“Digital Coaching” Approach Helps People Manage High Blood Pressure
Outcome/Accomplishment
New approaches for people to maintain awareness of their blood pressure (BP) show promise for promoting healthy practices resulting in less illness and need for costly medical intervention. A novel 90-day “digital coaching” program and application developed by researchers in collaboration with the American Heart Association is showing great promise as a platform for self-care. It is supported by the National Science Foundation (NSF)-funded Precise Advanced Technologies and Health Systems for Underserved Populations (NSF PATHS-UP) Engineering Research Center (ERC), headquartered at Texas A&M University (TAMU), as part of its mission to improve healthcare for resource-limited communities.
Impact/Benefits
Called “HyperCoach,” the app uses an Apple smartphone and Bluetooth-enabled weight scales and BP cuffs, which automatically record systolic and diastolic BP, heart rate, and weight. Two groups were established for the study: intervention and control. While both groups could set and update their personal health goals and had reminders and measurement tracking provided by the app, the intervention group also had a 12-week coaching program that included daily monitoring and educational activities optimized for mobile access and delivered through flyers, videos, messages, assessments, and progress reports, requiring approximately three minutes per day to complete. Program outcomes differed between control and intervention, with further distinction between adherent and non-adherent people in the intervention group. Of note, all involved reported improved quality of life.
Explanation/Background
Overall, HyperCoach proved effective in reducing systolic BP (SBP), but its success depends on user adherence. Participants with high adherence experienced a consistent and significant decline in SBP, whereas those with lower adherence showed non-significant changes, indicating potential challenges in sustaining long-term benefits. The findings also reveal that SBP management fluctuates over time, especially among users who are not consistently engaged with the intervention.
Beyond physiological outcomes, digital health coaching improves users’ confidence in managing hypertension, while passive tracking alone can lead to disengagement and decreased motivation for self-monitoring. Future strategies should prioritize improving adherence, particularly for users who struggle with consistent engagement.
Location
College Station, Texaswebsite
Start Year
Biotechnology and Healthcare
Biotechnology and Healthcare
Lead Institution
Core Partners
Fact Sheet
Outcome/Accomplishment
New approaches for people to maintain awareness of their blood pressure (BP) show promise for promoting healthy practices resulting in less illness and need for costly medical intervention. A novel 90-day “digital coaching” program and application developed by researchers in collaboration with the American Heart Association is showing great promise as a platform for self-care. It is supported by the National Science Foundation (NSF)-funded Precise Advanced Technologies and Health Systems for Underserved Populations (NSF PATHS-UP) Engineering Research Center (ERC), headquartered at Texas A&M University (TAMU), as part of its mission to improve healthcare for resource-limited communities.
Location
College Station, Texaswebsite
Start Year
Biotechnology and Healthcare
Biotechnology and Healthcare
Lead Institution
Core Partners
Fact Sheet
Impact/benefits
Called “HyperCoach,” the app uses an Apple smartphone and Bluetooth-enabled weight scales and BP cuffs, which automatically record systolic and diastolic BP, heart rate, and weight. Two groups were established for the study: intervention and control. While both groups could set and update their personal health goals and had reminders and measurement tracking provided by the app, the intervention group also had a 12-week coaching program that included daily monitoring and educational activities optimized for mobile access and delivered through flyers, videos, messages, assessments, and progress reports, requiring approximately three minutes per day to complete. Program outcomes differed between control and intervention, with further distinction between adherent and non-adherent people in the intervention group. Of note, all involved reported improved quality of life.
Explanation/Background
Overall, HyperCoach proved effective in reducing systolic BP (SBP), but its success depends on user adherence. Participants with high adherence experienced a consistent and significant decline in SBP, whereas those with lower adherence showed non-significant changes, indicating potential challenges in sustaining long-term benefits. The findings also reveal that SBP management fluctuates over time, especially among users who are not consistently engaged with the intervention.
Beyond physiological outcomes, digital health coaching improves users’ confidence in managing hypertension, while passive tracking alone can lead to disengagement and decreased motivation for self-monitoring. Future strategies should prioritize improving adherence, particularly for users who struggle with consistent engagement.