The Development of Heart Failure Electronic-Message Driven Tips to Support Self-Management: Co-Design Case Study.

BACKGROUND

Heart failure (HF) is a complex syndrome associated with high morbidity and mortality and increased health care use. Patient education is key to improving health outcomes, achieved by promoting self-management to optimize medical management. Newer digital tools like SMS text messaging and smartphone apps provide novel patient education approaches.

OBJECTIVE

This study aimed to partner with clinicians and people with lived experience of HF to identify the priority educational topic areas to inform the development and delivery of a bank of electronic-message driven tips (e-TIPS) to support HF self-management.

METHODS

We conducted 3 focus groups with cardiovascular clinicians, people with lived experience of HF, and their caregivers, which consisted of 2 stages: stage 1 (an exploratory qualitative study to identify the unmet educational needs of people living with HF; previously reported) and stage 2 (a co-design feedback session to identify educational topic areas and inform the delivery of e-TIPS). This paper reports the findings of the co-design feedback session.

RESULTS

We identified 5 key considerations in delivering e-TIPS and 5 relevant HF educational topics for their content. Key considerations in e-TIP delivery included (1) timing of the e-TIPS; (2) clear and concise e-TIPS; (3) embedding a feedback mechanism; (4) distinguishing actionable and nonactionable e-TIPS; and (5) frequency of e-TIP delivery. Relevant educational topic areas included the following: (1) cardiovascular risk reduction, (2) self-management, (3) food and nutrition, (4) sleep hygiene, and (5) mental health.

CONCLUSIONS

The findings from this co-design case study have provided a foundation for developing a bank of e-TIPS. These will now be evaluated for usability in the BANDAIDS e-TIPS, a single-group, quasi-experimental study of a 24-week e-TIP program (personalized educational messages) delivered via SMS text messaging (ACTRN12623000644662).