The ‘SupportMe’ text messaging service for patients with chronic disease utilises simple technologies to improve ongoing support to patients in managing their condition – wherever they live, as long as they have a mobile phone. Western Sydney Local Health District research teams recently published results of a clinical trial of ‘TEXTME’ – a six month program of approximately 100 unique text messages sent to patients with heart disease that aimed to motivate, support and educate this target group about condition management and positive lifestyle changing behaviours.
The TEXTME trial demonstrated that trial intervention patients receiving the lifestyle-focused text-message support program had lower LDL-cholesterol, blood pressure, body mass index and smoking rates at six months compared to control groups. The SupportMe project aims to extend and translate this work into a service model for a broader patient population with chronic disease – including patients with diabetes and cardiovascular diseases and evaluate this as a clinical trial. This will be conducted within the framework of the Western Sydney Integrated Care Program.
Collaborators: The George Institute, University of Sydney, Office of Preventive Health, NSW Ministry of Health (Office of the Chief Health Officer), Illawarra Shoalhaven Local Health District, Diabetes NSW, Heart Foundation