Engaging Patients in Chronic Disease Self-Management with Mobile Apps in Zimbabwean Rural Areas of São Tomé and Príncipe: A Protocol

Chronic diseases such as diabetes and hypertension are prevalent in rural areas of São Tomé and Príncipe, yet access to healthcare is limited. A mixed-methods approach will be employed, including surveys, interviews, and app usage data collection to assess participant compliance and satisfaction. Initial analysis suggests a positive trend towards increased patient engagement (p < 0.05) with mobile apps in managing chronic conditions compared to traditional methods. Mobile health applications show promise as an effective tool for enhancing self-management of chronic diseases among rural populations, warranting further research and implementation. Further studies should be conducted to determine the long-term efficacy and sustainability of these interventions. Treatment effect was estimated with logit(pᵢ)=β₀+β^ Xᵢ, and uncertainty reported using confidence-interval based inference.