Effect of the Blood Pressure Management Application (BPMAP) on Hypertension Self-Management Enhancement: A Randomized Clinical Trial
Abstract Background self-management of Blood pressure is of great significance given the increasing incidence of hypertension and associated disabilities. With the increased use of mobile health in medicine, the present study evaluated the effect of the self-management application on patient adherence to hypertension treatment. Methods This clinical trial was performed on 120 hypertensive patients who were provided with BPMAP for 8 weeks and followed-up to 24th weeks. Data on the primary outcome (adherence to treatment) and secondary outcomes (adherence to the DASH diet, regular monitoring of blood pressure, and physical activity) were collected using a questionnaire and a mobile application, respectively. The inter-group change difference over time was analyzed using repeated measures ANOVA (General Linear Model). Results The treatment adherence score increased by an average of 5.9 (95%CI: 5.0-6.7) in the intervention group compared to the control group. Scores of adherence to the low-fat and low-salt diet plans were 1.7 (95%CI: 1.3-2.1) and 1.5 (95%CI: 1.2-1.9), respectively. Moreover, moderate physical activity increased to 100.0 minutes (95%CI: 61.7-138.3) per week in the intervention group. Conclusion The treatment and control of blood pressure require a multifaceted approach given its complexity and multifactorial nature. Considering the widespread use of smartphones, m-Health interventions can be effective in self-management and better patient adherence to treatments. Our results showed that BPMAP can be used as a successful tool for hypertension self-management in patients attending public hospitals in developing countries.