title: A comparative study on the effectiveness of one-way printed communication versus videophone interactive interviews on health promotion.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  We performed a comparative study of a health education programme that was delivered either through one-way communication with printed media, or through interactive videophone interviews. We aimed to ascertain which mode of counselling, when used in combination with telemonitoring, is more effective at lifestyle modification intended to improve health status.
  
  
  METHODS
  Participants, who were residents of Kurihara city in Miyagi prefecture, Japan, were randomized into two groups: one group received individualized monthly documented reports (n = 33; 22 females; average age: 67.2 years), and the other received interactive videophone communication (n = 35; 22 females; average age: 65.1 years) for three months. Telemonitoring was conducted on both groups, using a pedometer, weighing scale and a sphygmomanometer. Pre- and post-intervention, anthropometric measurements and blood tests were performed; the participants also completed self-administered questionnaires.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The two groups showed similar degrees of health status improvement and satisfaction levels. However, the participants in the videophone group were more aware of improvements in their lifestyles than were the participants in the document group. The individualized printed communication programme was less time-consuming compared to videophone communication. Further studies are needed to formulate a balanced protocol for a counselling-cum-telemonitoring programme that provides optimal health improvement and cost performance with the available human resources.
authors.affiliation: Graduate School of Media and Governance, Keio University, Fujisawa, Japan Health Care Center, Saitama Medical Center, Japan Community Health Care Organization, Saitama, Japan satoki.homma@nifty.com.
authors.forename: Satoki
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Homma
authors.affiliation: Graduate School of Media and Governance, Keio University, Fujisawa, Japan Department of Environmental and Occupational Health, School of Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Toho University, Tokyo, Japan.
authors.forename: Haruhiko
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Imamura
authors.affiliation: NTT Secure Platform Laboratories, Tokyo, Japan.
authors.forename: Toru
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Nakamura
authors.affiliation: NTT Secure Platform Laboratories, Tokyo, Japan.
authors.forename: Kaori
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Fujimura
authors.affiliation: NTT Secure Platform Laboratories, Tokyo, Japan.
authors.forename: Yoshihiro
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Ito
authors.affiliation: NTT Secure Platform Laboratories, Tokyo, Japan.
authors.forename: Yuji
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Maeda
authors.affiliation: Graduate School of Media and Governance, Keio University, Fujisawa, Japan.
authors.forename: Ikuyo
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Kaneko
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D003142:Communication; D003376:Counseling / Q000379:methods; D004282:Documentation; D005260:Female; D006266:Health Education / Q000379:methods; D006293:Health Promotion / Q000379:methods*; D006304:Health Status; D006801:Humans; D007564:Japan; D008019:Life Style; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010349:Patient Compliance; D017060:Patient Satisfaction; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D017216:Telemedicine / Q000379:methods*; D013689:Telephone; D014743:Videotape Recording
keywords: Telemonitoring; lifestyle modification; tailored print communication; telehealth; videophone