The Impact of a Home-Based Walking Exercise Program on Heart Failure

Sponsor
National Taiwan University Hospital
Study ID
NCT06791967
Status
Completed

Conditions

Eligibility Criteria

Sex
ALL
Age
18 Years - 80 Years
Healthy Volunteers
Not accepted

Interventions

  • home-based walking program — BEHAVIORAL
    The home-based walking intervention involves five walking sessions per week over 12 weeks, with a target of 3,000 additional steps per session beyond daily activities. In the first week, participants in the experimental group will wear a smart wristband upon waking to record their average daily steps, which will guide their walking goals. By the 7th week, participants are expected to achieve at least 3,000 extra steps per session, completed in 30 continuous minutes. The wristband, synced via Bluetooth to its companion app, can store up to one month of walking data. Weekly phone follow-ups will record participants' daily step counts. No additional cloud uploads of personal data are required.

Study Details

Heart disease is the second leading cause of death in Taiwan, with approximately 700,000 individuals affected by heart failure. Despite the proven benefits of rehabilitative exercise, participation in cardiac rehabilitation remains suboptimal. To address this, integrating physical activity into daily life, such as home-based walking exercises, offers a practical alternative to promote health and improve outcomes in heart failure patients. Walking exercises have been shown to significantly impact mortality rates and enhance the quality of life in this population. This study aims to assess the effects of a 12-week home-based walking exercise program on depression, frailty, and quality of life in patients with heart failure. Using an experimental design, heart failure patients hospitalized in a medical center's internal medicine ward were randomly divided into an experimental group (n=34) and a control group (n=34). While both groups received standard health education, the experimental group also participated in a home-based walking intervention after discharge. Data were collected before the intervention and at the 1st and 3rd months post-intervention. The generalized estimation equation (GEE) was employed to analyze changes in depression, frailty, and quality of life, focusing on group differences and interactions between time and group. The expected outcomes of the study include improved quality of life, reduced frailty, and alleviated depression in the experimental group, highlighting the value of home-based walking exercise. Additionally, the intervention model can complement existing post-discharge nursing practices by incorporating remote nursing guidance to enhance exercise adherence without increasing healthcare costs. This approach not only benefits patients by encouraging long-term physical activity but also reduces the burden on healthcare systems, making it a sustainable and effective strategy for managing heart failure.

Key Dates

Start date
Mar 2, 2025
Status verified
Mar 2026
Primary completion
Jul 25, 2025
Completion
Feb 13, 2026

Study Design

Enrollment
68 participants (actual)
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Intervention model
PARALLEL
Primary purpose
TREATMENT

Arms

  • Experimental: Home-based walking group
    In addition to general health education, patients will receive a 12-week home walking exercise program intervention after discharge.
  • No Intervention: General health education group
    A general routine health education in the hospital before discharge.

Primary Outcome Measure

Depression (Patient Health Questionnaire-9,PHQ-9) [ Time Frame: baseline, 1 month, 3 months ]

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