views of using the system. Laboratory and anthropometry data were also collected.

RESULTS

The study showed that recruitment of patients to participate in the intervention was limited and compliance to the study protocol was low. A majority of the patients stated that the system was easy to get an overview of and that the system motivated them and made it easier and fun to handle lifestyle habits. A secondary finding of the study was that there was a significant lowering of LDL values.

CONCLUSIONS

Feasibility in terms of recruitment rate was low. The participants agreed that the application overall was useful but suggested several improvements. Summarized lessons learned from this study are following: (1) we need more knowledge about what motivates a person to use a digital tool for a longer period of time; (2) the tool must be easy and less time consuming to use; (3) the technical structure needs to be improved and automatic recording of data must be improved.

Lifestyle and Empowerment Techniques in Survivorship of Gynaecologic Oncology (LETSGO study): a study protocol for a multicentre longitudinal interventional study using mobile health technology and biobanking

INTRODUCTION

The number of gynaecological cancer survivors is increasing and there is a need for a more sustainable model of follow-up care. Today's follow-up model is time-consuming and patients have reported unmet needs regarding information about their cancer and strategies for managing the consequences of treatment. The main aim of this study is to assess health-related empowerment-in terms of patient education, psychosocial support, and promotion of physical activity-in a new follow-up model by comparing it to standard follow-up in a quasi-randomised study involving intervention hospitals and control hospitals.

METHODS AND ANALYSIS

At the intervention hospitals, patients will be stratified by risk of recurrence and late effects to either 1 or 3 years' follow-up. Nurses will replace doctors in half of the follow-up visits and focus in particular on patient education, self-management and physical activity. They will provide patients with information and guide them in goal setting and action planning. These measures will be reinforced by a smartphone application for monitoring symptoms and promoting physical activity. At the control hospitals, patients will be included in the standard follow-up programme. All patients will be asked to complete questionnaires at baseline and after 3, 6, 12, 24 and 36 months. Blood samples will be collected for biobanking at 3, 12 and 36 months. The primary outcome is health-related empowerment. Secondary outcomes include health-related quality of life, adherence to physical activity recommendations, time to recurrence, healthcare costs and changes in biomarkers. Changes in these outcomes will be analysed using generalised linear mixed models for repeated measures. Type of hospital (intervention or control), time (measurement point), and possible confounders will be included as fixed factors.

ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION

The study is approved by the Regional Committee for Medical Research Ethics (2019/11093). Dissemination of findings will occur at the local, national and international levels.

TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER

NCT04122235.

Impact of a Remote Monitoring Programme Including Lifestyle Education Software in Type 2 Diabetes: Results of the Educ@dom Randomised Multicentre Study

INTRODUCTION

Telemonitoring in type 2 diabetes (T2D) is mainly based on glucose monitoring. A new type of connected device which routinely gathers data on weight, physical activity and food intake could improve patients' diabetes control. The main aim of this study was to assess the efficacy of an at-home interventional programme incorporating such devices and lifestyle education software on diabetes control, i.e., change in HbA1c, compared to standard care.

METHODS

This multicentre study randomly assigned 282 people with T2D to either a telemonitoring group (TMG) or a control group (CG) for a 1-year intervention period. While routine follow-up was maintained in the CG, TMG subjects were provided with interactive lifestyle educational software (with artificial intelligence algorithms) and connected objects (blood glucose meters, scales and actimeters) for use in their own homes and were remotely monitored by their diabetologists. Changes in HbA_1c were compared between groups using a mixed linear model.

RESULTS

The mean HbA_1c dropped from 7.8 ± 0.8% (62 mmol/mol) to 7.4 ± 1.0% (57 mmol/mol) in the TMG and from 7.8 ± 0.8% (62 mmol/mol) to 7.6 ± 1.0% (60 mmol/mol) in the CG, resulting in an intergroup difference of - 0.16 (p = 0.06) in favour of TMG, after adjustment for confounding factors. Within TMG, the decrease in HbA_1c was greater in frequent users: - 0.23% (p = 0.03) in the case of connections to telemonitoring synthesis above the median and - 0.21% (p = 0.05) in the case of connections to tele-education software above the median compared to the CG. Significant weight loss was observed in the TMG but only in women (p = 0.01).

