Other Titles
A Precision Health Trial to Reduce Illness and Promote Resilience in Hospital Staff [Title Slide]
Other Titles
PechaKucha Presentation
Abstract
Background: Healthcare workforce resilience weakened during and after the pandemic. Nutrition, physical activity, and sleep deficits further diminish health status. Providing just-in-time resources may promote healthier behaviors in direct-care hospital staff. We had two study aims: 1) coach healthcare workers (HCWs) to make lifestyle changes that enhance wellness, and 2) compare high and low engagement with mHealth resources to achieve recommendations for cardiometabolic health.
Methods: In this 1-year prospective observational study, HCWs had 24/7 access to a dashboard built for personalized health messages and wore an activity and sleep tracker continuously. On-demand UVB phototherapy was available to boost vitamin D status. High engagement meant wearing the tracker 70% of the time, achieving 7000 steps/day, and sleeping 7 hours/day. Work performance, diet, and sleep questionnaires occurred at 4 timepoints. Body composition, biomarkers, and gene expression were measured at 3 timepoints. Genes linking host response to nutrients were isolated for correlational analyses with lifestyle behaviors.
Results: 104 HCWs (72% female, mean age 42) enrolled between July – October 2021. At 12 months, 60% of participants were highly engaged for device-wear and daily steps. Feedback via telehealth messages on the dashboard was continually updated and reviewed at appointments yet satisfaction ratings for messaging and dashboard were 1.7 and 1.8 out of 4.0, respectively. At 12 months, mean (sd) daily distance declined by 1.2 (2.0) miles, p< .001 as did steps by 1970 (SD 2745), p< .001; sleep was unchanged at 7.7 hours/day. Insomnia Severity Index suggested persistent subclinical insomnia with a mean baseline score of 9.12 (5.9) and 8.1 (6.1) at 12 months, p=NS. Thirteen genes had a significant moderate correlation with steps (.29-.37), sleep (.27-.37), distance (.28), and ISI (.30-.38), p< .05 for all. Cardiometabolic health data were unfavorable for 30% of cohort at final follow-up. Phototherapy use (n=19) raised serum vitamin D at 12 months related to duration of treatment (p=.02).
Implications for Global Health: mHealth can offer just-in-time access to evidence-based, personalized tools but requires collaborative effort with end-users for optimal engagement. The long-term health of HCWs remains threatened unless leaders invest in strategies that support healthful nutrition, regular activity, sufficient sleep, and resources that are necessary to optimize wellness and job performance.
Notes
References:
Holtzclaw L, Arlinghaus KR, Johnston CA. (2020). The health of health care professionals. Am J Lifestyle Med,15(2),130-132. doi: 10.1177/1559827620977065.
Ghahfarokhi, A. D., Vosadi, E., Barzegar, H., & Saatchian, V. (2022). The effect of wearable and smartphone applications on physical activity, quality of life, and cardiovascular health outcomes in overweight/obese adults: A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. Biological Research for Nursing, 24(4), 503-518. https://doi.org/10.1177/10998004221099556
Shao T, Verma HK, Pande B, Costanzo V, Ye W, Cai Y and Bhaskar LVKS. (2021). Physical activity and nutritional influence on immune function: An important strategy to improve immunity and health status. Front Physiol, 12:751374. doi: 10.3389/fphys.2021.751374
Melnyk BM, Hsieh AP, Tan A, Teall AM, Weberg D, Jun J, et al. (2022). Associations among nurses' mental/physical health, lifestyle behaviors, shift length, and workplace wellness support during COVID-19: Important implications for health care systems. Nurs Adm Q, 46(1), 5–18. doi.org/10.1097/NAQ.0000000000000499
Sigma Membership
Psi at-Large
Type
Presentation
Format Type
Text-based Document
Study Design/Type
Observational
Research Approach
Other
Keywords:
Workforce, Interprofessional Interdisciplinary, Sub-acute Care, Health Behaviors, Hospital Staff, Wellness Promotion, Resilience
Recommended Citation
McCarthy, Mary S., "An Observational Study of Personalized mHealth to Promote Wellness in Healthcare Workers" (2025). International Nursing Research Congress (INRC). 260.
https://www.sigmarepository.org/inrc/2025/presentations_2025/260
Conference Name
36th International Nursing Research Congress
Conference Host
Sigma Theta Tau International
Conference Location
Seattle, Washington, USA
Conference Year
2025
Rights Holder
All rights reserved by the author(s) and/or publisher(s) listed in this item record unless relinquished in whole or part by a rights notation or a Creative Commons License present in this item record.
Review Type
Abstract Review Only: Reviewed by Event Host
Acquisition
Proxy-submission
An Observational Study of Personalized mHealth to Promote Wellness in Healthcare Workers
Seattle, Washington, USA
Background: Healthcare workforce resilience weakened during and after the pandemic. Nutrition, physical activity, and sleep deficits further diminish health status. Providing just-in-time resources may promote healthier behaviors in direct-care hospital staff. We had two study aims: 1) coach healthcare workers (HCWs) to make lifestyle changes that enhance wellness, and 2) compare high and low engagement with mHealth resources to achieve recommendations for cardiometabolic health.
Methods: In this 1-year prospective observational study, HCWs had 24/7 access to a dashboard built for personalized health messages and wore an activity and sleep tracker continuously. On-demand UVB phototherapy was available to boost vitamin D status. High engagement meant wearing the tracker 70% of the time, achieving 7000 steps/day, and sleeping 7 hours/day. Work performance, diet, and sleep questionnaires occurred at 4 timepoints. Body composition, biomarkers, and gene expression were measured at 3 timepoints. Genes linking host response to nutrients were isolated for correlational analyses with lifestyle behaviors.
Results: 104 HCWs (72% female, mean age 42) enrolled between July – October 2021. At 12 months, 60% of participants were highly engaged for device-wear and daily steps. Feedback via telehealth messages on the dashboard was continually updated and reviewed at appointments yet satisfaction ratings for messaging and dashboard were 1.7 and 1.8 out of 4.0, respectively. At 12 months, mean (sd) daily distance declined by 1.2 (2.0) miles, p< .001 as did steps by 1970 (SD 2745), p< .001; sleep was unchanged at 7.7 hours/day. Insomnia Severity Index suggested persistent subclinical insomnia with a mean baseline score of 9.12 (5.9) and 8.1 (6.1) at 12 months, p=NS. Thirteen genes had a significant moderate correlation with steps (.29-.37), sleep (.27-.37), distance (.28), and ISI (.30-.38), p< .05 for all. Cardiometabolic health data were unfavorable for 30% of cohort at final follow-up. Phototherapy use (n=19) raised serum vitamin D at 12 months related to duration of treatment (p=.02).
Implications for Global Health: mHealth can offer just-in-time access to evidence-based, personalized tools but requires collaborative effort with end-users for optimal engagement. The long-term health of HCWs remains threatened unless leaders invest in strategies that support healthful nutrition, regular activity, sufficient sleep, and resources that are necessary to optimize wellness and job performance.
Description
Health care workers experienced unprecedented challenges to their physical and mental health during the pandemic; many of the same threats to wellness continue today. Raising awareness through convenient digital applications and nurse-led lifestyle counseling may boost wellness and work performance while reducing cardiometabolic risks and chronic disease