Effects of a Web-Based Educational Support Intervention on Total Exercise and Cardiovascular Risk Markers in Adults With Coronary Heart Disease.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: eHealth educational programs have proven to be an effective means for health promotion, yet limited studies have been conducted for coronary heart disease (CHD) patients to improve their total physical exercise, self-efficacy for exercise, and cardiovascular risk factor profile. METHOD: A prospective randomized controlled trial (RCT) was conducted in two cardiac clinics in Hong Kong. Four hundred thirty-eight eligible CHD clients were randomly assigned to either the control or the intervention group. All of the participants received standard care, which consisted of regular medical and nursing care in the cardiac clinic. The intervention group received an additional web-based educational support intervention (eHES), which consisted of a 20-minute individual educational session on the use of the eHES web link. The eHES web link contains a health information platform related to CHD care and an individual member area with records of health measures and physical exercise data for six months. Data were collected at baseline, at three-month and six-month intervals at the cardiac clinic. The primary outcome was the total amount of physical exercise, measured by the Godin-Shephard Leisure-Time Physical Activity Questionnaire. The secondary outcomes were self-efficacy for exercise and cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk markers (body weight, blood pressure, lipid profile). The data were analyzed using a generalized estimating equations model. RESULTS: The intervention group reported a statistically higher amount of physical exercise and a higher HDL-C at 3 and 6 months, respectively. There were no statistical differences between the groups in self-efficacy for exercise and other CVD risk markers. LINKING EVIDENCE TO ACTION The study demonstrated the effectiveness of the eHES in meeting the challenge of boosting the amount of physical exercise and increase HDL-C among CHD patients who engaged for over three months. The results provide insight for eHealth development to support and promote exercise among CHD patients in the community.