Researchers at UNMCs College of Nursing are trying to find ways to help rural people under age 65 with heart disease manage their stress and improve their mood without the need to drive long distances or make appointments.
DISTANT CARE: taking charge of stress & mood in heart disease is a 2-phase study looking at a smartphone-based app + text messaging prompts for self-managing stress and improving mood.
The study is available to people who:
- Live in a rural county in Nebraska or western Iowa
- Have a diagnosis of ischemic heart disease (heart attack, heart-related chest pain, blocked coronary arteries (with or without having the blockage fixed), or coronary microvascular disease)
- Are ages 19-64
- Are experiencing stress, worry, or feeling down
- Own a smartphone and can receive text messages
- Are willing to download a free app onto their phone
- Speak English
You do not have to participate in both phases of the study.
Phase 1
Taking charge of stress & mood in heart disease: a focus group study will gather information from rural residents about what they think of the app after using it for 1 week, and will also gather thoughts and ideas about text message prompts that will be used along with the app in phase 2 of the study.
Phase 2
DISTANT CARE: a tool for taking charge of stress & mood in heart disease will test the app + text message prompts over a 3-month period compared to a text message only group. Participants will be randomly chosen to receive the app + text messages or text messages only.
No travel is required.
Participants will be compensated.
IRB#: 524-20-EP