Effect of Automated Text Messages and Virtual Education on Self-Care Behaviors Among Heart Failure Patients After Surgery

Introduction: Considering the rising number of patients with heart failure, their growing care needs, and the effectiveness of both the automatic text message reminder system and virtual space, this study aimed to compare the effect of patient education using an automatic text message reminder system versus virtual space (via Soroush Messenger) on the self-care behaviors of patients with heart failure.Methods: This quasi-experimental study included 60 patients with a history of surgery and heart failure.Sampling was performed randomly, and patients were divided into three groups: intervention 1 (text message reminder), intervention 2 (virtual space), and control.The research instruments included a demographic characteristics questionnaire and the European Heart Failure Self-Care Behavior Scale.In the intervention groups, daily text message reminders and self-care educational messages were sent for one month.The scale was completed by all participants in both the virtual education and automated text message groups before and after the intervention.Paired t-tests, and analysis of variance were employed and the data were analyzed using SPSS software (version 26).Results: A total of 60 patients participated in the study, with a mean age of 54.87 ± 16.25 years; 66.6% (n = 40) were male, and 91.6% (n = 55) were married.Most participants (98.3%) (n = 59) were of Baluch ethnicity.Baseline characteristics were comparable among the control, automatic text message reminder system, and the Soroush Messenger groups (P > 0.05).After the intervention, both the automatic text message reminder system and Soroush Messenger groups showed significant improvements in self-care behavior scores compared to the baseline (P < 0.01), while no significant change was observed in the control group (P > 0.05).Conclusions: Education via reminder text messages and education via the virtual space (Soroush Messenger) had similar effects on improving the self-care behaviors of patients with heart failure.Therefore, given their simplicity, low cost, and accessibility, these methods are recommended for patient education across various fields.