Increasing Awareness and Use of Mobile Health Technology Among Individuals With Hypertension in a Rural Community of Bangladesh: Protocol for a Randomized Controlled Trial.

Yasmin Jahan,Abu Sadat Mohammad Sayeem Bin Shahid,Sumon Kumar Das,Mohammod Jobayer Chisti,Asg Faruque,Michiko Moriyama,Md Moshiur Rahman,Kana Kazawa,Atiqur Rahman

doi:10.2196/15523

Abstract

BackgroundHypertension remains one of the foremost noncommunicable diseases that most often lead to cardiovascular diseases and its different complications. The prevalence of hypertension in Bangladesh has been increasing. However, there are very limited studies that have evaluated the impact of health education and awareness development in mitigating the burden of hypertension and its complications in Bangladesh.ObjectiveThis study aims to increase awareness, enhance knowledge, and change lifestyle behaviors through health education and the use of mobile health (mHealth) technology among individuals with hypertension living in a rural community of Bangladesh.MethodsA randomized controlled trial is underway in a Mirzapur subdistrict of Bangladesh. This trial compares two groups of individuals with hypertension: The comparison arm receives health education and the intervention arm receives health education and a periodic mobile phone–based text message intervention. The trial duration is 5 months. The primary end point is participants’ actual behavior changes brought about by increased awareness and knowledge.ResultsEnrollment of participants started in August 2018, and collection of follow-up data was completed at the end of July 2019. A total of 420 participants volunteered to participate, and among them, 209 and 211 were randomly allocated to the intervention group and the control group, respectively. Among them, the ratio of males/females was 12.0/88.0 in the intervention group and 16.1/83.9 in the control group. Data cleaning and analyses have been completed and the results have been submitted for publication.ConclusionsPeriodic short education using mHealth technology in addition to face-to-face health education may be an effective method for increasing awareness and knowledge about behavioral changes and maintaining healthy lifestyle behaviors.Trial RegistrationBangladesh Medical Research Council (BMRC) 06025072017; ClinicalTrials.gov NCT03614104, https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT03614104; University hospital Medical Information Network (UMIN) R000033736, https://upload.umin.ac.jp/cgi-open-bin/ctr_e/ctr_his_list.cgi?recptno=R000033736International Registered Report Identifier (IRRID)DERR1-10.2196/15523

Highlights

BackgroundHypertension is one of the most significant modifiable risk factors for cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) worldwide [1], with increasing pervasiveness in low- and middle-income countries [2]
This study aims to increase awareness, enhance knowledge, and change lifestyle behaviors through health education and the use of mobile health technology among individuals with hypertension living in a rural community of Bangladesh
A review of community-based interventions for CVD implemented in low- and middle-income countries recommends that patient education can have a positive effect on treatment adherence and blood pressure (BP) control among individuals with hypertension [6]

Summary

Introduction

BackgroundHypertension is one of the most significant modifiable risk factors for cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) worldwide [1], with increasing pervasiveness in low- and middle-income countries [2]. High blood pressure (BP) has been reported to cause 7.5 million deaths, which account for approximately 12.8% of the total deaths occurring globally [3] Of these CVD deaths, 53% are due to complications of hypertension. A review of community-based interventions for CVD implemented in low- and middle-income countries recommends that patient education can have a positive effect on treatment adherence and BP control among individuals with hypertension [6]. Objective: This study aims to increase awareness, enhance knowledge, and change lifestyle behaviors through health education and the use of mobile health (mHealth) technology among individuals with hypertension living in a rural community of Bangladesh. Trial Registration: Bangladesh Medical Research Council (BMRC) 06025072017; ClinicalTrials.gov NCT03614104, https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT03614104; University hospital Medical Information Network (UMIN) R000033736, https://upload.umin.ac.jp/cgi-open-bin/ctr_e/ctr_his_list.cgi?recptno=R000033736 International Registered Report Identifier (IRRID): DERR1-10.2196/15523

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