None listed
Conditions
Brief summary
This study aims to assess the effectiveness of a culturally adapted avatar-based education app in improving coronary heart disease knowledge and uptake of cardiac rehabilitation among Chinese-speaking patients with acute coronary syndrome (ACS) admitted to hospitals. We will conduct a randomised, controlled trial to compare an avatar-based education app to usual care. Adults admitted to Westmead, Royal Prince Alfred, and St George Hospitals with a diagnosis of ACS in the current admission will be invited to participate. Participants randomised to the intervention group will be given a link to download the app to their smartphone or tablet. During the study period, participants will independently work through the app's six modules, which are based on the Heart Foundation’s Six Steps to Cardiac Recovery. We hypothesize that the application will improve Chinese-speaking ACS patients disease-related knowledge, self-management behaviours and health-related outcomes such as disease recurrence, mortality, and quality of life.
Interventions
This is an self-administered mobile application. This Mandarin version application was culturally adapted from the initial English version application, which is based on the Heart Foundation’s Six Steps to Cardiac Recovery'. During the adaptation process, bilingual clinicians and Chinese-speaking patients were heavily involved to ensure linguistic and cultural appropriateness, particularly, in the process of the storyboard translation and prototype development. For example, a number jokes used
This is an self-administered mobile application. This Mandarin version application was culturally adapted from the initial English version application, which is based on the Heart Foundation’s Six Steps to Cardiac Recovery'. During the adaptation process, bilingual clinicians and Chinese-speaking patients were heavily involved to ensure linguistic and cultural appropriateness, particularly, in the process of the storyboard translation and prototype development. For example, a number jokes used in the original English version were removed or replaced as they were not culturally appropriate for the Chinese. Within the application, a Chinese-speaking avatar nurse talks and leads the patient through six modules of evidence-based essential information the Heart Foundation recommends for heart attack survivors and their families. These six modules include: 1) understanding diagnosis/procedures, 2) knowing heart disease risk factors, 3) attending cardiac rehabilitation, 4) taking medications, 5) knowing warning signs and actions, 6) following ongoing medical review. It will take approximately 40 minutes to complete six modules. The mode of training used in the intervention includes interactive activities and short videos. In a single session of no more than 30 minutes, the researcher will assist participants in the intervention group to download and install the app on their personal smartphone or tablet before discharge and ensure participants are familiar with the app and its functions. Participants will have access to the app during the three months study period in addition to their usual care. Participants will have unlimited access to all the modules as many times as they like. Participants can go through the app in their own pace, which means that they do not need to complete all six modules in one attempt. Participants in the intervention groups are encouraged to contact the researcher if they experience any technical issues with the app during the study period.
Sponsors
University of Sydney
Study design
Allocation
Randomised controlled trial
Intervention model
Parallel
Primary purpose
Educational / counselling / training
Masking
Blinded (masking used) (Outcomes Assessor)
Eligibility
Sex/Gender
All
Age
18 Years to No maximum
Healthy volunteers
No
Inclusion criteria
Inclusion criteria: 1) >=18 years; 2) admitted to the participating hospitals with a diagnosis of ACS (unstable angina, myocardial infarction); 3) being discharged home; 4) speak Chinese (Mandarin); and 5) have a personal smartphone/tablet, which has software capable of downloading the app.
Exclusion criteria
Exclusion criteria: 1) critically unwell; 2) have severe co-existing medical conditions that would impede or prevent engagement in lifestyle behaviour change e.g. dementia or terminal illness 3) unable to give consent; and 4) unable to understand, speak or read basic Chinese.
Outcome results
None listed