Structured Caregiver Feedback Enhances Engagement and Impact of Mobile Health Support: A Randomized Trial in a Lower-Middle-Income Country.

Piette JD, Marinec N, Janda K, Morgan E, Schantz K, Yujra AC, Pinto B, Soto JM, Janevic M, Aikens JE. Structured Caregiver Feedback Enhances Engagement and Impact of Mobile Health Support: A Randomized Trial in a Lower-Middle-Income Country. Telemedicine journal and e-health : the official journal of the American Telemedicine Association. 2016 Apr 1; 22(4):261-8.

Related HSR&D Project(s)

• RCS 03-155 – Research Career Scientist Award

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Abstract:

BACKGROUND: Patients' engagement in mobile health (m-health) interventions using interactive voice response (IVR) calls is less in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) than in industrialized ones. We conducted a study to determine whether automated telephone feedback to informal caregivers ("CarePartners") increased engagement in m-health support among diabetes and hypertension patients in Bolivia. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Patients with diabetes and/or hypertension were identified through ambulatory clinics affiliated with four hospitals. All patients enrolled with a CarePartner. Patients were randomized to weekly IVR calls including self-management questions and self-care education either alone ("standard m-health") or with automated feedback about health and self-care needs sent to their CarePartner after each IVR call ("m-health+CP"). RESULTS: The 72 participants included 39 with diabetes and 53 with hypertension, of whom 19 had = 6 years of education. After 1,225 patient-weeks of attempted IVR assessments, the call completion rate was higher among patients randomized to m-health+CP compared with standard m-health (62.0% versus 44.9%; p? < 0.047). CarePartner feedback more than tripled call completion rates among indigenous patients and patients with low literacy (p? < 0.001 for both). M-health+CP patients were more likely to report excellent health via IVR (adjusted odds ratio [AOR]? = 2.60; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.07, 6.32) and less likely to report days in bed due to illness (AOR? = 0.42; 95% CI, 0.19, 0.91). CONCLUSIONS: In this study we found that caregiver feedback increased engagement in m-health and may improve patients' health status relative to standard approaches. M-health+CP represents a scalable strategy for increasing the reach of self-management support in LMICs.