People with heart disease have increased morbidity and mortality risk. Sedentary behaviour (SB) contributes to morbidity and behavioural smartphone apps may be feasible interventions however, it is unclear if they reduce SB and healthcare utilisation. 

 

Test a SB change smartphone app adjunct to cardiac rehabilitation on hospital admissions and emergency department (ED) presentations over 12-months.

 

A randomised controlled trial was conducted with 120 participants recruited from ACT cardiac rehabilitation programs. Participants were randomised 1:1 to cardiac rehabilitation plus the 6-month Vire app and online ToDo-CR program (intervention) or usual care (control). The primary outcome was non-elective hospital admissions and ED presentations over 12-months. Accelerometer-measured SB was recorded at baseline, 6- and 12-months. Logistic regression models and linear mixed-effects models were used in the analysis. Intervention and hospital admission costs were used to calculate incremental cost-effectiveness ratios (ICER). 

 

Intervention group participants were more likely to experience all-cause (OR1.54, 95%CI 0.58-4.10, p=0.39) and cardiac-related (OR3.26, 95%CI 0.84-12.55, p=0.09) hospital admissions and ED presentations (OR2.07, 95%CI 0.89-4.77, p=0.09) compared to the control. Despite this, 12-month cardiac-related hospital admission costs were lower in the intervention group ($252.40 vs $859.38, p=0.24). There were no significant between-group differences in SB minutes-per-day over 12-months, though the intervention group completed 22-minutes less than the control (95%CI -22.80-66.69, p=0.33, Cohen d=0.21). The intervention was more effective but also more costly in reducing SB (ICER $351.77).

 

The Vire app did not reduce hospital admissions and ED presentations. However, it appeared to reduce 12-month cardiac-related hospital admission costs and had a small effect on reducing SB.


Kacie Patterson1, Rachel Davey1, Richard Keegan2, Theo Niyonsenga1, Itismita Mohanty1, Sarah Bowen3, Elizabeth Regan4, Michelle Lander5, Sander van Berlo6, Nicole Freene1

 
 

1.     Health Research Institute, University of Canberra, Bruce, ACT 2617

2.     Research Institute for Sports and Exercise (UCRISE), Faculty of Health, University of Canberra, Bruce, ACT 2617

3.     National Capital Private Hospital, Garran, ACT 2605

4.     Calvary Public Hospital Bruce, Bruce, ACT 2617

5.     Canberra Health Services, Garran, ACT 2605,

6.     Onmi B.V., Torenallee 68-06, 5617BD, Eindhoven, The Netherlands