scholarly journals Predictors of Engagement, Response to Follow Up, and Extent of Alcohol Reduction in Users of a Smartphone App (Drink Less): Secondary Analysis of a Factorial Randomized Controlled Trial

10.2196/11175 ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 6 (12) ◽  
pp. e11175 ◽  
Author(s):  
Claire Garnett ◽  
Olga Perski ◽  
Ildiko Tombor ◽  
Robert West ◽  
Susan Michie ◽  
...  
2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Claire Garnett ◽  
Olga Perski ◽  
Ildiko Tombor ◽  
Robert West ◽  
Susan Michie ◽  
...  

BACKGROUND Digital interventions for alcohol can help achieve reductions in hazardous and harmful alcohol consumption. The Drink Less app was developed using evidence and theory, and a factorial randomized controlled trial (RCT) suggested that 4 of its intervention modules may assist with drinking reduction. However, low engagement is an important barrier to effectiveness, and low response to follow up is a challenge for intervention evaluation. Research is needed to understand what factors influence users’ level of engagement, response to follow up, and extent of alcohol reduction. OBJECTIVE This study aimed to investigate associations between user characteristics, engagement, response to follow up, and extent of alcohol reduction in an app-based intervention, Drink Less. METHODS This study involved a secondary data analysis of a factorial RCT of the Drink Less app. Participants (N=672) were aged 18 years or older, lived in the United Kingdom, and had an Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test score >7 (indicative of excessive drinking). Sociodemographic and drinking characteristics were assessed at baseline. Engagement was assessed in the first month of use (number of sessions, time on app, number of days used, and percentage of available screens viewed). Response to follow up and extent of alcohol reduction (change in past week consumption) were measured after 1 month. Associations were assessed using unadjusted and adjusted linear or logistic regression models. RESULTS Age (all unstandardized regression coefficients [B] >.02, all P<.001) and post-16 educational qualifications (all B>.18, all P<.03) were positively associated with all engagement outcomes. Age (odds ratio [OR] 1.04, P<.001), educational qualifications (OR 2.11, P<.001), and female gender (OR 1.58, P=.02) were positively associated with response to follow up. Engagement outcomes predicted response to follow up (all OR>1.02, all P<.001) but not the extent of alcohol reduction (all −.14<B<−.06, all P>.07). Baseline drinking characteristics were the only variables associated with the extent of alcohol reduction among those followed up (all B>.49, all P<.001). CONCLUSIONS Users of the alcohol reduction app, Drink Less, who were older and had post-16 educational qualifications engaged more and were more likely to respond at 1-month follow up. Higher baseline alcohol consumption predicted a greater extent of alcohol reduction among those followed up but did not predict engagement or response to follow up. Engagement was associated with response to follow up but was not associated with the extent of alcohol reduction, which suggests that the Drink Less app does not have a dose-response effect. CLINICALTRIAL International Standard Randomised Controlled Trial Number ISRCTN40104069; http://www.isrctn.com/ISRCTN40104069 (Archived by WebCite at http://www.webcitation.org/746HqygIV)


Trials ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Pablo Rodríguez-Sánchez-Laulhé ◽  
Luis Gabriel Luque-Romero ◽  
Jesús Blanquero ◽  
Alejandro Suero-Pineda ◽  
Ángela Biscarri-Carbonero ◽  
...  

Abstract Background Therapeutic exercise is a safe and cost-effective approach to alleviate hand rheumatoid arthritis (RA)-related symptoms. This study aims to investigate the differences in self-management between a smartphone app (CareHand), using hand exercises and educational advices, compared with a standard approach, on hand overall function, pain intensity, stiffness, and grip and pinch strength in patients with hand RA. Methods The project is a prospective, longitudinal, superiority, randomized controlled trial. Fifty-eight participants with hand RA will be randomly assigned into an experimental group (CareHand app) or a control group (conventional treatment). Control intervention involves a paper sheet with exercises and recommendations, and the experimental group includes the use of a smartphone app, which provides individualized exercise programs, self-management, and educational strategies to promote adherence to treatment. Both intervention protocols will last for 3 months. The principal investigator will conduct an educational session at baseline for all participants. Primary outcome comprises the overall hand function, assessed with the Michigan Hand Outcome Questionnaire (MHQ). Secondary outcomes include self-reported functional ability with the Quick DASH questionnaire, self-reported pain intensity and morning stiffness using a Visual Analogue Scale (VAS), and hand grip and pinch strength (dynamometer). Outcome measures will be collected at baseline, and at 1 month and 3-month follow-up. Discussion This study will evaluate the effectiveness of a tele-rehabilitation tool, which uses exercise and self-management strategies, compared to a conventional approach, in patients with hand RA. The smartphone app will allow to monitor the patient’s status and to enhance patient-therapist communication. Some limitations may be related to the short follow-up duration and the lack of evaluation of psychosocial factors. Overall, this new way of promoting long-term effects in patients with a chronic rheumatic disease could be feasible and easy to implement in daily life clinical practice and current musculoskeletal care. Trial registration ClinicalTrials.gov NCT04263974. Registered on 7 March 2020. Date of last update 15 April 2020. Ethics committee code: PI_RH_2018.


