A Digital Health Program for Non-Communicable Disease Prevention in a Workplace Setting in Thailand: A Quasi-Experimental Study
Trial Snapshot
- Phase
- Not Applicable
- Status
- Not yet recruiting
- Sponsor
- Chulalongkorn University
- Enrollment
- 150
- Primary Endpoint
- Weight
Study Overview
Brief Summary
The goal of this quasi-experimental study is to test the effectiveness of a digital health program designed to prevent non-communicable diseases (NCDs) in employees within a workplace setting in Thailand. The main questions it aims to answer are:
- Can a digital health program help participants lose weight?
- Does the digital health program improve other health outcomes such as Body Mass Index (BMI), blood lipid levels (triglycerides and LDL), blood sugar levels (HbA1c or fasting plasma glucose), and blood pressure? Is the digital health program feasible and acceptable in the Thai workplace setting, as measured by participation rates, usage, and participant satisfaction?
Participants will:
- Attend four group health education sessions, each lasting one hour, scheduled over a six-month period.
- Have unlimited access to individual chat consultations with a healthcare team, including doctors, dietitians, fitness coaches, and psychologists, available from 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM on workdays, excluding public holidays.
Detailed Description
This quasi-experimental study titled "A Digital Health Program for Non-Communicable Disease Prevention in a Workplace Setting in Thailand" aims to evaluate the preliminary effectiveness of a digital health program in reducing weight among participants in a workplace setting. Conducted at Chulalongkorn Hospital, Bangkok, over a period of 1.5 years, the study focuses on the impact of the digital health program on various health outcomes, including Body Mass Index (BMI), blood lipid levels (triglycerides and LDL), blood sugar levels (HbA1c or fasting plasma glucose), and blood pressure. Additionally, it assesses the feasibility and acceptability of the program within the Thai workplace context, measured by participation rates, usage, and participant satisfaction.
The research adopts a single-arm quasi-experimental design to assess the weight loss efficacy of the digital health program aimed at preventing non-communicable diseases (NCDs) among employees at risk. The target population includes employees of the Faculty of Medicine, Chulalongkorn University, and/or Chulalongkorn Hospital, with an estimated sample size of 150 participants. Recruitment leverages employee health examination data, with informed consent obtained through comprehensive information sharing.
The intervention comprises four group health education sessions (1 hour each) and unlimited individual chat consultations during work hours, facilitated by a multidisciplinary team including doctors, dietitians, fitness coaches, and psychologists. Data collection spans six months, with a follow-up health examination at the six-month mark, coordinated by the Department of Preventive and Social Medicine, Chulalongkorn Hospital.
The research study conducted a series of educational sessions over six months, focusing on health goal setting, nutrition, physical fitness, psychological resilience, and health outcome evaluation. Here's a summary of the sessions conducted:
Health Goal Setting Lecture (Month 1): Participants learned about the importance of understanding their health, covering basics such as motivation for change, health risk assessment, introduction to the program's curriculum, and setting personal health goals using a realistic behavioral goal-setting framework.
Study Design
- Study Type
- Interventional
- Allocation
- Na
- Intervention Model
- Single Group
- Primary Purpose
- Prevention
- Masking
- None
Eligibility Criteria
- Ages
- 20 Years to — (Adult, Older Adult)
- Sex
- All
- Accepts Healthy Volunteers
- No
Inclusion Criteria
- •Must have a Body Mass Index (BMI) indicating overweight, specifically between 23.0 and 27.5 kg/m². OR
- •Must have blood lipid levels indicating risk, such as triglyceride levels between 150 and 199 mg/dL or LDL levels between 160 and 189 mg/dL. OR
- •Must have blood sugar levels indicating a pre-diabetic state, such as an HbA1c level between 5.7% and 6.4% or fasting plasma glucose levels between 100 and 125 mg/dL. OR
- •Must have systolic blood pressure between 120 and 139 mmHg and/or diastolic blood pressure between 80 and 89 mmHg.
- •Must be able to read and communicate in Thai to participate in project activities.
- •Must have access to digital devices compatible with the digital health program, such as smartphones with operating systems equivalent to or higher than iOS 11 or Android 5.1, or computers capable of joining online seminars.
- •Must consent to participate in the research study.
Exclusion Criteria
- •Pregnancy, bedridden state, or disability that limits mobility or the ability to exercise.
- •History of non-communicable diseases, such as heart disease, stroke, diabetes, or any acute illness.
- •Participation in a health program or weight loss program currently or in the previous month.
Outcomes
Primary Outcomes
Weight
Time Frame: 6 months
To assess weight reduction.
Secondary Outcomes
- HbA1c(6 months)
- Fasting plasma glucose(6 months)
- blood pressure(6 months)
- Feasibility (number of consented participants to all eligible participants ratio)(3 months (recruitment period))
- Total cholesterol(6 months)
- Triglycerides(6 months)
- HDL(6 months)
- BMI(6 months)
- LDL(6 months)
- Acceptability(6 months)
Investigators
Zethapong Nimmanterdwong, MD
Student
Chulalongkorn University