Embedding Patient Education in Mobile Platform for Patients With Heart Failure

Abstract

Health education is an important component of multidisciplinary disease management of heart failure. The educational information given at the time of discharge after hospitalization or at initial diagnosis is often overwhelming to patients and is often lost or never consulted again. Therefore, the aim of this developmental project was to embed interactive heart failure education in a mobile platform. A patient-centered approach, grounded on several learning theories including Mayer's Cognitive Theory of Multimedia Learning, Sweller's Cognitive Load, Instructional Design Approach, and Problem-Based Learning, was utilized to develop and test the mobile app. Ten heart failure patients, who attended an outpatient heart failure clinic, completed beta testing. A validated self-confidence questionnaire was utilized to assess patients' confidence in using the mobile app. All participants (100%) reported moderate to extreme confidence in using the app, 95% were very likely to use the app, 100% reported the design was easy to navigate, and content on heart failure was appropriate. Having the information accessible on their mobile phone was reported as a positive, like a health coach by all patients. Clinicians and nurses validated the content. Thus, embedding health education in a mobile app is proposed in promoting persistent engagement to improve health outcomes.

Self-Management Education Through mHealth: Review of Strategies and Structures

“…Overall, 115 papers have reported on the use of smartphone apps for patient education. Of these, 3 studies targeted cardiovascular disease, including cardiac rehabilitation, coronary artery disease, and heart failure [ 36 - 38 ]; 3 studies focused on overweight adults and physical activity [ 30 , 31 , 39 ]; 2 smartphone apps reported on asthma [ 40 , 41 ]; and 3 studies targeted mental illnesses such as depression and bipolar disorder [ 32 , 33 , 42 ]. Diabetes was the focus of 2 mobile-based interventions [ 29 , 43 ].…”

“…Furthermore, 1 study reported the feasibility of engaging adolescents with smartphone education [ 44 ], and 1 study focused on parental education and engagement [ 28 ]. Papers included in the review reflected study designs across the research spectrum including RCTs (n=6) [ 28 - 33 ] and case-control (n=1) [ 39 ], proof-of-concept (n=2) [ 36 , 40 ], and feasibility and pilot studies (n=5) [ 37 , 41 - 44 ]. One paper did not report the design of the study [ 38 ].…”

Validation of primer for promoting maternal self-efficacy in preventing childhood diarrhea

“…Thereby, it is characterized as a printed material that contributes to the shared construction of knowledge and allows the users of the health system and their families a posterior reading. Thus, the primer can reinforce the verbal guidelines, acting as a guide in cases of doubt and assisting in the decision-making (8)(9) . Despite its practical purpose, we highlight that educational technologies must be constructed from theoretical approaches (10) .…”

Nursing research in heart failure care: a position statement of the american association of heart failure nurses (AAHFN)

“…39,40 Other interventions that have been tested for effects to improve patient outcomes in HF include those aimed at improving cognitive function. In preliminary studies, cognitive training led to small improvements in cognitive function, 41,42 as well as positive effects on engagement in HF self-care 43 and functional outcomes such as instrumental activities of daily living (e.g., medication taking, grocery shopping) that may result in reduced healthcare costs. 44 In addition, family relationships among patients with HF and their caregivers were examined in several studies; investigators described both positive and neutral results of family based interventions.…”