2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Pablo for the Management of Health Research of Seville F Rodríguez-Sánchez-Laulhé ◽  
Luis Gabriel Luque-Romero ◽  
Jesús Blanquero ◽  
Alejandro Suero-Pineda ◽  
Ángela Biscarri-Carbonero ◽  
...  

Abstract Background: Therapeutic exercise is a safe and cost-effective approach to alleviate hand rheumatoid arthritis (RA) related symptoms. This study aims to investigate the differences in self-management between a smartphone app (CareHand), using hand exercises and educational advices, compared with a standard approach, on hand overall function, pain intensity, stiffness, and grip and pinch strength in patients with hand RA. Methods: The project is a prospective, longitudinal, superiority, randomized controlled trial. Fifty-eight participants with hand RA will be randomly assigned into an experimental group (CareHand app) or a control group (conventional treatment). Control intervention involves a paper sheet with exercises and recommendations, and the experimental group includes the use of a smartphone app, which provides individualized exercise programmes, self-management and educational strategies to promote adherence to treatment. Both intervention protocols will last for 3 months. The principal investigator will conduct an educational session at baseline for all participants. Primary outcome comprises the overall hand function, assessed with the Michigan Hand Outcome Questionnaire (MHQ). Secondary outcomes include self-reported functional ability with the Quick DASH questionnaire, self-reported pain intensity and morning stiffness using a Visual Analogue Scale (VAS), and hand grip and pinch strength (dynamometer). Outcome measures will be collected at baseline, and at 1 month and 3-month follow-up. Discussion: This study will evaluate the effectiveness of a telerehabilitation tool, which uses exercise and self-management strategies, compared to a conventional approach, in patients with hand RA. The smartphone app will allow to monitor the patient´s status, and to enhance patient-therapist communication. Some limitations may be related to the short follow-up duration and the lack of evaluation of psychosocial factors. Overall, this new way of promoting long-term effects in patients with a chronic rheumatic disease could be feasible and easy to implement in daily life clinical practice and current musculoskeletal care.


10.2196/24579 ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 4 (2) ◽  
pp. e24579
Author(s):  
Jane Anne Scott ◽  
Sharyn K Burns ◽  
Yvonne L Hauck ◽  
Roslyn C Giglia ◽  
Anita M Jorgensen ◽  
...  

Background Despite the recognized health and economic benefits of exclusive breastfeeding, few Australian infants are exclusively breastfed beyond 5 months of age. Social support for breastfeeding, in particular the support of an infant’s father, has been identified as a crucial element for successful breastfeeding. Objective The objective of this study was to determine the effectiveness of various father-focused breastfeeding interventions in terms of key infant feeding outcomes. Methods The study was a 4-arm, factorial, randomized controlled trial conducted in Perth, Australia. The trial arms included a control group and 3 interventions, consisting of a face-to-face father-focused antenatal breastfeeding class facilitated by a male peer facilitator; Milk Man, a breastfeeding smartphone app designed specifically for fathers; and a combination of both interventions. Expecting couples were recruited from hospital-based antenatal classes and block randomized to 1 of the 4 arms. Each partner completed surveys at recruitment and at 6 weeks and 26 weeks postpartum. Primary outcomes were duration of exclusive and any breastfeeding. Secondary outcomes included age of introduction of formula and complementary foods, maternal breastfeeding self-efficacy, and partner postpartum support. Results A total of 1426 couples were recruited from public (443/1426, 31.1%) and private (983/1426, 68.9%) hospitals. Of these, 76.6% (1092/1426) of fathers completed the baseline questionnaire, 58.6% (836/1426) completed the 6-week follow-up questionnaire, and 49.2% (702/1426) completed the 26-week follow-up questionnaire. The average age of fathers who completed the baseline questionnaire was 33.6 (SD 5.2) years; the majority were born in Australia (76.4%) and had attended university (61.8%). There were no significant differences between the control and any of the intervention groups in any of the infant feeding outcomes or level of breastfeeding self-efficacy and postpartum partner support reported by mothers. Conclusions This study did not demonstrate that any intervention was superior to another or that any intervention was inferior to the standard care delivered in routine antenatal classes. Further studies are needed to test the effectiveness of these interventions in more socioeconomically diverse populations that are likely to benefit most from additional partner supports. Trial Registration Australian New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry ACTRN12614000605695; https://www.anzctr.org.au/Trial/Registration/TrialReview.aspx?ACTRN=12614000605695 International Registered Report Identifier (IRRID) RR2-10.1186/s12884-015-0601-5


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