Personalized Informational Support for Patients With Hypertension: Single-Arm Pretest-Posttest Study

Informational support has been demonstrated to enhance patients' treatment adherence. However, which specific mode of informational support is more effective for patients with hypertension remains undetermined.

The primary objective of this study was to conduct a feasibility exploration of personalized informational support in patients with hypertension using a single-arm pretest-posttest design.

A prospective, single-center, pretest-posttest study was used to investigate the feasibility of providing an informational support intervention to patients with hypertension attending a community health facility in Chengdu, China. The intervention combined in-person follow-ups and telephone counseling. Adherence and clinical outcomes (blood pressure, ambulatory blood pressure, and laboratory tests) were measured at baseline and the postintervention time point. Patients' health behaviors were assessed at baseline and the postintervention time point using validated structured questionnaires. Descriptive statistics and effect sizes were calculated to determine clinically important changes relative to baseline.

Significant improvements were observed: medication adherence scores increased by 0.65 points (95% CI 0.38-0.91; P<.001). Nutrition scores increased by 1.31 points (95% CI 0.53-2.09; P<.001), interpersonal relationship scores increased by 1.17 points (95% CI 1.03-2.02; P=.007), health responsibility scores increased by 2.42 points (95% CI 0.33-3.80; P=.001), and the total Health-Promoting Lifestyle Profile II-Revised score significantly increased by 6.81 points (95% CI 3.01-10.61; P=.001). Nighttime systolic blood pressure decreased significantly by 5.07 mm Hg (95% CI -8.12 to -2.01; P=.001), and nighttime diastolic blood pressure decreased significantly by 3.39 mm Hg (95% CI -5.12 to -1.67; P<.001).

This feasibility study found that a structured informational support intervention was well accepted (93/100, 93% retention) and was associated with preliminary improvements in medication adherence and nocturnal blood pressure. These findings suggest potential benefits and support the need for a definitive randomized controlled trial to establish efficacy.