Pathway: Technology enabled behavioural change as a pathway towards better self-management of Cardiovascular disease (CVD)

BACKGROUND

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is one of the leading causes of premature death and disability in Europe and worldwide. While effective Cardiac Rehabilitation (CR) improves mortality and morbidity rates, uptake of community-based CR, which represents the long term rehabilitation phase, is very low across member states. Numbers are further diminished by low subsequent adherence rates. Key reasons for this include: severe lack of programmes, travel time, scheduling issues, lack of peer mentoring and low self-efficacy.

INSIGHT OUTPUTS

PATHway developed an Internet enabled sensor-based home exercise platform and a personalised comprehensive lifestyle intervention program to enable patients to both better understand and deal with their own condition and to lead a healthier lifestyle.

OUTCOME

PATHway empowered patients to effectively self-manage their CVD. A 6 month usability trial found that PATHway was feasible and acceptable to patients and clinicians for CR.

IMPACT

PATHway was the first mHealth system designed specifically for unsupervised, socially inclusive cardiac rehabilitation that provides intensity and action specific exercises, through immersive class- and game-based experiences. The ongoing sensing of the user along with a specialised decision support system provided unique personalisation within the rehabilitation programme. It also provided a comprehensive lifestyle intervention programme based around goal-setting and the latest behavioural change theory. This unique approach allowed patients to better self-manage their own health. The design was driven by novel, extensive research of the users’ needs translated through a use-case based requirements specification process.