SOCIAL_HF: Improving Social Frailty Through Interactive Learning

Condition(s) studied

Investigational drug(s) / intervention(s)

SOCIAL_HF: Participants will engage in a 6-week, WeChat-based group learning program called SOCIAL\_HF, focused on heart failure self-care. This program comprises two key components: structured real-time interactive learning and ongoing synchronous support. Real-time interactive learning will be conducted through WeChat video group meetings weekly, featuring peer sharing, problem-solving collaborative tasks, health goal setting, progress sharing, and the establishment of group contracts. Daily synchronous chat interactions will revolve around completing group contract tasks, weekly quizzes, and daily sharing. Additionally, participants will have access to an online self-care resource hub on the WeChat platform for reference and use.

Self-study heart failure self-care manual: The control group will establish a WeChat connection with PI and receive standard care, which includes a health education manual. However, they will not participate in group learning or discussions. They can consult with research assistants via WeChat for any questions they may have, but the researchers will only provide explanations related to the health education manual and will not offer additional educational resources or group interactions.

Study summary

The goal of this clinical trial is to learn whether the WeChat-based program "Social Optimization Chat for Interactive Learning for Heart Failure" (SOCIAL\_HF) can improve social frailty in elderly patients with heart failure. The main questions it aims to answer are:

Can a 6-week WeChat online group interactive learning program (SOCIAL\_HF) improve social frailty? Does the intervention enhance self-care abilities, social participation, and perceived social support? Researchers will compare SOCIAL\_HF to usual care (self-study heart failure self-care manual) to assess whether SOCIAL\_HF can improve social functioning.

Participants will:

Engage in weekly WeChat video meetings for six weeks (Participate in peer sharing and collaborative tasks).

Complete daily health task check-ins. Access online self-care resources.

Eligibility

Primary outcome measure(s)

• Social frailty — Feasibility study phase: At enrollment and immediately post-intervention. During full RCT phase: At enrollment, immediately post-intervention and 3-month post-intervention.
  Social frailty will be assessed by using Social Frailty Scale-8 item developed by Pek in Singapore. It consists of eight questions covering whether they visit friends sometimes, seek advice from family and friends, have people they can trust, go out less frequently, eat alone, have financial difficulties, live alone, talk to someone every day. It uses a dichotomous scoring method with a total score ranging from 0 to 8 points. A score of 0-1 indicates social non-frailty (SNF), 2-3 indicates social pre-frailty (SPF), and ≥4 indicates social frailty (SF).

Trial sites (3)

More The University of Hong Kong trials in China

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