Using a digital health intervention "INTERCEPT" to improve secondary prevention in coronary heart disease (CHD) patients: protocol for a mixed methods non-randomised feasibility study

Irene Gibson; Catriona Jennings; Lis Neubeck; Marissa Corcoran; David Wood; Faisal Sharif; Lisa Hynes; Andrew W Murphy; Molly Byrne; John William McEvoy

doi:10.12688/hrbopenres.13781.1

Using a digital health intervention "INTERCEPT" to improve secondary prevention in coronary heart disease (CHD) patients: protocol for a mixed methods non-randomised feasibility study

HRB Open Res. 2023 Sep 1:6:43. doi: 10.12688/hrbopenres.13781.1. eCollection 2023.

Authors

Irene Gibson^{1

2}, Catriona Jennings^{1

2}, Lis Neubeck³, Marissa Corcoran⁴, David Wood^{1

2}, Faisal Sharif¹, Lisa Hynes⁵, Andrew W Murphy⁶, Molly Byrne⁷, John William McEvoy^{1

2}

Affiliations

¹ School of Medicine, University of Galway, Galway, Ireland.
² National Institute for Prevention and Cardiovascular Health, Galway, Ireland.
³ School of Health and Social Care, Edinburgh Napier University, Edinburgh, UK.
⁴ Cardiology Department, St. James's Hospital, Dublin, Ireland.
⁵ Croí, West of Ireland Cardiac Foundation, Galway, Ireland.
⁶ Discipline of General Practice, University of Galway, Galway, Ireland.
⁷ Health Behaviour Change Research Group, University of Galway, Galway, Ireland.

Abstract

Background: Digital health interventions (DHIs) are increasingly used for the secondary prevention of cardiovascular disease (CVD). The aim of this study is to determine the feasibility of "INTERCEPT", a co-designed DHI developed to improve secondary prevention in hospitalised coronary heart disease patients (CHD). Methods: This non-randomised feasibility study will be conducted using a mixed methods process evaluation with a sample of 40 patients in an acute hospital setting. Informed by behaviour change theory, the Intercept application (I-App) integrates a smartphone interface, health care professional portal, a fitness wearable and a blood pressure monitor. I-App is designed to support and motivate patients to set goals, self-monitor lifestyle and medical risk factors, and manage their medications, with the health care professional portal enabling monitoring and communication with patients. Using convenience sampling, eligible patients will be recruited in two phases, a pre-implementation phase and an implementation phase. During the pre-implementation phase participants will not immediately receive the I-App but will be invited to receive the I-App at 3 months follow-up. This will enable early learning about the processes of recruitment and conducting the assessment prior to full scale deployment of the I-App. During the implementation phase, participants will be invited to download the I-App to their smartphone prior to hospital discharge. Qualitative interviews will be conducted among a subset of patients and health care professionals to gain a greater insight into their experience of using the I-App. Primary outcomes will be assessed at baseline and 3-month follow-up. Using pre-defined feasibility criteria, including recruitment, retention and engagement rates, together with data on intervention acceptability, will determine the appropriateness of progressing to a definitive trial. Discussion: This study will provide important insights to help inform the feasibility of conducting a definitive trial of "INTERCEPT" among coronary heart disease patients in a critical health care setting.

Keywords: Cardiovascular disease; acceptability; digital health interventions; feasibility; secondary prevention.

Grants and funding

This study is funded by the National Institute for Prevention and Cardiovascular Health, Ireland, a SOLVE CHD SYNERGY Grant, University of Sydney, Australia and the Health Research Board, Ireland Collaborative Doctoral Programme in Chronic Disease Prevention (CDA-2019-001)