Evaluation of the effectiveness of an interactive avatar-based education application for improving heart failure patients’ knowledge and self-care behaviours: A pragmatic randomized controlled trial protocol

Aim: The aim of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of an avatar-based education application for improving knowledge and self-care behaviour in patients with heart failure (HF). Background: Avatar-based technologies for supporting education are an innovative approach for patients with low literacy, low health literacy and English as a second language. The use of avatar technologies for patient education has shown benefits in improving knowledge, self-care behaviours and quality of life in chronic diseases such as cancer, diabetes and depression. Research has demonstrated positive outcomes in clinical practice. However, the effectiveness of this technology has not been evaluated among patients with HF. Design: A multi-centred, non-blinded randomized, two-armed parallel pragmatic, controlled trial. Method: Eighty-eight participants will be recruited from the HF clinics at three public hospitals and randomized into either control or intervention groups. The intervention group will receive the avatar-based education plus usual care. The control group will receive usual care. The primary outcome is HF knowledge, secondary outcomes include; improved self-care behaviours, readmission and satisfaction. Data will be collected at the baseline and at 1- and 3-month follow-ups. Discussion: This study will measure the effectiveness of avatar-based education on patients’ knowledge and self-care behaviours following HF. The evidence will be evaluated in terms of the reduction in patients’ readmission.