Moving toward community based telehealth services using mhealth for hypertensive patients

BACKGROUND: Although self-care can control and prevent complications in hypertensive patients, self-care adherence is relatively low among these patients. Community-based telehealth services through mhealth can be an effective solution. OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to evaluate the effect and acceptance of an mhealth application as a community-based telehealth intervention on self-care behavior adherence. METHOD: This clinical trial included sixty hypertensive patients and their matched controls from two heart clinics affiliated to Shiraz University of Medical Sciences (SUMS). Self-care behaviors were assessed using Hill-Bone questionnaire before and after the intervention. Acceptability was evaluated in the intervention group at the end of the study period. The data were analyzed via SPSS 18 software using descriptive and inferential statistics. RESULT: The results showed a significant difference between the intervention and control groups regarding the mean score of self-care behaviors (4.13 ± 0.23 versus 3.18 ± 0.27, p < .001). Additionally, a significant difference was observed between the two groups concerning the mean scores of the two subscales of self-care behaviors, including "medication taking" and "proper diet". However, no significant difference was observed between the two groups regarding the mean score of "appointment keeping" (p = .075). Overall, the intervention group participants were satisfied (4.27 ± 0.34) with this approach for managing hypertension. CONCLUSION: Community-based telehealth services through mhealth had the potential to improve self-care behaviors in hypertensive patients and seemed to be accepted by the patients in the intervention group.