EHealth interventions for reducing cardiovascular disease risk in men: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Abstract

Abstract Funding Acknowledgements Type of funding sources: Public grant(s) – National budget only. Main funding source(s): Department for the Economy (DfE) studentships Background. Men remain at a higher risk of developing cardiovascular disease (CVD) than women and behavioral risk factor modification is an important preventive measure. However, engaging men in behavior change interventions is challenging. eHealth interventions have the potential to address this gap, though their effectiveness for reducing CVD risk in men is unclear. Purpose. To conduct a systematic review and meta-analysis to evaluate the effectiveness of eHealth interventions for reducing CVD risk in men. Methods. This review was conducted in accordance with the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) statement and principles laid out by the Cochrane Handbook for Systematic Reviews of Interventions. A search of published randomised controlled trials (RCTs) with no date restrictions up to July 2020 was conducted across five electronic databases: Cochrane Central register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL), Medline, CINAHL Plus, PsycINFO and SCOPUS. Reference lists of relevant systematic reviews and meta-analyses were manually searched for additional trials not identified during the database search. Eligible studies were RCTs that focused on the use of eHealth to improve a minimum of two major CVD related risk factors in males aged 18 years or older. Results. A total of 3168 records were retrieved from the online database search, with nine trials meeting the inclusion criteria following screening and full-text assessment. Study quality ranged from low to unclear, with one trial at a high risk of bias. Compared to those in a control group or receiving printed materials, participants randomised to an eHealth intervention had statistically significant improvements in BMI (Z=-2.75, p = 0.01), body weight (Z=-3.25, p = 0.01), waist circumference (Z=-2.30, p = 0.02) and systolic (Z=-3.57, p = 0.01) and diastolic (Z=-3.56, p = 0.01) blood pressure. Though less evident, there were also improvements in physical activity and diet in favour of the intervention group. Conclusion. This was the first systematic review and meta-analysis conducted on the effectiveness of eHealth interventions for reducing CVD risk in men. This review suggests that eHealth interventions can reduce CVD risk in adult men through behavior change. However, we were unable to determine the association between intervention characteristics and outcomes. Also, overall, participant adherence to the intervention was poor. Both of these issues should be considered in future studies.