Accepted for/Published in: JMIR Formative Research
Date Submitted: Mar 16, 2026
Date Accepted: Jul 29, 2026
Warning: This is an author submission that is not peer-reviewed or edited. Preprints - unless they show as "accepted" - should not be relied on to guide clinical practice or health-related behavior and should not be reported in news media as established information.
A Nudge Theory-Based Mobile Health Intervention for Self-Management in Young and Middle-Aged Hypertensive Patients: A Mixed-Methods Pilot Study
ABSTRACT
Background:
Young and middle-aged patients with hypertension often show poor self-management due to limited cognitive bandwidth. Mobile health apps using behavioral economics may help.
Objective:
To evaluate the preliminary effectiveness and usability of a nudge-based mobile app ("LeYi") for improving self-management in young and middle-aged hypertensive patients.
Methods:
This mixed-methods pilot study used a single-group pre-post design. Thirty participants completed a 24-week intervention. Outcomes were assessed using validated scales and interviews.
Results:
Self-management improved (median: 68.0→108.5; Z=4.788, P<0.001) as did eHealth literacy (median: 15.5→34.0; Z=4.544, P<0.001). Usability was favorable (median uMARS: 4.5, IQR: 4.0–5.0). Thematic analysis identified six themes complementing quantitative findings and highlighting technology adaptation challenges.
Conclusions:
The LeYi app demonstrated good feasibility and preliminary effectiveness in enhancing self-management in young and middle-aged hypertensive patients. Embedding behavioral economics into mHealth is a promising approach to support patient engagement.
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Copyright
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