A pilot program at the worksite to reduce adverse self-medication behaviors

Area of Science:

• Digital Health
• Hypertension Management
• Behavioral Science

Background:

• Hypertension management requires effective patient education and behavior modification.
• Worksite wellness programs offer a platform for chronic disease intervention.
• Personalized educational interventions can improve medication adherence and health outcomes.

Purpose of the Study:

• To pilot a Next Generation Personal Education Program (PEP-NG) for adults with hypertension in a worksite setting.
• To assess the impact of PEP-NG on self-reported medication behaviors, blood pressure, self-efficacy, and knowledge.
• To evaluate user satisfaction with the PEP-NG intervention.

Main Methods:

• A pilot study with 11 adults (45-60 years) with hypertension using a time series design.
• Four visits over three months, assessing blood pressure, medication behaviors, self-efficacy, and knowledge.
• Paired t-tests used to compare pre-PEP (visit 1) and post-PEP (visit 4) measures; satisfaction assessed quantitatively and qualitatively.

Main Results:

• Significant decrease in adverse self-medication behavior risk score (p < 0.05, medium effect size).
• Significant increases in knowledge and self-efficacy for avoiding adverse behaviors (p < 0.05, large effect sizes).
• All participants not at blood pressure goal (<140/90 mmHg) achieved goal by visit 4; high user satisfaction reported.

Conclusions:

• The PEP-NG intervention demonstrated significant improvements in medication behaviors, knowledge, self-efficacy, and blood pressure control.
• High user satisfaction suggests feasibility and acceptance of the digital health program.
• PEP-NG shows potential as a valuable component of worksite wellness programs for hypertension management.