Feasibility and Preliminary Effectiveness of a Hybrid mHealth Intervention for People with Disabilities: A Pilot...

People with disabilities (PWD) are vulnerable to underlying and chronic conditions and often face barriers to healthcare access, resulting in unmet needs and poor health outcomes. Mobile health (mHealth), defined as the use of mobile technologies to deliver or support healthcare, may help address these gaps by enabling symptom monitoring and self-management, supporting medication adherence, and providing remote care beyond traditional in-person clinical settings. To assess the feasibility and effectiveness of a tailored hybrid mHealth intervention in improving health outcomes, physical function, and self-management behaviors among PWD. This single-arm pre-post study was conducted from April to August 2023 and included 48 participants with physical disabilities, brain injuries, or visual impairments recruited from disability service facilities. The hybrid mHealth platform comprised synchronous telehealth sessions (medication, nutrition, exercise) and asynchronous app-based modules that were developed specifically to support monitoring and self-management. Effectiveness was evaluated using behavioral and health-related outcomes, including medication adherence, physical function, and chronic disease management. Significant improvements were observed in medication adherence (2.6 ± 2.2 vs 3.4 ± 2.5, P = .0001) and medication knowledge (6.8 ± 1.9 vs 9.3 ± 1.6, P < .0001). The physical function results were also significantly improved for participants who completed the exercise intervention. Preliminary findings suggest that the mHealth intervention may enhance chronic disease management, physical function, and self-management among PWD, potentially improving healthcare accessibility. Further research with larger, more diverse populations and longer follow-up periods is warranted to confirm and expand these results.