Integrated Care Intervention Supported by a Mobile Health Tool for Patients Using Noninvasive Ventilation at Home: Randomized Controlled Trial

BACKGROUND: Home-based noninvasive ventilation has proven cost-effective. But, adherence to therapy still constitutes a common clinical problem. We hypothesized that a behavioral intervention supported by a mobile health (mHealth) app could enhance patient self-efficacy. It is widely accepted that mHealth-supported services can enhance productive interactions among the stakeholders involved in home-based respiratory therapies. OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to measure changes in self-efficacy in patients with chronic respiratory failure due to diverse etiologies during a 3-month follow-up period after the intervention. Ancillary objectives were assessment of usability and acceptability of the mobile app as well as its potential contribution to collaborative work among stakeholders. METHODS: A single-blind, single-center, randomized controlled trial was conducted between February 2019 and June 2019 with 67 adult patients with chronic respiratory failure undergoing home-based noninvasive ventilation. In the intervention group, a psychologist delivered a face-to-face motivational intervention. Follow-up was supported by a mobile app that allowed patients to report the number of hours of daily noninvasive ventilation use and problems with the therapy. Advice was automatically delivered by the mobile app in case of a reported problem. The control group received usual care. The primary outcome was the change in the Self Efficacy in Sleep Apnea questionnaire score. Secondary outcomes included app usability, app acceptability, continuity of care, person-centered care, and ventilatory parameters. RESULTS: Self-efficacy was not significantly different in the intervention group after the intervention (before: mean 3.4, SD 0.6; after: mean 3.4, SD 0.5, P=.51). No changes were observed in adherence to therapy nor quality of life. Overall, the mHealth tool had a good usability score (mean 78 points) and high acceptance rate (mean score of 7.5/10 on a Likert scale). It was considered user-friendly (mean score of 8.2/10 on a Likert scale) and easy to use without assistance (mean score of 8.5/10 on a Likert scale). Patients also scored the perception of continuity of care and person-centered care as high. CONCLUSIONS: The integrated care intervention supported by the mobile app did not improve patient self-management. However, the high acceptance of the mobile app might indicate potential for enhanced communication among stakeholders. The study identified key elements required for mHealth tools to provide effective support to collaborative work and personalized care. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov NCT03932175; https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT03932175