Effectiveness of User and Expert Driven Internet-based Lifestyle Interventions on Hypertension Control

Hypertension is a leading risk factor for cardiovascular disease and mortality. Lifestyle counseling is recommended as a first line therapy for reducing blood pressure (BP) and risk for cardiovascular events. Recent studies suggest that e-based lifestyle interventions are effective in evoking therapeutic change in BP1. However, BP response and adherence to exercise and diet behavior varies significantly after e-based interventions due to variations in treatment methodologies. Consensus is not yet established for a standardized e-counseling protocol for hypertension. As noted in our systematic review, the two dominant models of e-counseling procedures are expert-driven (protocol driven, prescriptive) and user-driven (self-guided, collaborative). Expert-driven programs prescribe specific changes for lifestyle behavior which are intended to facilitate compliance to behavioral change. In contrast, the user-driven method actively involves the subject in goal-setting and/or the selection of the intervention used to reach the behavioral goal. One conclusion from the systematic review is that these models are used indiscriminately in e-counseling programs. There is currently inadequate data to determine the efficacy of programs that are expert-driven vs. user-driven in reducing BP while modifying lifestyle behaviour. It is possible that a combination of expert-driven and user-driven features for lifestyle e-counseling is most effective. However, before these two approaches can be combined, it is essential to establish the strengths and limitations of each model.