FINDINGS

The EDUC@DOM telemonitoring and tele-education device did not highlight a significant decrease in HbA1c levels compared to routine management although a slight, albeit significant improvement in glycaemic control was observed in the frequent user subgroup as well as significant weight loss but only in women. A high level of satisfaction with the connected device was recorded amongst all participants.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

This trial was registered in the Clinical Trials Database on September 27, 2013, under no. NCT01955031 and bears ID-RCB number 2013-A00391-44.

Analysis of Effectiveness and Psychological Techniques Implemented in mHealth Solutions for Middle-Aged and Elderly Adults with Type 2 Diabetes: A Narrative Review of the Literature

BACKGROUND

in diabetes, multiple mHealth solutions were produced and implemented for self-management behaviors. However, little research on the effectiveness of psychological techniques implemented within these mHealth solutions was carried out, and even less with the elderly population where technological barriers might exist. Reliable evidence generated through a comprehensive evaluation of mHealth interventions may accelerate its growth for successful long-term implementation and to help to experience mHealth benefits in an enhanced way in all ages.

OBJECTIVE

this study aimed to review mHealth solutions for diabetes self-management in older adults (adherence to treatments and glycemic control) by analyzing the effectiveness of specific psychological techniques implemented.

METHODS

a narrative review was conducted following preferred reporting items for systematic reviews and meta-analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. PubMed (Medline) and American Psychological Association (APA) PsycInfo databases were searched for published papers that addressed eHealth solutions' effectiveness for diabetes self-management. Studies in English, Spanish, and/or German of any design were screened, with no time constraints regarding the year of publication. A qualitative analysis of the selected papers was conducted in several steps.

RESULTS

this review found 38 studies setting up and analyzing mHealth solutions for older adults. Most research showed improvements in HbA1c, self-management behaviors, and medication adherence in T2DM patients post intervention. However, different mid-to-long term effects were found across studies, specifically concerning the maintenance and adherence to healthy behaviors. The most employed psychological framework was CBT, including techniques such as self-monitoring of outcome behaviors (mostly targeting glycemia measurements and healthy habits as physical activity and/or diet), tailored motivational feedback from medical staff, and psychoeducation or health coaches. The most successful mHealth intervention combined the feature of tailored feedback messages, interactive communication with healthcare professionals, and multifaceted functions.

CONCLUSIONS

there is a lack of elaborate and detailed information in the literature regarding the factors considered in the design and development of mHealth solutions used as interventions for T2DM self-management in the elderly. Documentation and inclusion of such vital information will foster a transparent and shared decision-making process that will ultimately lead to the development of useful and user-friendly self-management apps that can enhance the quality of life for diabetes patients. Further research adapting mHealth solutions to older adults' sensory deficits is necessary.

On the efficacy of behavior change techniques in mHealth for self-management of diabetes: A meta-analysis

BACKGROUND

Diabetes prevalence has become a global crisis. Due to the substantial rise in smartphone use, a variety of mobile interventions have been developed to help improve the clinical outcomes of diabetes patients.

OBJECTIVES

This study seeks to examine specific behavior change theories and techniques used in the design of self-management mobile app-based interventions aimed at achieving glycemic control in type 1 and type 2 diabetes.

METHODS

A meta-analysis of randomized control trials published in PubMed/Medline and Web of Science between January 2010 and October 2020 was conducted using studies that included diabetes patients, reported on well-described mobile app-based interventions, compared mHealth to usual care, and evaluated glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) at baseline and follow-up.

RESULTS

We reported on 21 studies with a total of 1,920 diabetes patients. Our findings show that mHealth apps led to statistically significant clinical outcomes as compared to standard care for glycemic control (-0.38, 95% CI = -0.50 to -0.25, p < 0.0001) indicating that such interventions result in a reduction in HbA1c. Interventions that used behavior theory for developing mHealth apps were not statistically different from those that did not (p = 0.18). However, increased use of behavior change techniques (BCTs) may result in slightly higher HbA1c reduction. Among all BCTs, the most effective ones appear to be "Action planning" and "Self-monitoring of outcome(s) of behavior.

CONCLUSIONS

The current meta-analysis provides evidence that mHealth is likely to be beneficial for diabetes patients when the right behavior change techniques are applied to realize the full advantage of the intervention. Further investigation of the role of theory in the design of mHealth app-based interventions is warranted.

