Efficacy of Health Coaching and an Electronic Health Management Program: Randomized Controlled Trial

Abstract

Background: For chronic disease management, self-management strategies are essential to achieve sustained improvement.

Objective: Our study evaluated the efficacy of health coaching and a self-management strategy-based electronic program on self-management strategies for patients with osteoporosis, chronic respiratory disease, or arthritis.

Design: Three-arm randomized controlled trial, pilot study PARTICIPANTS: Fifty-four participants INTERVENTIONS: The first intervention group (n = 53) received a self-management strategy-based electronic program and 12 weeks of health coaching (20 sessions). The second intervention group received the information and communications technology (ICT) program; the control group received usual care and an educational booklet about self-management of chronic diseases.

Main measures: The primary outcome was the difference in the change of the mean of self-management strategy scores. Secondary outcomes included depression (PHQ-9), physical activity (Godin Leisure Exercise Questionnaire), and health habit maintenance (transtheoretical model) after 12 weeks in the program.

Key results: The combination of health coaching and ICT was superior to control group (change 18.5 vs. - 2.6, adjusted difference = 24.5, p < 0.001); however, the ICT alone group was not superior to the control group (change 8.0 vs. - 2.6, adjusted difference = 8.0, p = 0.156). As a result of evaluating the change in the percentage of people with positive stage changes in the transtheoretical model of health habits, regular exercise (p = 0.008), a balanced diet (p = 0.005), helping others (p = 0.001), and living with loved ones (p = 0.038) showed significant differences. There was no significant difference in the changes in percentage of patients with depressive symptoms in comparison with control group; however, there was in comparison with control group among groups (p = 0.033). Compared to the control group, the proportion of patients who achieved an exercise amount of 12.5 MET or higher was significantly higher (p = 0.028) in the health coaching and ICT group.

Conclusions: The combination of ICT + health coaching led to improvement in self-management as well as in increasing exercise, and several healthy behaviors.

Trial registration: https://ichgcp.net/clinical-trials-registry/NCT03294057.

Keywords: ICT program; chronic disease; health coaching; self-management; strategy.

Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare that they do not have a conflict of interest.

© 2021. Society of General Internal Medicine.