title: Evaluation of a hand-held, computer-based intervention to promote early self-care behaviors after lung transplant.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Lung transplant recipients are expected to perform self-care behaviors to maximize transplant-related health outcomes. Despite high non-adherence rates in performing these self-care behaviors, and the dire clinical consequences of such non-adherence, interventions are lacking. Pocket Personal Assistant for Tracking Health (Pocket PATH) is a hand-held device developed for patients to record health data, review data trends, and report condition changes to the transplant team.
  
  
  METHODS
  A pilot trial was conducted to compare self-care agency, self-care behaviors, and health-related quality of life (HRQOL) between recipients randomized to use Pocket PATH (n = 15) vs. standard care (n = 15) for the first two months following hospital discharge after lung transplantation.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Baseline characteristics were equivalent across groups. Patients in the Pocket PATH group showed significantly higher ratings of self-care agency, performed self-care behaviors at significantly higher rates, and reported significantly better HRQOL than standard care controls.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Pocket PATH is more efficacious than standard care in promoting early self-care agency, self-care behaviors, and HRQOL in lung recipients. A large-scale randomized controlled trial is needed to test the impact of Pocket PATH on long-term self-care behaviors.
authors.affiliation: School of Nursing, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA. ajdst42@pitt.edu
authors.forename: Annette
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: DeVito Dabbs
authors.forename: Mary Amanda
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Dew
authors.forename: Brad
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Myers
authors.forename: Alex
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Begey
authors.forename: Robert
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Hawkins
authors.forename: Dianxu
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Ren
authors.forename: Jacqueline
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Dunbar-Jacob
authors.forename: Erin
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Oconnell
authors.forename: Kenneth R
authors.initials: KR
authors.lastname: McCurry
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D016040:Lung Transplantation; D008297:Male; D055118:Medication Adherence; D008875:Middle Aged; D010865:Pilot Projects; D019095:Point-of-Care Systems; D011788:Quality of Life; D017010:Reminder Systems; D012129:Respiratory Function Tests; D012648:Self Care