Self-Management in Persons with Limb Loss: A Systematic Review

BACKGROUND

Self-management is an integral component of managing long-term conditions and diseases. For a person with limb loss, this self-management process involves caring for the residual limb, the prosthesis, and the prosthetic socket-residual limb interface. Failure to properly self-manage can result in unwanted secondary complications such as skin breakdown, falls, or non-use of the prosthesis. However, there is little evidence on what self-management interventions are effective at preventing secondary complications. To understand the impact of self-management after the loss of a limb, it is necessary to determine what the current evidence base supports.

OBJECTIVES

The purpose of this study is to examine the available literature on self-management interventions and/or outcomes for persons with limb loss and describe how it may impact residual limb health or prosthesis use.

METHODOLOGY

A systematic review of multiple databases was carried out using a variety of search terms associated with self-management. The results were reviewed and selected based on the inclusion criteria: self-management interventions or direct outcomes related to self-management, which includes the skin integrity of the residual limb, problem-solving the fit of the prosthesis, and education in the prevention of secondary complications associated with prosthesis use. The Cincinnati Childrens' LEGEND (Let Evidence Guide Every New Decision) appraisal forms were used to analyze the articles and assign grades.

FINDINGS

Out of the 40 articles identified for possible inclusion in this study, 33 were excluded resulting in seven articles being selected for this review. Three out of the seven articles focused on silicone liner management while the other four articles focused on skin issues.

CONCLUSIONS

Self-management for a person with limb loss is a key component of preventing complications associated with loss of limb and prosthesis use. There is a lack of high-quality experimental studies exploring the most appropriate intervention for teaching self-management when compared to other conditions, specifically diabetes. Further research in the area of self-management is necessary to understand how to best prevent unwanted secondary complications.

Effect of remote management on comprehensive management of diabetes mellitus during the COVID-19 epidemic

OBJECTIVE

We learned about the health condition of people with diabetes during the COVID-19 epidemic through a questionnaire survey. We conducted a randomized controlled study to confirm the effectiveness of remote management using the mobile phone WeChat app on comprehensive management of diabetes mellitus during the COVID-19 epidemic.

METHODS

We distributed questionnaires that collected information on the health condition of people with diabetes during the COVID-19 epidemic through the WeChat app. We assigned 90 cases to the intervention group and 90 cases to the control group. The intervention group was managed remotely through the WeChat app, and the control group received traditional medical treatment. The blood glucose, blood pressure, body mass index (BMI), time in range (TIR) and incidence of hypoglycemia were compared after three months of follow-up.

RESULTS

The BMI and postprandial blood glucose (PBG) of the control group at 3 months was significantly higher than that at baseline (P < 0.001), and TIR decreased at 3 months (P < 0.05). There was no significant difference in blood pressure compared with baseline in the control group, while blood pressure decreased in the intervention group (P < 0.05). In the intervention group, fast blood glucose(FBG) and PBG decreased compared with their baseline values, and the TIR level increased, both of which were statistically significant (P < 0.001). The FBG, PBG, and TIR of the intervention group were better than those in the control group at 3 months (P < 0.05). There was no difference in the incidence of hypoglycemia between the two groups.

CONCLUSION

During the COVID-19 epidemic, diabetes treatment has been facing new challenges, and the traditional treatment mode is limited. Remote management can increase TIR without increasing the risk of hypoglycemia. Remote management can prevent weight gain and improve patients' self-management and compliance during the COVID-19 epidemic.

Effectiveness of eHealth Nutritional Interventions for Middle-Aged and Older Adults: Systematic Review and Meta-analysis

BACKGROUND

The risk of development of chronic diseases related to poor nutrition increases with age. In the face of an aging population, it is important for health care sectors to find solutions in delivering health services efficiently and effectively to middle-aged and older adults.

OBJECTIVE

The aim of this systematic review and meta-analysis was to consolidate the literature that reported the effectiveness of eHealth apps in delivering nutritional interventions for middle-aged and older adults.

