Mobile Cued Adherence Therapy for Hypertension
(mCAT Trial)

Recruiting in Palo Alto (17 mi)

Age: 18+

Sex: Any

Travel: May Be Covered

Time Reimbursement: Varies

Trial Phase: Academic

Waitlist Available

Sponsor: Chad Stecher@asu.edu

No Placebo Group

Trial Summary

What is the purpose of this trial?

The goal of this clinical trial is to determine the effectiveness of a novel mobile health-based habit formation intervention for increasing and maintaining adherence to anti-hypertensive (AH) medication among people living with hypertension and indicate medication nonadherence. The main questions it aims to answer are: * Can daily incentives for AH pill taking increase and maintain AH medication adherence, control blood pressure, and reduce healthcare utilization and costs? * Can daily incentives for AH pill taking, combined with action planning (e.g., "After I drink my morning coffee, I will take my medication.") increase and maintain medication adherence, control blood pressure, and reduce healthcare utilization and costs? * What aspects of daily incentives and/or action planning do participants find most helpful or effective for AH medication adherence? * What barriers exist for participants who receive daily incentives and/or action planning? Researchers will compare three study groups: those who only receive daily incentives for the AH pill taking, those who receive daily incentives for AH pill taking combined with action planning, and a control group (who do not receive daily incentives for AH pill taking or action planning). By comparing these three groups, the researchers will be able to determine the effectiveness of the daily incentives with or without action planning for promoting long-term AH medication adherence, reduce healthcare costs, and improve blood pressure. Participants will: * Complete 5 online surveys over the course of 2 years (baseline, month 4, month 8, month 12, month 24). * Submit blood pressure reading for 7 consecutive days after each survey timepoint. * Submit photo evidence of their AH pill taking for 4 months (intervention groups only). The highest- and lowest-performing participants in each intervention group will also be invited to complete a 30-minute interview to identify additional factors that contributed to either successful or unsuccessful completion of the intervention.

Research Team

Eligibility Criteria

This trial is for people living with high blood pressure who often forget to take their anti-hypertensive medication. Participants should be willing to complete online surveys, submit blood pressure readings, and provide photo evidence of taking their pills if they're in the intervention groups.

Inclusion Criteria

Able to read/write/understand English

Have daily access to a smartphone

I am 18 years old or older.

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Treatment Details

Interventions

Mobile Cued Adherence Therapy (mCAT) (Behavioural Intervention)

Trial OverviewThe study tests if a mobile app that gives daily incentives can help people remember to take their blood pressure medicine. It also looks at whether adding a plan like 'take meds after morning coffee' improves adherence. There are three groups: one with just incentives, one with incentives plus planning, and a control group.

Participant Groups

3Treatment groups

Experimental Treatment

Active Control

Group I: Wellth onlyExperimental Treatment1 Intervention

Participants in the Wellth only group will receive daily financial incentives during the 4-month intervention for providing photo evidence of their pill taking using the mobile app Wellth (i.e. taking a daily picture of their pills in their hand and submitting it through the Wellth app). The Wellth app will also provide reminders at the end of the day if participants have not yet completed their daily check-in. Participants will also receive SMS reminders of each assessment point and monthly two-way SMS messages to provide AH pill-taking tips and to ask if participants are feeling dizziness or other symptoms of low blood pressure.

Group II: Wellth + CueExperimental Treatment2 Interventions

Participants in the Wellth+Cue group will receive daily financial incentives during the 4-month intervention for providing photo evidence of their pill taking using the mobile app Wellth (i.e. taking a daily picture of their pills in their hand and submitting it through the Wellth app), conditional on using their action plan. The Wellth app will also provide reminders at the end of the day if participants have not yet completed their daily check-in. Participants will also receive SMS reminders of each assessment point and monthly two-way SMS messages to provide AH pill-taking tips and to ask if participants are feeling dizziness or other symptoms of low blood pressure.

Group III: ControlActive Control1 Intervention

Control participants will receive SMS reminders of each assessment point and monthly two-way SMS messages to provide AH pill-taking tips and to ask if participants are feeling dizziness or other symptoms of low blood pressure. Participants in the control group will not receive additional adherence reminders, financial incentives, or the Wellth app during the 24-month study.