Saudi Cultural Missions Theses & Dissertations
Permanent URI for this communityhttps://drepo.sdl.edu.sa/handle/20.500.14154/10
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Item Restricted Investigating the potential of using mHealth apps to support DASH diet self-management among individuals with high blood pressure in Saudi Arabia(University of Sheffield, 2024-09) Alnooh, Ghadah; Williams, Elizabeth; Hawley, MarkBackground: Hypertension is a significant risk factor for cardiovascular disease and stroke, affecting 1.28 billion adults worldwide. Saudi Arabia has a high prevalence of hypertension, with 48.2% of adults aged 40 to 64 living with high blood pressure (BP) in 2018. Lifestyle management is crucial in addressing this issue. Strategies for preventing and controlling hypertension include maintaining a healthy body weight, increasing physical activity levels, and adopting the Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) diet as the front-line strategy. Effective dietary self-management can enhance adherence to the DASH diet and help control BP. In this context, mobile health (mHealth) apps are increasingly considered valuable resources for managing individuals’ diets. Smartphone apps may provide new opportunities to improve nutrition interventions and change behaviour. Nevertheless, despite these advantages, patients and health-care professionals can face difficulties in identifying and selecting the most suitable apps. Further research is needed to determine whether mHealth apps can support DASH diet self-management and improve adherence among individuals with high BP in Saudi Arabia. Aims: The overall aim of this thesis is to investigate the potential of using mHealth apps to support DASH diet self-management among individuals with high BP in Saudi Arabia. Methods: Four studies were conducted in two phases. Phase one aimed to identify the most suitable DASH diet self-management apps. An exploratory approach was used to gather information on relevant apps, including their effectiveness, theoretical basis, quality, safety, security, characteristics, and functions. This phase consisted of two studies: 1) a systematic review of existing literature and 2) an app store review. Phase two aimed to select the most suitable DASH diet app for the Saudi Arabian context and to evaluate its feasibility and acceptability within this context. This exploratory phase involved two studies: a qualitative study and a feasibility study. The qualitative study sought to gain insights into the experiences and perspectives of individuals with high BP and healthcare professionals who have used the DASH diet self-management apps identified in phase one as high-quality, secure, and potentially effective (Noom and DASH To Ten). This information was crucial in selecting the most appropriate app for the Saudi context. The feasibility study evaluated the feasibility and acceptability of using the Noom app to support DASH diet self-management among individuals with high BP in Saudi Arabia. Results: The first phase identified two high-quality, secure, and potentially effective DASH diet apps: DASH To TEN and Noom. In the second phase, the participants in the qualitative study selected the Noom app as the most suitable for the Saudi context. While during the feasibility study, the participants found the Noom app to be feasible and acceptable, they also suggested improvements for greater accessibility to the Saudi population, including translating it into Arabic and simplifying the food logging process. Conclusion: The contributions of this thesis are significant in addressing a crucial gap in current research: the need for more studies exploring the use of smartphone apps to enhance adherence to the DASH diet to control BP. The research employed a systematic staged approach to identify and select commercial dietary smartphone applications, enabling researchers to make well-informed decisions when selecting dietary apps. This approach provided a solid basis for developing a high-quality RCT of a widely available DASH diet app since this research carefully identified and selected a commercial DASH diet app and evaluated its feasibility, usability, and acceptability among individuals with high BP in Saudi Arabia. However, conducting an RCT in Saudi Arabia may face challenges if the app is not adapted to address participants' recommendations, particularly concerning the need to enhance its educational content to better align with the needs of Saudi users. In addition, dietitians can leverage these findings to recommend two high-quality, potentially effective, and secure apps to their patients, aiding in DASH diet self-management. This research also offers critical insights into the interactive features of these dietary apps, informed by feedback from both patients and health professionals. These insights are instrumental for researchers and developers aiming to design more effective and user-friendly dietary applications. This research’s exploration of the feasibility and acceptability of commercial dietary apps among Saudis can inform further studies in the mHealth field.15 0Item Restricted Factors Associated with Antihypertensive Adherence in Patients Attending A Specialist Hypertension Service(University of Galway, 2024-07) Alhayrani, Hassan; Dennedy, MichaelAbstract This investigation explores the factors affecting antihypertensive medication adherence and focuses more on ADRs in patients receiving care at a dedicated hypertension clinic. Hypertension is a widespread health concern associated with significant cardiovascular implications, often necessitating pharmacological intervention. However, ADRs frequently compromise adherence to antihypertensive medications. This study is designed as a piece of secondary data analysis based on a cross-sectional study completed in 2021. The study utilized a quantitative research design. Data were collected by examining patient records, clinical assessments, and adherence monitoring, involving analysing pharmacy refill data and high-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (HPLC-MS/MS) analysis of urine samples. The study population comprised adults aged 18 and older who were diagnosed with hypertension and undergoing treatment at University College Hospital in Galway, Ireland. The study found no statistically significant overall impact of ADRs on medication adherence, although the use of diuretics approached statistical significance with a p- value of 0.084. Approximately 75% of patients reported adherence, while only 27% were confirmed adherent through mass spectrometry, indicating a significant discrepancy between self-reported adherence and objective measures. The findings underscore the necessity for robust methods to monitor and enhance adherence, particularly through minimizing ADRs and providing patient support tailored to demographic characteristics. Healthcare providers can develop more effective strategies to manage hypertension and improve patient outcomes by understanding the specific factors that influence adherence. The study aims to inform targeted interventions to optimize adherence and ultimately enhance the efficacy of hypertension management. This research highlights the critical need for personalized approaches in managing antihypertensive therapy, considering the varied impact of ADRs across different patient groups. The insights gained from this study could guide future research and clinical practices to better support patients in adhering to their prescribed medication regimens, thereby reducing the burden of hypertension-related complications.28 0Item Restricted Differences in Changes in Blood Pressure During Passive Heating(Saudi Digital Library, 2023-11-08) Alshehri, Adham; Leicht, Christof; O’Donnell, EmmaThe human body has developed intricate physiological processes in response to changes in the external environment; the aim of these processes is to maintain homeostasis. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of passive heating on blood pressure in both sexes in order to determine if these differences will exist. The exposure to passive heating in 15 healthy adults did not show statistical significance concerning the effects of heating (continuous and intermittent), time (pre- and post-trial), and interaction (heating × time) on brachial and central diastolic blood pressure nor brachial and central systolic blood pressure (P > 0.05). However, Females experienced a greater reduction in blood pressure during passive heating than males (P < 0.05). In conclusion, the results did not support the theory that passive heating would cause a sudden drop in blood pressure; however, a greater drop in blood pressure during passive heating was observed in females compared to males.9 0Item Restricted Sex Differences in Changes in Blood Pressure During Passive Heating(Saudi Digital Library, 2023-11-08) Alshehri, Adham; Leicht, ChristofThe human body has developed intricate physiological processes in response to changes in the external environment; the aim of these processes is to maintain homeostasis. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of passive heating on blood pressure in both sexes in order to determine if these differences will exist. The exposure to passive heating in 15 healthy adults did not show statistical significance concerning the effects of heating (continuous and intermittent), time (pre- and post-trial), and interaction (heating × time) on brachial and central diastolic blood pressure nor brachial and central systolic blood pressure (P > 0.05). However, Females experienced a greater reduction in blood pressure during passive heating than males (P < 0.05). In conclusion, the results did not support the theory that passive heating would cause a sudden drop in blood pressure; however, a greater drop in blood pressure during passive heating was observed in females compared to males.11 0