Comparing the effects of education using telephone follow-up and smartphone-based social networking follow-up on self-management behaviors among patients with hypertension

Background: Little is known about the benefits of social networks in the management of patients. Objective: The aim of this study was to compare the effects of self-management (SM) education using telephone follow-up and mobile phone-based social networking on SM behaviors among patients with hypertension. Methods: This randomized clinical trial was conducted with 100 patients. They were randomly allocated to four groups: (i) control, (ii) SM training without follow-up, (iii) telephone follow-up and (iv) smartphone-based social networking follow-up. The hypertension SM behavior questionnaire was used for data collection before and six weeks after the study. Results: Those patients who underwent SM education training (with and without follow-up) had statistically significant differences from those in the control group in terms of SM behaviors (p < .001). There was no statistically significant difference between different types of follow-up. Conclusion: SM education using telephone follow-up and/or smartphone-based social networking follow-up influenced SM behaviors among patients with hypertension.