A virtual community of practice for individuals with ischemic heart disease

What is it about?

In this randomized controlled trial, we evaluated the effectiveness of a virtual community of practice (an online platform where participants can learn and share their experiences) to improve the activation and other lifestyle and mental health-related variables in individuals with a recent diagnosis of ischemic heart disease. We found that using a virtual community of practice can be helpful for adhering to a Mediterranean diet in individuals with ischemic heart disease. However, it might not be as useful for improving other aspects such as quality of life or activation levels.

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Photo by Christin Hume on Unsplash

Photo by Christin Hume on Unsplash

Why is it important?

This is the first randomized controlled trial evaluating a virtual community of practice in individuals with recent ischemic heart disease. The intervention's content was tailored based on patients' identified needs and topics that emerged during the intervention, which is an innovative approach. The findings of this research suggest that professionals who deliver dietary interventions to patients with cardiovascular diseases could consider using virtual community of practices or similar interventions to improve their patients’ diet adherence.