Adding value to remote monitoring: Co-design of a health literacy intervention for older people with chronic disease delivered by telehealth - The Telehealth Literacy Project

Abstract Objective To co-design, test and evaluate a health literacy, chronic disease self-management and social support intervention for older people delivered by group videoconferencing into the home. Method The Telehealth Literacy Project (THLP) was a mixed methods, quasi-experimental, non-randomised trial nested within a telehealth remote monitoring study. An intervention group (n = 52) participated in five, weekly videoconference group meetings lasting for 1.5 hours and a control group (n = 60) received remote monitoring only. Outcomes were measured using the nine-scale Health Literacy Questionnaire (HLQ) and two scales of the Health Education Impact Questionnaire (heiQ). Semi-structured interviews and focus group data were thematically analysed. Result At 3 month follow-up, univariate analysis identified small effects in the intervention group only, with improved health literacy behaviours (five HLQ scales) and self-management skills (two heiQ scales). ANOVA of HLQ scales indicated no significant differences between the two groups over time indicating a contributing effect of the remote monitoring project. Intervention participants reported improved perception of companionship, emotional and informational support. Conclusion The THLP delivered with telemonitoring indicates potential to improve social support and some health literacy factors in older people. Practice implications Patient education can be delivered by group videoconferencing.