Effectiveness of the Healthy e-Elderly People Intervention (HEPI) mobile application for the reduction of physical health effects caused by smartphone usage among elderly individuals in Thailand

Wachiraporn Wilaiwan,Wattasit Siriwong

doi:10.1108/jhr-11-2019-0262

Abstract

PurposeThe study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of the Healthy e-Elderly People Intervention (HEPI) mobile application in reducing the physical health effects caused by smartphone usage.Design/methodology/approachThis randomized controlled trial involved elderly volunteers residing in different regions of Thailand and using smartphones. The samples included 33 participants in each control and intervention group. The intervention group received the HEPI application with reminder messages, while the control group received the HEPI application without reminder messages. Assessments were conducted at baseline, follow-up 1 (four weeks after the last reminder messages) and follow-up 2 (12 weeks after the last reminder messages). Data analyses (i.e descriptive statistics, independent sample t-tests and repeated-measures analysis of variance) were used to obtain the overall mean change difference between the intervention and control groups at different time points (per-protocol analysis). The priorities of physical health risk were assessed using Health Risk Matrix.FindingsThe HEPI mobile application significantly improved knowledge, attitudes and practice scores in both the HEPI with and without reminder messages. The mean physical health risk score in both control and intervention groups was radically decreased from baseline to follow-up 1; lower physical health scores suggested lower health risk.Originality/valueIncreased duration of smartphone usage by elderly individuals in Thailand may result in a risk of developing several serious health conditions. The HEPI application with reminder messages could be used as a tool to benefit smartphone users and would further benefit from a booster after four weeks of intervention.

Highlights

A smartphone is a type of mobile phone that offers more general computing capabilities, supporting a wide range of other services, such as message, Internet access, e-mail and gaming [1]
This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of the Healthy e-Elderly People Intervention (HEPI) mobile application in terms of enhancing knowledge and improving attitudes among smartphone users regarding the health effects related to this activity as well as to promote appropriate practices of smartphone usage
The intervention group was provided with the HEPI application and reminder messages, while the control group was provided with the HEPI application without reminder messages

Summary

Introduction

A smartphone is a type of mobile phone that offers more general computing capabilities, supporting a wide range of other services, such as message, Internet access, e-mail and gaming [1]. The number of smartphone users in Thailand has increased from 8.0% of the Thai population in 2012 to 50.5% in 2016 [2]. The use of smartphones exerts negative effects on physical health, such as headache, dizziness [3], eye pain, musculoskeletal pain, neck pain, shoulder pain and wrist pain [4]. Individuals in Thailand use smartphones in their daily life. The number of elderly mobile phone users was 5,816,966. 639,911 individuals (6.4%) reported using smartphones [5]. The average period of smartphone usage among Thai elderly smartphone users was 3.1 ± 2.1 years. Most elderly users had experienced dim eyes, eye pain, shoulder or neck pain, sore muscles and wrist pain [6, 7]

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