Abstract 16296: Heart Failure-Smart Life: Effects of a Mobile-based Education and Self-management Program for Patients With Heart Failure

Abstract

Introduction: It is considered an important strategy to support heart failure (HF) patients for lifetime self-management. However, some programs for HF patients made them difficult to revisit the hospital or due to economic burden. Therefore, a practical alternative to a comprehensive and user-friendly self-management program for HF patients is needed. Purpose: The aim of this study was to develop a mobile App program for HF patients, and to identify the impact of the program on patients with HF. Methods: We developed a mobile App program, named “HF-Smart Life”. This App installed the configurations and functions of educational materials using pictures and animations, daily health (blood pressure and body weight) check-up diary, Q & A, and 1:1 chat considering user’s convenience. Regarding the experimental study, we employed a quasi-experimental design to evaluate the effects of the program in 74 patients with HF. The experimental group participated to use the mobile App program, including education, feedbacks on self-management, and monitoring in their daily life, for 3 months. Results: Participants of the program (n=36) exhibited significantly improved NYHA functional class and cardiac diastolic function (E/Ea ratio measured by echocardiogram) than the control group (n=38) after 3 months. The mean NYHA function class of the experimental group changed from 2.14 to 1.82, and that of the control group changed from 2.66 to 2.38 (F=9.260, p=.003). Also, the mean E/Ea ratio decreased from 12.24 to 11.35 in the experimental group, whereas that of the control group increased from 14.70 to 16.42 (F=5,280, p=.024). However, there was no significant difference between the groups with cardiac systolic function (left ventricular ejection fraction measured by echocardiogram) and quality of life. Conclusions: This mobile App program showed effectively improvements in HF patients' symptom (functional) class and cardiac diastolic function. Future study is needed to investigate the long-term effects of the mobile-based education and self-management program in HF population. Funding: This research was supported by the National Research Foundation of Korea (NRF) grant funded by the Korea government (MSIT) (NRF-2017R1C1B1007090 & 2019R1F1A1063148).