Evaluation of a digital patient education programme for Chinese immigrants after a heart attack

• Published in: European journal of cardiovascular nursing : journal of the Working Group on Cardiovascular Nursing of the European Society of Cardiology
• Main Authors: Shi, Wendan, Zhang, Ling, Ghisi, Gabriela L M, Panaretto, Lise, Oh, Paul, Gallagher, Robyn
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England 05.09.2024
• Subjects: Myocardial infarction; Patient education; Nursing; Ethnic and racial minorities; Secondary prevention; Internet-based intervention; Health behaviour
• ISSN: 1873-1953
• DOI: 10.1093/eurjcn/zvad128

To evaluate a self-administered digital education resource for patients after a heart attack (adapted simplified Chinese version of Cardiac College™) on secondary prevention knowledge and health behaviour change outcomes. Chinese immigrants recovering from a heart attack were recruited from cardiac rehabilitation programmes at four metropolitan tertiary hospitals. Participants provided access to Cardiac College™ (adapted simplified Chinese version), a self-learning secondary prevention virtual education resource over 4 weeks. The web-based resources include 9 booklets and 10 pre-recorded video education sessions. Assessments included health literacy, secondary prevention knowledge, self-management behaviours, self-reported physical activity, and a heart-healthy diet. Satisfaction, acceptability, and engagement were also assessed.From 81 patients screened, 67 were recruited, and 64 (95.5%) completed the study. The participants' mean age was 67.2 ± 8.1 years old, 81.2% were males, and the majority had no English proficiency (65.6%). Following the intervention, significant improvements were observed for secondary prevention knowledge overall and in all subdomains, with the most improvement occurring in medical, exercise, and psychological domains (P < 0.001). Dietary and self-management behaviours also improved significantly (P < 0.05). According to participants, the educational materials were engaging (100%), and the content was adequate (68.8%); however, 26.6% found the information overwhelming. Overall, 46.9% were highly satisfied with the resources. A self-learning virtual patient-education package improved secondary prevention knowledge and self-care behaviour in Chinese immigrants after a heart attack. The culturally adapted version of Cardiac College™ offers an alternative education model where bilingual staff or translated resources are limited.