The effect of health educational App on improving stroke related knowledge and quality of life in patients with stroke: A randomized controlled trial

Abstract

Up to date, the stroke knowledge of Taiwanese people is insufficient leading to lots of cost wasted. Furthermore, there are more and more stroke patients with poor health and quality of life. Therefore, in order to prevent stroke patient from stroke again, allowing stroke patients understand the risk factors of stroke is an important issue in the practical field of long-term care. This study had developed an APP that provides health education about preventing stroke patients from stroke again. That can improve stroke knowledge and quality of life in stroke patients. This study employed a single-blind, randomized controlled trial design. Seventy-six stroke patients were randomly assigned to the health educational APP intervention experimental group ( n = 38) and traditional paper control group ( n = 38). Subjects of this study had all been diagnosed a stroke and been tested with Mini-Mental Status Examination scoring more than 24. After 10–30 days of the health educational APP intervention, the Stroke Knowledge Questionnaire and EuroQOL Instrument will be filled. Participants: 76 individuals (30 in experimental group; 33 in control group) were diagnosed stroke and MMSE scores > 24. Intervention: 10–30 days of the health educational APP were intervened to improve the stroke knowledge and quality of life. Measurements: The primary outcome was the stroke knowledge, assessing by the Stroke Knowledge Questionnaire. The secondary outcomes were quality of life, assessing by the EuroQOL five dimensions questionnaire (EQ-5D). Our results supported that the health education APP produced significant improvement in stroke knowledge between groups but the EQ-5D has no significant improvement. The findings supported the clinical efficacy of the health educational APP in stroke patients to improve knowledge and quality of life.