METHODS

A literature search from five databases (PubMed, CINAHL, Cochrane, Web of Science, and Global Health) from the past 5 years was performed. Studies were selected for inclusion that used eHealth to deliver nutritional interventions to adults aged 40 years and above, and reported health and behavioral outcomes. Two independent reviewers searched for research articles and assessed the eligibility of studies to be included in the review. A third reviewer resolved disagreements on study inclusion. We also assessed the quality of the included studies using the CONSORT 2010 checklist.

RESULTS

A total of 70 studies were included for analysis. The study quality ranged from 44% to 85%. The most commonly used eHealth intervention type was mobile apps (22/70, 31%). The majority of studies (62/70, 89%) provided multicomponent health interventions, which aimed to improve nutrition and other health behaviors (eg, exercise, smoking cessation, medication adherence). Meta-analysis results indicated high and significant heterogeneity; hence, conclusions based on these results should be considered with caution. Nonetheless, the results generally showed that eHealth interventions improved anthropometric and clinical outcomes, but not behavioral outcomes such as fruit and vegetable consumption.

CONCLUSIONS

The use of eHealth apps to deliver health interventions has been increasing in recent years, and these apps have the potential to deliver health services to a larger group of people. Our findings showed that the effectiveness of eHealth apps to deliver health interventions for middle-aged to older adults was supported by the improvement of anthropometric and clinical outcomes. Future work could aim to develop research frameworks in administering eHealth interventions to address heterogeneity in this field of research.

Self-management and adherence to recommended follow-up after gynaecological cancer: results from the international InCHARGE study

OBJECTIVE

To assess the relationship between self-management skills and adherence to follow-up guidelines among gynecological cancer survivors in the Netherlands, Norway, and Denmark, and to assess the relationship between adherence to follow-up programs and use of additional healthcare services.

METHODS

For this international, multicenter, cross-sectional study, we recruited gynecological cancer survivors 1-5 years after completion of treatment. Information on follow-up visits, use of healthcare resources, self-management (measured by the Health Education Impact Questionnaire), clinical characteristics, and demographics were obtained by validated questionnaires. Participants were categorized as adherent if they attended the number of follow-up visits recommended by national guidelines, non-adherent if they had fewer visits than recommended, or over-users if they had more visits than recommended.

RESULTS

Of 4455 invited survivors, 2428 (55%) returned the questionnaires, and 911 survivors were included in the analyses. Survivors with high self-management most frequently adhered to recommended follow-up. Non-adherent survivors showed lower self-management in the health-directed activity domain (OR 1.54, 95% CI 1.03 to 2.32) than adherent survivors. No other associations between self-management and follow-up adherence were revealed. Non-adherent survivors tended to have endometrial cancer, surgical treatment only, be older, and be Danish residents. Over-users reported more follow-up visits and also used additional healthcare services more frequently than adherent survivors.

CONCLUSION

Low self-management appears to reduce the likelihood of adherence to national guidelines for gynecological cancer follow-up. Focusing on patient education for survivors at risk of low self-management to ensure adherence to recommended follow-up may improve personalization of follow-up.

AGP und Ernährung – Mit CGM postprandiale Glukoseverläufe analysieren

Ernährungstherapien zählen zu den Grundlagen eines effektiven Diabetesmanagements bei Menschen sowohl mit Typ-1-, als auch mit Typ-2-Diabetes. Auch für Menschen mit Prädiabetes oder Adipositas sind Lebensstilinterventionen, einschließlich Ernährungsempfehlungen, Bestandteil der grundlegenden Therapie. Es wird empfohlen, die Ernährung individuell an die persönlichen Umstände, Präferenzen und metabolischen Ziele anzupassen. Im Zeitalter der Digitalisierung finden mHealth-Interventionen, beispielsweise in Form von kontinuierlich Glukose messenden Systemen (CGM), vermehrt Einzug in die Ernährungstherapie. Das ambulante Glukoseprofil (AGP) zeigt eine strukturierte und grafische Zusammenstellung der durch CGM gewonnenen Daten. Nach einer Bewertung der glykämischen Situation (Hypoglykämien, Variabilität und Stabilität der Glukosewerte) kann das AGP auch als Unterstützung bezüglich einer Ernährungsanpassung dienen. Ziel dieser Publikation ist es, eine allgemeine Übersicht über die Ernährungsempfehlungen, speziell in Deutschland, zu ermöglichen und den Nutzen kontinuierlicher Glukosemessungen in Bezug auf Ernährung zu beschreiben.