mHealth interventions to change dietary behaviours in patients with heart failure – Study protocol of a restricted review

Heart failure (HF) affects millions of people globally and requires the patient to engage in complex self-care regimens, including dietary recommendations. mHealth interventions show potential in improving patient engagement with dietary choices. Little is known about mHealth nutrition interventions for those with HF. There are gaps around how engagement strategies in mHealth applications usage might alter health behavior changes. This restricted systematic review protocol aims to outline the design of a restricted review which describes mHealth nutrition interventions for those with HF and the engagement strategies used to improve the diet of patients with heart failure. A restricted systematic review was conducted using Plüddeman’s approach, following the guidelines outlined in the PRISMA. A collaborative search strategy was created, and searches were performed in CINAHL via EBSCO, MEDLINE via Ovid, Web of Science Core Collection, and Scopus. The included studies will be analysed narratively using an interpretative framework. Title and abstract screening were completed and n=98 articles selected for full text review. The findings will describe the designs and engagement strategies used to increase patient engagement with HF nutrition mHealth applications. An exploration is planned around how levels of engagement with digital dietary interventions impacts on changes in patients’ health behaviours. The review aims to provide a synthesis on the evidence around mHealth nutrition interventions for those with HF. The unique combination of healthcare professionals and technologist in this review will provide a collaborative overview of measures needed to improve digitalised HF dietary applications that may support patients’ self-management.