Mobile application for self-care in people with heart failure: a quasi-experimental study.
Wallison Pereira Dos Santos, Mailson Marques de Sousa, André Atanasio Maranhão Almeida and 4 others
PMID 42726518WHAT IT FOUND
Heart failure self-care scores changed unevenly after eight weeks using the Tum-Tum app plus verbal self-care guidance.
Maintenance and confidence scores rose; management scores did not meet the study's cutoff for change. Maintenance stayed below 70.
Key findings
01In 57 people with chronic heart failure, self-care maintenance and confidence scores rose significantly after eight weeks of using the Tum-Tum app with verbal self-care guidance, while management scores did not change significantly.
02Maintenance scores improved from a median of 63 to 66 (P=0.002), but remained below the 70-point adequate threshold; confidence scores improved from a median of 85 to 95 (P=0.001).
03Management scores did not reach significance (P=0.063), although the median increased from 59 to 62.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for RNs
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What it does not show
This was a single-group before-and-after study with no control group, so change cannot be separated from verbal guidance, app introduction, phone calls, or time. Participants had adequate health literacy and an Android smartphone, so results may not apply to people with lower health literacy or no compatible phone. App use was self-reported, and the study did not record objective access, engagement, or usage time. Clinical condition was not investigated during follow-up calls, which were limited to app operation. Follow-up was eight weeks, so long-term effect is unknown. Maintenance scores stayed below the 70-point adequacy threshold despite significant change.
The easy way to misread this
Do not conclude that the Tum-Tum app alone improved heart failure self-care. Participants also received verbal self-care guidance, and the management subscale did not reach significance.