Comparing the effects of mHealth application based on micro-learning method and face-to-face training on treatment adherence and perception in haemodialysis patients: a randomised clinical trial

OBJECTIVES: Comparing the effects of a mobile health (mHealth) application based on the micro-learning method with face-to-face training on treatment adherence and perception among patients undergoing haemodialysis. DESIGN: A single-blind randomised clinical trial. SETTING: A haemodialysis centre in Isfahan, Iran. PARTICIPANTS: Seventy patients. INTERVENTION: Patients were trained individually for 1 month via the mHealth application or face-to-face training. OUTCOME MEASURES: Treatment adherence and perception in patients were measured and compared. RESULTS: The scores of treatment adherence in the mHealth and the face-to-face training groups were not significantly different at the pre-intervention stage (720.43±209.61 vs 702.861±181.47, p=0.693) and immediately after the intervention (1007.14±134.84 vs 947.86±124.46, p=0.060), while 8 weeks later, treatment adherence in the mHealth group was significantly higher than the face-to-face training group (1018.57±129.66 vs 914.29±126.06, p=0.001). The scores of both groups before the intervention did not differ in various dimensions of treatment adherence and perception (p>0.05). Scores of these variables also elevated significantly after the intervention (p<0.05). CONCLUSIONS: The mHealth based on micro-learning and face-to-face training as interventions augmented treatment adherence and perception among the haemodialysis patients, but such improvements were detected much more in the patients trained with mHealth based on the micro-learning method than face-to-face training. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER: IRCT20171216037895N5.