Effectiveness of Individual and Family Self-Management Combined mHealth Program for People with Stage 3 Chronic Kidney Disease: A Randomized Controlled Trial

The rising prevalence of chronic kidney disease is a global and Thai public health concern and self-management strategies may be an effective way to help prevent its progression. This randomized controlled trial tested the effectiveness of the Individual and Family Self-Management Combined mHealth Program for People with Chronic Kidney Disease. Forty people with stage 3 chronic kidney disease were randomly assigned to either the experimental (n = 20) or control group (n = 20). The research instruments included the research protocol, the Healthy Kidney application, the Self-Management Behaviors Questionnaire, and the Clinical Outcomes Record Form. The outcomes of the program were evaluated three times, at baseline (week 1), immediately post-intervention (week 4), and at follow-up (week 16). An independent t-test and repeated measures analysis of variance were used in the data analysis.Results indicated that during follow-up, the experimental group had higher self-management behaviors and lower diastolic blood pressure than the control group. The self-management behaviors, and systolic and diastolic blood pressure of the experimental group significantly improved three months after the intervention. However, the glomerular filtration rate was unchanged. The findings demonstrated that the program effectively improved outcomes for the participants.The results of this study suggest that the Individual and Family Self-Management Combined mHealth Program can help people with stage 3 chronic kidney disease improve their self-management behaviors and alleviate blood pressure. This study supports the health care context to promote home-based self-management and guide the future development of mHealth applications. Further testing of the program is needed before incorporating it into nursing practice.