Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41370788›Full record

Trial reportJMIR formative research2025

Everyday Digital Support to Promote Health and Literacy Among Older Adults: 14-Week Randomized Digital Pilot Trial by Engagement Level.

Andressa Crystine da Silva Sobrinho, Guilherme da Silva Rodrigues, Guilherme Lima de Oliveira, Grace Angélica de Oliveira Gomes, Carlos Roberto Bueno Júnior

Abstract readRandomized Controlled Trial
In one paragraph

Trial report in JMIR formative research, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
1citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

1 citing paper in PubMed.

  1. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

5 authors.

Andressa Crystine da Silva SobrinhoDepartment of Clinical Medicine, Ribeirão Preto Medical School, University of São Paulo (FMRP-USP), 3900 Avenida Bandeirantes, Ribeirão Preto, São Paulo, 14049-900, Brazil, 55 16988155152.ORCID 0000-0002-4532-539X
Guilherme da Silva RodriguesRibeirão Preto Medical School, University of São Paulo (FMRP-USP), Ribeirão Preto, São Paulo, Brazil.ORCID 0000-0002-9931-4709
Guilherme Lima de OliveiraDepartment of Clinical Medicine, Ribeirão Preto Medical School, University of São Paulo (FMRP-USP), Ribeirão Preto, São Paulo, Brazil.ORCID 0000-0001-6205-4969
Grace Angélica de Oliveira GomesDepartment of Gerontology, Federal University of São Carlos (UFSCar), São Carlos, São Paulo, Brazil.ORCID 0000-0003-0600-2093
Carlos Roberto Bueno JúniorDepartment of Clinical Medicine, Ribeirão Preto Medical School, University of São Paulo (FMRP-USP), Ribeirão Preto, São Paulo, Brazil.ORCID 0000-0002-2228-0758

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Background: While digital health solutions are becoming increasingly sophisticated, simple forms of everyday digital support may offer underexplored opportunities to promote health among older adults. However, evidence remains scarce on whether such teleassistance-based approaches can effectively enhance health literacy and daily self-care, particularly among populations facing socioeconomic and educational disparities. Objective: This study examined whether a 14-week mobile teleassistance intervention could support daily health promotion and improve health literacy and quality of life among older adults, and whether different levels of user engagement were associated with differences in outcomes. Methods: This randomized digital pilot study involved 21 older adults (aged ≥60 years) from Ribeirão Preto, Brazil. All participants were assigned to the intervention arm and subsequently categorized into high-engagement (n=11) and low-engagement (n=10) subgroups according to platform-use metrics. The intervention combined weekly teleconsultations, gamified educational quizzes, and guided health-related activities delivered through a mobile app. Outcomes included health literacy (Health Literacy Questionnaire), quality of life (36-Item Short-Form Health Survey), physical activity, and sedentary behavior, assessed at baseline and postintervention. Analyses appropriate for small samples were applied, including frequentist and Bayesian models. Results: Participants in the high-engagement subgroup showed greater improvements in health literacy compared with those in the low-engagement subgroup (mean change +9.5 vs +9.1 points; time × group: P<.001; Bayes Factors [BF₁₀]=15). Significant interactions also favored higher engagement for selected quality-of-life domains: vitality (P≤.001), functional capacity (P=.02), and general health (P=.02). A group effect was observed for the mental component (P<.001). Physical activity (F2,38=0.95; P=.39; BF_incl=0.68) and sedentary behavior (F1,19=1.12; P=.32; BF_incl=0.53) did not differ significantly between subgroups. Engagement analytics confirmed higher overall platform use in the high-engagement subgroup (mean 6483.8, SD 807.0 vs mean 3345.3, SD 742.7; t19=6.238; P<.001; d=2.73) and more weekly health-activity minutes (mean 5124.3, SD 757.9 vs mean 3120.7, SD 704.3; t19=6.256; P<.001; d=2.73). Conclusions: This 14-week randomized digital pilot trial suggests that everyday digital teleassistance may enhance health literacy and specific quality-of-life domains among older adults when engagement is high. However, such support alone appears insufficient to modify physical activity or sedentary behavior in the short term. Larger and longer trials are needed to assess sustainability, scalability, and strategies to address structural inequalities in digital health adoption.

Indexed as

Health LiteracyHealth PromotionMobile ApplicationsAgedAged, 80 and overBrazilExerciseFemaleHumansMaleMiddle AgedPilot ProjectsQuality of LifeSurveys and QuestionnairesTelemedicinebehavioral changedigital health toolshealth promotionolder people carepatient engagement

Identifiers

PMID41370788
PMCPMC12694946

What Socratic holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
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Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the Socratic graph.