Make My Day: evaluating a stroke prevention program based on participation in engaging everyday activities promoting health

Cardiovascular diseases including stroke is the most common cause of death worldwide; despite that most risk factors are modifiable. However, incorporating and sustaining healthy habits in everyday life is a major challenge.

Participation in Engaging Everyday Activities (EEA) has the potential to contribute to a sustainable healthy lifestyle and reduce the risk for stroke. EEA are regular meaningful activities.

Primary health care (PHC) has a mandate to work preventively, and there is an urgent need for systematic, person-centered and efficient stroke prevention strategies.The objective is to implement and evaluate a team-based and inter-professional, prevention program (Make My Day), supported by a mobile phone application for people at risk for stroke in PHC, using a mixed methods approach.

The program includes three studies.

Study 1 is a randomized controlled intervention trial (sample size=90) with the aim to evaluate the effectiveness of Make My Day (MMD). MMD is an 11-week intervention and combines group meetings and self-management through a mobile phone application. Outcomes are risk for stroke, participation in EEA, and self-rated health.

The control group are given ordinary PHC service. Study 2 is a qualitative study.

The interprofessional health care teams and persons at risk for stroke from the intervention group will be interviewed about their experiences of MMD. Study 3 is a mixed methods study. The sample consists of participants from study 1 and 2, and PHC stakeholders.

Data will be analyzed descriptively, with focus on impact and contextual factors influencing the process and outcomes of study 1.The project is innovative because it addresses a major public health challenge and the complexity of incorporating healthy habits into everyday life with an intervention based on personal needs and engagement in health promoting everyday activities supported by an e-health innovation.