Peer-Led Digital Health Lifestyle Intervention in a Low-Income Community at Risk for Cardiovascular Disease...

Area of Science:

• Digital Health
• Public Health
• Cardiovascular Disease Prevention

Background:

• Low-income populations in Malaysia face barriers to cardiovascular disease (CVD) prevention.
• Digital health technologies offer scalable solutions for promoting heart-healthy behaviors.
• Integrating digital health with community-based peer support can enhance CVD prevention efforts.

Purpose of the Study:

• To describe the development and process evaluation of MYCardio-PEER, a digital health lifestyle intervention for CVD prevention.
• To empower adults at risk for CVD using mobile technology and community-based peer engagement.
• To assess the feasibility and acceptability of a peer-led digital health intervention in a low-income Malaysian community.

Main Methods:

• Developed MYCardio-PEER using the MRC Framework for Complex Interventions.
• Validated content through a 2-round Delphi method with experts and community members.
• Conducted an 8-week, pre-post feasibility trial with 30 adults at moderate to high CVD risk, assessing health outcomes and process evaluation.

Main Results:

• Participants showed significant reductions in CVD risk score, systolic blood pressure, total cholesterol, and LDL cholesterol.
• Improvements were observed in physical activity levels and dietary behaviors.
• High adherence (82.4%) and satisfaction (85.7% for content, 96.0% for peer leadership) were reported.

Conclusions:

• MYCardio-PEER was successfully developed and validated as a peer-led digital health intervention for CVD prevention in a low-income community.
• The intervention demonstrated good feasibility and acceptability.
• Findings suggest the potential of integrating peer support with culturally adapted digital content for community-based CVD prevention.