JMIR Publications

ABSTRACT

Background:

The burdens of hypertension (HTN), type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), and obesity are increasing among employees, yet follow-up after health checkups remains inadequate. Mobile health (mHealth) interventions may help sustain lifestyle changes, but evidence of long-term effectiveness is limited.

Objective:

This study aimed to investigate whether a short-term mobile-based chronic disease management program can lead to sustained improvements in metabolic health outcomes among employees with metabolic risks over a four-year period.

Methods:

We assessed a 12-week mobile-based chronic disease management program delivered as part of an employee assistance program targeting workers with metabolic risk factors. Using propensity score-matched cohorts from the Kangbuk Samsung Health Study, we compared health examination data from 2019 (pre-intervention) and 2023 (four-year follow-up). Primary outcomes were blood pressure, BMI, fasting glucose, HbA1c, triglycerides, and lipid profiles.

Results:

Among intervention participants and matched controls, the intervention group showed more favorable long-term changes. Systolic blood pressure increased by only 0.1 mmHg in the HTN cohort versus 2.5 mmHg in controls (p<0.001). In the obesity cohort, triglycerides decreased by 40 mg/dL and HDL cholesterol increased by 5.8 mg/dL, while both measures in the control group worsened (p<0.001). Glycemic indicators remained stable in the intervention group but deteriorated in controls. These findings suggest sustained improvements across metabolic markers with use of the mobile application.

Conclusions:

A short-term, personalized mHealth intervention was associated with durable health benefits over four years among employees with chronic disease risk. This real-world evidence supports integrating digital health programs into routine workplace prevention strategies to bridge the post-checkup care gap.